Chapter 4

THE CROOK OF THE MOUNTAIN KING’S ELBOW

4.

“Here as maybe soon as plenty”, as my old Ma used to say. Here we is again. T’as been a while since you called for me sir. Thought you had forgotten all about me I did. Been sittin’ an waitin’ I have. The Mrs, love her, has been naggin’ for me to send messages. “Ee’s done with you” she says” Lost a nice little earner you ‘ave”, but I knew you would as call. “Can’t leave ‘em lost in that lofty pond can he?” says I to her. “A good lad he is and he will call” and here I am, thank the seasons. Your ‘umblest servant with an open ear and buttoned lip.

 So what you been up to little Lordship? I have heard words that you have been out and about some, got out of his bed and broke bread with his father so I hears. Well done lad. Best to keep in with those as ‘as  the love to feed us eh? Still up to something though is yer? Young you may be, stupid you certainly aint. How ‘ave you been busying yourself? I ask coz I cares enough Lordship. Let’s not be forgetting our friends shall we? Grown you ‘ave, good as gold I swear. Can you get much bigger? How you don’t grow fat lay lying there I don’t know.

 And what of stories eh? Oh I knows you know. T’aint but your father that has ears all over mind. Been havin’ your mind twisted by that redundant wet nurse ‘as you? Well there’s no accountin’ for tastes as they say. Each to his own I reckon, not that I understand any. I can’t begin the imaginings of what nonsense an’ rubbish she might be a fillin’ your young head with. Her with her forests, girly sprites and stupid magical woodland folk. Oh I knows her stories alright. Linfod Treefellow an ‘is adventures? I has to listen to ‘em an all at gatherings, an when I does have to listen? Well my bum itches for goin’ home like it aint been wiped proper. Ingrown eyelash that woman is. Real bout of bench arse I gets listenin’ to her. Stick with me Lord I says. Give me your grace, not her. Close to your father she is mind, coz of what they used to get up to when you was but a godfer. It will all go back to him an’ all, mark my words an’ all. Don’t be sharing any secrets with that whoreabout. May as well shout out the window you may.

*

Any road up.

*

Where was we eh? Up to us unmentionables hiding from giants if I remembers rightly.

Well now...

She sings again she does. Louder and sweeter than before. Sings like a gang of angels in need of supper. Words? Oh she don’t sing words Lordship, not as we would understand anyways. She summons in song like the witchiest witch and some more. Wraps her voice around the world like a favourite blanket and holds you in her arms like as your mother used to want to. There is nothing to understand like questions and answers. Oh no. Her voice throws everything up in the air and makes patterns. It would pull your soul into your chest and set it skitterin’ like a sack of kittens it would, or crush the sensation in your gut till it squeaked out tears or laughter, an ache that you crave, but wish would go away. That’s the lake lady’s singing true enough. It’s not for the brain in your head this song, it works on the brain in your belly and heart. You know. That feeling of doom when you know you have done wrong. Just there, just there it provokes, the place where lust sparks and blossoms into excitement. That’s as where it plays. No there aren’t words to speak of, just a wish to hang your heart upon like summer washing. Spell like, it is, and wonder and dreams it brings. Fear and happiness stirred into a sweet swirling eruption of sparks and twinkling spangles. What it is to understand everything and nothing at the same time, that’s how it feels and it endures in your hope like the loudest most sincere prayer forced through the eye of the quietest whisper.

*

Ah yes!

*

So the night passes and again the giant is made stone during the song, the only thing moving being his massive flat ears that flap slowly like flags in the dark, catching every intonation with flinches, every moment they drink. And as the lake lady sings... As she sings she catches the entire incantation carefully in the shell that she holds ever so delicately, while Arvey hides beneath the surface of the water similarly charmed into unmoving quiet astonishment. The singing lasts until the mountain once more begins to grumble at being woken. Turning grumpily to face the lady he spoils the aria through the tempered shouting of thunder and the throwing of dashing quicksilver lightning. Mountains despise being awake more than anything, and once again Grarth is dismissed from the lakeside with the mountain’s stormy violence ,like an unpopular step child he is. His pleas to the King for more time to listen to the song go unheard, as before he retreats angrily and dejected with the first flush of the new day. Away he crashes, away to his unknown hiding place, leaving in his backwash....soft sweetness sanctuary, safety and peace settle behind him with every crushed heartbroken footstep.

