Under the Greenwood Tree

re made for the start. The older men and musicians wore thick coats, with stiff perpendicular collars, and coloured handkerchiefs wound r

d for the ninth time, the music-books were arranged, and the pieces finally decided upon. The boys in the meantime put the old horn-lanterns in order, cut candles into short lengths to fit the lanterns; and, a thin

ry family, even if but a single air were bestowed on each. There was Lower Mellstock, the main village; half a mile from this were the church and vicarage, and a few other houses, the spot being rather lonely now, though in past

econd violins respectively. The singers consisted of four men and seven boys, upon whom devolved the task of carrying and attending to th

, keep your ears open to Michael’s fingering, and don’t ye go straying into the treble part along o’ Dick and his set, as ye did last year; and mind this especially when we be in ‘Arise, and hail.’ Billy Chimlen, don’t you

Ledlow’s

’s first; the

f-past two; then heat the metheglin and cider in the warmer you’ll find turned u

the landscape than traceable to the sky. The breeze had gone down, and the rustle of their feet and tones of their speech echoed with an alert rebound from every post, boundary-stone, and ancient wall they passed, even where the distance of the echo

ard the main village, nobody being at home at the Manor. Pursuing no recognized track, great care was necessary in walking lest their faces s

ard glance rest on the ground, because it was as convenient a position as any. “People don’t care much about us now! I’ve been thinking we must be almost the las

s head; and old William, on s

o be heard of; but it served some of the quires right. They should have stuck to strings as we did, and kep

ifters, as far as that

nny. “Old things pass away, ’tis true; but a serpent

clar’nets froze — ah, they did freeze! — so that ’twas like drawing a cork every time a key was opened; and the players o’ ’em had to go into a hedger-and-ditcher’s chimley-corner, and thaw their clar

’nets there. ‘Joseph,’ I said, says I, ‘depend upon’t, if so be you have them tooting clar’nets you’ll spoil the whole set-out. Clar’nets were not made for the service of the Lard; you can s

et. ’Tis further off. There’s always a rakish, scampish twist about a fiddle’s looks that seems to say the Wicked One had a

fting dog — well and good; your reed-man is a dab at stirring ye — well and good; your drum-man is a rare bowel-shaker —

ever!” said

s death.” (“Death they was!” said Mr. Penny.) “And harmonions,” William continued in a louder voice, and getting excited by these s

arge strides like the men, and did not

le dumbl

be — miserable dumbledores!”

nce at the junction of three ways, now rose in unvarying and dark flatness against the sky. The instruments

round in a semicircle, the boys opening the lanterns to

quaint Christianity in words orally transmitted from father to son through sever

er Adam

hou

er Ada

eaven

r Adam’

ath cond

ll pe

for to

God’s g

hou

God’s g

romis

God’s g

His Son

for to

ot a

ehem He

hou

ehem He

nkind’

ehem He

s-day i’

ur though

ults t

nks to G

hou

nks to G

eart-m

nks to G

our jo

men sing

, Ho

stened for a minute or two, but found t

what unbounded goodness!’ num

nd no notice whatever seemed

y house, as befell us in the year thir

me musical city, and sneers at o

school chimney, “I don’t quite stomach her, if this is it. Your plain music w

he leader authoritatively. “‘Rejoice, ye

voice, as he had said in the village at that hour and season for t