Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall, Second SeriesBottrell, William
General
Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall, Second Series
Bottrell, William
Cornwall (England : County) -- Social life and customs; Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
Marec remained a long while studying among the magicians,
and learned many curious arts, unknown in western lands. He
also married a beautiful and rich lady, who was gifted with
many rare accomplishments, and Uter wedded her favourite
damsel.
In about three years, the old captain—who, in the meantime,
had made a voyage to Market-jew for tin—came to the sage's
country on purpose to inform Marec that his father had long
been dead, and how the people on his estate had sent him money
and wished for his speedy return.
Pengersec's heart then yearned for his home and his people; he[263]
told his wife how in the pleasant land, towards the setting sun,
gentle showers descended, all summer long, like dews distilled
from Heaven, and kept the fields ever verdant; how crops
succeeded crops throughout the year, which was like a perpetual
spring compared with the arid land in which they then dwelt.
He said how hills and dales were covered with fat herds in that
happy land, whose inhabitants had not to hunt half-starved wild
animals for their subsistence, but only followed the chase for
pastime; how by a process, unknown in other lands, a liquor
was there brewed from grain, which made those who drank it
as strong as giants and brave as lions; how the Cornish people
merely washed the soil of their valleys and found metals—more
precious than silver or gold.
"That is the tin, to obtain which your eastern mariners make
their longest and most dangerous voyages," said Pengersec—as
we shall now call Marec—"besides," continued he, "I have a
strong and fair castle in a green valley by the sea; I will build thee
a bower by the murmuring shore, where we will have delightful
gardens and everything for pleasure." "Say no more, my
beloved, about the delights of thy land," she replied, "for I
shall little regard that when thou art by; thy home shall be
mine wherever thou choosest to dwell; and whenever it pleaseth
thee let us depart."
After procuring many magical books and other things,
necessary for the practice of occult sciences, Pengersec and his lady,
with Uter and his spouse, took leave of the sages and made sail
for home.
On the way, Pengersec stayed some time with King Arluth,
who presented him with a foal of the choicest stock of his
country; he also sent on board, unknown to his brother, bales
of brocade, and various rich stuffs of gold and silver tissue,
besides pearls, precious stones, and other valuable things; and,
promising to revisit each other, they took loving leave.
The lady passed much time on deck playing on her harp, its
sweet music kept the weather fair, drew dolphins and other fishes
from the depths of the sea to sport around and follow the ship to
Mount's Bay; thence it came to pass that on our coast were
found many rare fishes—never before seen here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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