Thoom! 

Thoom!

 Thoom!

Thoom!

Thoom!

Thoom

!

Thoom!

Thoom!

And all is still.  All is still.......The lady fusses with the shell, whispering into it and stroking its casing until the song is trapped firmly in place. Then it seems, and only then, that the morning begins in earnest. The birds begin their gossip and the ground begins to exhale before breathing in the day. Arvey experiences the spell that helped him breath underwater squeeze away in his lungs into nothing and he returns to the surface to gulp the air. The lake lady looks down at him smiling. “We won again” she said and slides delicately off the rock and into the water with the most modest of splashes. But she is not at ease with her black as velvet victory. Restless she is “Quickly! Out of the water now. You must be gone. Be as far down the mountain as your legs and lungs will allow you brave boy. Grath ranges far at night. The mountainside is his garden and he can move faster and is more fierce than you might imagine. My fish have told me so. He has may places to hide from the daytime and he will know where you are.”

“But lady...”

“No buts or questions. Run! Run Arvey run or you will surely die.” As she urged him to immediate action she swam around him urgently making tiny whirlpools with the agitated flicks of her fishy tail while he trod water confused “Go! Please. You have but one chance and it is still a very slim one.” Arvey swam to the shore and gathered the few things he could take with him as quickly as he could. When he was ready she held out her hand. “Take this shell, but please be careful, it is very fragile and wants to break. The spell that holds it together was made in desperation so it makes it’s parcel very brittle. There are no other shells in the lake big enough to hold the song, just this one very precious thing. Guard it for me well.”

“I will lady. I promise”

“Don’t be wasting your time promising. Go!” Arvey wrapped the shell in the linen that had wrapped the offering for the mountain king and put it carefully in his pack as he spoke.

“But lady I don’t know your name. How can I tell them....”

“My name is the song in the shell, just drop it into the sea when you arrive there, it doesn’t matter where. Once the shell is in the sea the song will find my grandmother. Stay near the water that runs from my prison. If you are hungry put your hands in the water. The fishes will come. They will give themselves to you, but be careful to thank them, they are my little ones. Now go.”

“But what do I call you?” he asked her

“My name is long and you could never understand it. Call me whatever you like, it matters nothing. What matters is that you leave here now. Please”

“It matters to me lady, you saved my life”

“And Arvey?”

“Yes lady?”

“You may well still die you know. He will find you. Forgive me.”

“Forgive you nothing. He won’t catch me I tell you. Me ‘an Mr Bird are far smarter than him. We found you didn’t we?” Arvey stood with his pack upon his back ready to go, but could not. “I may never see you again lady. One kiss more”

“If you must” Arvey knelt down and she kissed him briefly on the forehead then smiled. “Who would have thought a boy would be so brave”

“I am not a boy lady. But a man!”

 “Of course you are. Now stop talking and go now. Run as though there were flames at your feet. I will send my fishes to see you as far away as their little brains can manage. I have sent many ahead already. Just take the shortest route down, and at night hide somewhere small where his fingers cannot reach. If it stinks, all the better. Don’t be fooled by his sneezing, he can smell better than the sharks that clean the oceans and his ears can capture the smallest sound for miles around. He is a crafty beast of a thing. If you need help seek out creatures that live by water. They may help, but beware. There will be some that I mean very little to and may mean you harm just to thwart me. Arvey, whatever happens you must promise never to return, it will be far too dangerous here. Promise me.”

“What creatures lady? And what if....what if I defeat Grath?”

“You won’t. You can’t! But even if you did, which you won’t, the mountain will know and he will hunt you then you are dead. Understand me, if you returned here you would have no hope at all and you would die here. Your only chance is to run. Your luck here at the lake is long dead already. Promise me and go!”

 “I give you my word, I promise. As Mr Bird is my witness I promise.”

“Be gone man!”

With that, Harvey picked up Mr Bird, stuffed him into his jacket and with his pack over his shoulder began to run. The lady called after him “Run Arvey. Run! No matter how far you get he will come for you, sure as the night will come and help him. Run. Run. Run!”

