|
| 
"Art, Like Cookies for the Soul" |
Chapter 4
|
Only for happiness, repainted dolls . . . a new kind of "canvas"
GO to Main ART WEBSITE page
GO to ABOUT the ARTIST page
SIGN GUESTBOOK
GO BACK
Where to find Nancy Lee's dolls . . . 402.274.3040 phone or nancylee@nancyleemoran.com
A Mysterious Cornish Well
Photographs are copyrighted by Jennifer, shared here with Jen's kind permission.
~ Story written by Jennifer of England in May 2009 ~
Graphic design, editing and website coding by Nancy Lee Moran of USA
|
We've got to pack in lots of adventures before Lauren comes and tells us what we can't do. We must do something special on Saturday.
|
|
Demelza's Idea
|
Demelza soon has an idea for their next adventure. A girl from school has told her about a strange and magical place by Madron, a village not far from Penzance.
"Madron Well," says Ashley slowly when Demelza proposes it. "Gardy tried to take us there once, but the path was flooded. We couldn't get near it. I believe it is a secret hidden place."
"Really? That sounds promising."
|
On Saturday morning they set off on their bikes. It was uphill most of the way, but once they turned off the road toward the well they were bowling along. The sun was shining and the narrow path seemed to beckon them on.
The air was heady with the smell of the hawthorn that festooned twisted thorn trees like bridal garments.
|
|
They jumped off their bikes and entered the shade of a sylvan grove. The sun just penetrated the canopy of burgeoning young leaves in diamond sprinkles. As they sat on the step above the water, water they could glimpse through a dense thicket, it looked not exactly dark within, but bathed in an eerie, uncanny green glow.
|
"Whatever are those coloured things hanging from the branches?
"Ribbons. Pieces of cloth."
|
"They are offerings people have made to the spirits here," Ashley said. "Gardy told me about it." |
"That water through there? Is that the well?"
"I think the well is further in," Ashley said doubtfully.
"I don't want to go down there," Chloe suddenly said firmly.
"Neither do I," said Esme.
"You'll come with me, won't you, Ashley? You're not a scaredy cat."
"No? Oh, all right."
|
Demelza and Ashley left the other two, who were mesmerized by the fluttering ribbons.
|
Demelza and Ashley scrambled down the bank toward the water and into the thicket. The glowing green was another element, almost like entering water.
"It could be the entrance to the Underworld," Ashley whispered.
|
They had to inch across a branch that barred their way.
|
"Oh no, What's that? Is it a ghost? Hanging from the tree?"
|
"It's - it's - let's go back, Demelza."
"Well, er, I think we should if we are to have enough time to find the chapel as well."
|
|
They bolted back through the undergrowth, slipping and stumbling, inhaling pungent smells of mud and crushed leaves. Soon they spied the terrified faces of the others looking down at their panicked retreat. How relieved they were to emerge from that hungry green into the sunshine again.
|
|
The chapel, which Demelza had also planned to visit, was ~ as Esme in poetic mode would put it ~ "hard by" the well. It only took a brief walk to discover it. An iron gate gave a horrid screech as they pushed it open. As soon as they passed through it, they seemed to be in another world. The chapel, a low building of ancient stones, played host to ferns and other greenery in its crevices. |
|
It had no roof, probably never had. The sun shone brightly into this place which was plain and hospitable. Stone benches had been built against three of the walls, as had a rude altar consisting of a stone slab set on piles of stone. Someone had placed a spray of fresh bluebell flowers on the altar, perhaps this very day. |
The girls sat together peacefully enough, until Esme got up and said, "I think it is the Green Chapel."
"What's that?" Demelza asked.
"The chapel that Gawain, a young knight from King Arthur's court had to seek out one Christmastide, to risk three blows to the neck from the axe of the Green Knight."
"Er, gruesome. Dare I ask what happened to him?"
"You should read it yourself, Demelza. You'd enjoy it," said Esme, though mostly to herself since Demelza was already moving on to something more intriguing.
|
 |
"Hey, look in that corner! It looks like a well, doesn't it?" said Demelza. "Let's each throw in a pebble and make a wish."
"Demelza, that is where they put the water for baptisms. This is a holy place. It would be better if we just said a little prayer and left."
Ashley spoke with unaccustomed authority, even severity, and Demelza looked at her in surprise. But Esme just nodded in agreement, and Chloe chimed in, "Yes, I want to go home now." |
I saw the sunlit vale and the pastoral fairy tale,
the sweet and bitter scent of the May drifted by,
And never have I seen such a bright bewildering green.
~ Edmund Blunden
|
 |
That evening, when she came to kiss them good night, Gardy had Chloe cling to her anxiously. As she listened to the exploits of the day she understood why.
"My darlings, that well is a sacred place and even now people believe that spirits there will help them if they are sick or in trouble, or if for any reason are in need of a blessing. A bride may leave an effigy dressed in white, just as in olden times in the hopes of a happy marriage and many children. Water is so precious, isn't it, though we take it for granted now we can just turn on the tap for a ready supply? I believe baptisms still take place in the chapel. It is not a place to treat with disrespect."
"We didn't. We said a prayer," Chloe said, sleepy now.
"Oh, that's good. Then you have nothing to fear." And she kissed them goodnight.
Demelza climbed into bed with Chloe after she had gone.
"I did make a wish in my head," she whispered.
"What did you wish for?"
"Well, first it was going to be something bad to happen to Lady Polkinghorne, like she got gobbled up by that greedy goose." Chloe giggled.
"And then, I thought I'd rather wish I could be picked for the netball team."
"So?"
'But in the end I wished that we could have a dog."
|
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
The "path home" eventually winds up in open fields, without further trace. I wonder if this was once the grand approach to Madron, and whether some of it was dug up. Someone tells a story of getting lost here and not being able to find the way back for some time. He got panicky and imagined himself somehow lost between worlds. It sounds daft because the landscape is very intimate with its tiny fields, but the Cornish hedges (high vegetation-covered walls of granite) are quite formidable barriers. None of the other wells I have visited have quite the same strange atmosphere as does Madron.
|
DOLL DRESS DESIGNERS
Esme and Chloe are wearing dresses created by Ulla. Ashley and Demelza wear clothing by Sharon Clancy (eBay name Bekindoften), dresses originally made for Sasha dolls, ones that also fit the 16-inch (40 cm) Kish dolls. The pajamas are by Betsy May, also for Sasha.
|
|
If you would like to receive an email when future chapters are posted to my website, please send an email to nancylee@nancyleemoran.com. Just write "Jen's Stories" in the title line. You would receive no more than one email a month. For your privacy, I never share email addresses with anyone else. |
Nancy Lee Moran's POLICY TO SHOW RESPECT FOR ROBERT TONNER, HELEN KISH & other doll creators is as follows:
The dolls I use were factory painted or blank mannequins. I am NOT affiliated with any doll company, creator or manufacturer.
Please send your questions and requests to Nancy at nancylee@nancyleemoran.com
or by phone: 402-274-3040 Central Time
All rights reserved. All art and photos on the site are protected by copyright © law.
Each may only be reproduced with written permission of the artist. Site page design copyrighted © by Nancy Lee Moran.
Thank you for visiting Nancy Lee Moran's website!
|
