"Dark Rising 5 - Silver on the Tree" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cooper Susan)

Silver on the Tree

By Susan Cooper

Book 5 of 5 in "The Dark is Rising" series



'When the Dark is rising - six shall turn it back,' ran the prophetic rhyme. And in this, the fifth and last book, the story which began with Will Stanton's discovery that he was the last of the Old Ones, wielders on Earth of the giant powers of good and evil, is brought to a triumphant climax. But the search for the crystal sword is a daunting task which leads the chosen six from high summer in England to the dark hills of Wales and the haunting, magical, lost land between sea and shore.

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On the day of the dead, when the year too dies,
Must the youngest open the oldest hills
Through the door of the birds, where the breeze breaks.
There fire shall fly from the raven boy,
And the silver eyes that see the wind,
And the Light shall have the harp of gold.

By the pleasant lake the Sleepers lie,
On Cadfan's Way where the kestrels call;
Though grim from the Grey King shadows fall,
Yet singing the golden harp shall guide
To break their sleep and bid them ride.

When light from the lost land shall return,
Six Sleepers shall ride, six Signs shall burn,
And where the midsummer tree grows tall
By Pendragon's sword the Dark shall fall.

Y maent yr mynyddoedd yn canu,
ac y mae'r arglwyddes yn dod.


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Part One: When the Dark Comes Rising
Midsummer's Eve

Will said, turning a page, 'He liked woad. He says - listen - the decoction of Woad drunken is good for wounds in bodies of a strong constitution, as of country people, and such as are accustomed to great labour and hard coarse fare.'

'Such as me, and all other members of Her Majesty's Navy,' Stephen said. With great precision he pulled a tall, heavy-headed stem of grass out of its sheath, and lay back in the field nibbling it.

'Woad,' said James, wiping a mist of sweat from his plump pink face. 'That's the blue stuff the Ancient Britons used to paint themselves with.'

Will said, 'Gerard says here that woad flowers are yellow.'

James said rather pompously, 'Well, I've done a year's more history than you have and I know they used it for blue.' There was a pause. He added, 'Green walnuts turn your fingers black.'