Arvey began his descent. Keeping the stream in the corner of his eye all the time he ran like the hunted, but being careful enough not to damage either the cargo upon his back or his feathery friend in his jacket. Over rocks he clambered, through long grass he whisked, crossing the stream many times to find the easier ground for his feet and on he skittered downwards. Only resting to catch his breath, he covered quite a distance from the lake, never looking back, always forwards, always concentrating hard upon his next step. One slip and it could all be over. The shell could easily smash, or if he turned his ankle he would be Grath’s victim for sure. Every footstep had to be sure, steady and fleet. The day grew old at his shoulder and the evening came so fast as to take him by surprise. He was very hungry, sorely tired and the remaining light grew ever shorter as the shadows lengthened.

“We must find somewhere to rest Mr Bird, somewhere to hide. I don’t mind telling you my friend that I am more scared now as I have ever been. He.....He will come. He will come sure as eggs is eggs he will come and he will find me also. Even now he must know where I am. How soon in the evening can he set out I wonder? How soon till we hear his forlorn flat fat feet?

 We must find ourselves somewhere to hide.” Arvey searched and in a short time found a cave that, although it had a large entrance, stretched back quite a way from the outside world. “We will wait here.“ he reasoned with the magpie held in his hands” Hide in the back of the cave we will and wait for Grarth to come. What do you think?” The magpie seemed to nod and gently pecked Arveys thumb. “The evening is here already and I haven’t eaten. You stay here with my pack and I will run down to the stream” The magpie cawed “Don’t worry my little friend. I won’t be long. I need to eat. We will hear Grarth a long time before he plots at our door. You can guard our precious shell. Look, don’t worry, the stream is there, see?” Arvey pointed to the water that lay a small distance away” I will be but a moment. Watch me and guard that pack with your life.”

Arvey took off and ran at full speed to the stream. Remembering what the lake lady had said he cupped his hands and lowered them gently into the water. In no time at all a large silver fish swam into his grasp. Arvey lifted it out of the water in amazement. “She was right” he said” Thank you Mr Fish. I would not eat you normally after making your acquaintance in this way, but I have to and I have another small beak to feed if he cannot root out some worms. Thank you Mr Fish” Arvey lifted the fish up to his nose to sniff it, as the fish he had eaten raw at the lake smelled as good as they tasted. “Ah well Mr Fish, you may not smell so sweet as your cousins, but your flesh will be as welcome. Food is food and beggars can’t be.....” Arvey killed the fish by efficiently banging its head upon a rock, just as he did he heard Grarth roar not so very far away and felt the tremulous repercussions of the giant’s feet shake the earth beneath him. Arvey started like a rabbit and made for the cave full pelt, the fish clasped to his body. The tremors in the ground grew more violent and the roar so loud as to be almost unbearable. He saw Grarth just as he entered the cave, snatching up the bird and the bag as he dashed inside. He moved to the rear of the cave and leant against the dank wall breathing heavily in the thick damp darkness. He placed the magpie on the ground hurriedly. “You will have to fend for yourself for a bit Mr Bird. Make yourself small, small as can be, small as lost hope my little friend and he may not notice you. I must fill his nostrils. You are small, do as the lady asked and run Mr Bird. RUN!.”

 Grarth was now at the mouth of the cave and as he was too big to enter he roared angrily. His voice filled the blackness where Arvey hid. The walls shook and Arvey hid his ears in his hands. He could just about make out Grarth’s hand groping up the cave towards him tearing at the walls as it came. The rock crumbled away like soft earth in the giant’s grip. The darkness fully engulfed the cave now, the giant’s body blocking the light as he groped for Arvey, his fingers tearing menacingly at the walls. Arvey heard the cave around him coming away under the giant’s massive fingers. “He will collapse everything on top of us Mr Bird. Listen, I will run and distract him so that you can escape my friend or we are both finished.” Arvey shouted above the din of rocks falling from the ceiling.

Then....

Then.....

All was quiet. Arvey could just about make out the mouth of the cave ahead of him. “He has gone, but where has he gone? Oh I am not so stupid as to think he has left us. He is waiting outside. That’s it, he must have heard me. Grarth!” he called “ Grarth. Can you hear me? Do you know how ugly you are?” Outside all was silent, but Arvey knew what waited outside should he be foolish enough to venture that far.

“Grarth! Think you can catch me do you? You won’t have me for supper I tell you” he shouted. Then he whispered “Can you hear me now Grarth? With those big ridiculous ears of yours? Can you? You will never get me here you know. I shall wait  until the sun burns your hideous bald bonce. I will wait then I will escape you. Do you hear me Grarth?” Arvey was surprised that he could hear nothing, not even a sniffle from the giant’s constantly runny nose. “I know what you are doing and it won’t work, do you hear me monster? I am not coming out until morning, try as you might.” Again, silence. Arvey waited for what seemed to him half a lifetime. He could see nothing save a very faint glimmer of night at the mouth of the cave. All was quiet enough as to hear his own breathing. Mr Bird had long gone and Arvey was afraid to call for him save the giant heard his callings and tried to find the magpie in his stead. What to do? Should he really wait here till morning? That seemed the sensible thing to do, the only thing to do. But the giant was clever indeed. The silence was gnawing at Arvey’s curiosity. How could he not hear the giant? Where was he? Had he gone? Arvey scolded himself decided to stay at the back of the cave where the giant could not reach him. An hour passed and nothing. Arvey sat and did his best to eat the stinking raw fish, too polite to throw it away. Maybe that was it. Maybe the giant could only smell the fish and not him. Or was his tired mind playing tricks, tricks that his crafty enemy knew too well. “He will find you and kill you” the lake lady had said. “Well he has found me” thought Arvey “but he hasn’t killed me. He could have pulled the ceiling down on top of me, nearly did. Then he stopped. Why?”

There was an almighty CRASH at the mouth of the cave and then another. The sound of large rocks falling to the ground made Arvey jump and the sound of Grarth’s grunting began to worry him. “Why doesn’t he collapse the cave in on top of me? That’s what I would do. I would be dead in a moment.” he thought “Unless...unless he wants ME. Ohhhh my. He wants me and aims to get me before the rising sun spoils his fun. What’s he doing?” Arvey squinted towards the mouth of the cave. He could see nothing, but the crashes and groans of exertion grew all the more. “What are you doing Grarth?” he called “You won’t get me. The rising sun will save me again and then you can do nothing.” The groans and crashing stopped. “That’s right Grarth, the sun will rise and you will have to run, like me. Then I will escape you. You know that don’t you Grarth. I will escape you, you know.” All was still again for a moment and then the crashing started again. The noise seemed to be coming from above Arvey somewhere. Grarth was digging downwards, he aimed to dig Arvey out of the ground like a truffle. Arvey was stiff with fear. He had no idea how long it would take Grarth to find him, nor how long it was till dawn. “Can’t be long now surely” Arvey thought, but he didn’t really know. It could have been hours or minutes since the giant appeared at the cave’s door. The break of day could be hours and hours away and by the sound of what was happening above him, hours was a luxury that his hands didn’t hold. Arvey had to do something. But what? Running was futile, but it was the only thing he could do.

 The crashing grew louder. Surely it would be any time now and he would be plucked from the cave like marrow from a big fat bone. He had to run and trust to his luck. Trust his luck. It had seen him fine and dandy so far hadn’t it? He groped for the bag that he had put down, and slowly and quietly pulled it over his shoulder. His one regret was not being able to tell Mr Bird for fear of the giant hearing. Hopefully Arvey might make his escape, if he were careful, the giant being too busy to notice. He would have to be quiet as thieves, quick and silent as guilt.

 He edged toward the mouth of the cave, the crashing continued. Grarth sounded excited now, as though the giant thought it were but a matter of time. Arvey sneaked away, around the mouth of the cave and worked his way carefully down the mountain. He knew he didn’t have long and thought of finding another cave. Grarth was making an awful noise crashing rocks and roaring and then all was quiet. “He knows” thought Arvey. “He knows” Once more he began to run down the mountainside, all the time looking for another cave, then he heard a footstep crash behind him and then one in front. Grarth was there towering above him. This was it. Grarth lifted a huge foot in the air. Arvey closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable. Grarth roared louder than Arvey had ever heard, so pleased with himself he was. The growl was so monstrousy loud that Arvey stumbled and fell onto his back, hitting his head, thrown over by the giant’s rotten breath. A massive slab of a foot hung over him in the air.

Then, when all was lost, when the lights went out and all hoped died...The lady! The lady began to sing. She began to sing the song of the lake as Arvey’s eyes closed, as Grarth’s fatal foot bore down upon him. She sang as he slipped into darkness and then all was warm and nothing hurt, as nothing would hurt ever again.

And she sang

And she sang

And she sang