Fire and Hemlock

Fire and Hemlock
Diana Wynne Jones

In the mind of a lonely, imaginative girl, who can tell where fiction ends and reality begins? An epic fantasy, spanning nine years…The fire and hemlock photograph above Polly’s bed sparks memories in her that don’t seem to exist any more. Halloween; nine years ago; she gatecrashed a funeral party at the big house and met Thomas Lynn for the first time.Despite the fact that he’s an adult, they struck up an immediate friendship, and began making up stories together – stories in which Tom is a great hero, and Polly is his assistant. The trouble is, these scary adventures have a nasty habit of coming true…But what has happened in the years between?Why has Tom been erased from Polly’s mind, and from the rest of the world as well? Gradually Polly uncovers the awful truth and, at Halloween nine years on, realises that Tom’s soul is forfeit to demonic powers unless she can save him.

FIRE AND HEMLOCK

Diana Wynne Jones

ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID WYATT

Dedication (#ulink_f9e31c6f-24af-5828-b300-95bc0225d8ec)

To Laura

Contents

Cover (#ua07bb159-da72-5962-9b9f-51e6bf7ec9c3)

Title Page (#u29bcda2a-c75a-55a4-8a41-9b10a1283fad)

Dedication (#ue0794ad9-10b2-5672-b831-a6f9c772754b)

Part One New Hero (#u294f696d-9a58-5d46-b70d-a1340ab0414c)

1 A dead sleep came over me And from my horse I fell (#u00ddc6cf-6d7e-56f8-9425-19c377ce3641)

2 O I forbid you, maidens all, That wear gold in your hair, To come or go by Carterhaugh For young Tam Lin is there. (#u34eaacc3-0818-5b00-acb9-cca607aafeb2)

3 Abide you there a little space And I will show you marvels three (#u8373bac8-677f-52f6-ae1c-2768bd8165e3)

4 The steed that my true-love rides on Is fleeter than the wind; With silver he is shod before, With burning gold behind. (#u96f618bc-2022-52b0-a7a1-103941b132aa)

5 O see you not yon narrow road So thick beset with thorns and briars? That is the path of Righteousness, Though after it but few enquires. (#u6ca1fad6-8b9f-54cb-b768-12e16a34054d)

6 O they rode on, and further on, The steed went swifter than the wind, Until they reached a desert wide And living land was left behind. (#litres_trial_promo)

Part Two Now Here (#litres_trial_promo)

1 And fill your hands o’ the holy water And cast your compass round (#litres_trial_promo)

2 She had not picked a rose, a rose, A rose but barely one, When up and started young Tam Lin (#litres_trial_promo)

3 O they rode on and further on, They waded rivers above the knee, And they saw neither sun nor moon, But they heard the roaring of the sea. (#litres_trial_promo)

4 The truth I’ll tell thee, Janet; In no word will I lie (#litres_trial_promo)

5 But aye she grips and holds him fast (#litres_trial_promo)

6 And pleasant is the fairy land For those that in it dwell, But at the end of seven years They pay a tax to hell. (#litres_trial_promo)

Part Three Where Now? (#litres_trial_promo)

1 It was mirk, mirk night, there was no starlight; They waded through red blood to the knee, For all the blood that’s shed on earth Runs through the springs of that country. (#litres_trial_promo)

2 They’ll turn me in your arms, lady, Into a serpent or a snake (#litres_trial_promo)

3 But, Thomas, you shall hold your tongue (#litres_trial_promo)

4 They’ll turn me in your arms, lady, Into a deer so wild, But hold me fast, don’t let me go (#litres_trial_promo)

5 “Harp and carp, Thomas,” she said, “Harp and carp along with me, And if you dare to kiss my lips, Sure of your body I will be.” (#litres_trial_promo)

6 They’ll shape me in your arms, lady, A hot iron at the fire, But hold me fast, don’t let me go, To be your heart’s desire. (#litres_trial_promo)

7 Out then spoke her brother dear – He meant to do her harm – “There grows a herb in Carterhaugh…” (#litres_trial_promo)

Part Four Nowhere (#litres_trial_promo)

1 Had I the wit yestreen, yestreen, That I have got today, I’d pay my tax seven times to hell Ere you were won away! (#litres_trial_promo)

2 O first let pass the black, lady, Then let pass the brown, But quickly run to the milk white steed—Pull you his rider down. (#litres_trial_promo)

3 But the night is Hallowe’en, Janet, The morn is Hallowday (#litres_trial_promo)

4 That is the path of Wickedness, Though some call it the Road to Heaven. (#litres_trial_promo)

5 About the dead hour of the night She heard the bridles ring, And Janet was as glad of that As any earthly thing. (#litres_trial_promo)

6 And see you not yon bonny road That winds across the ferny lea? That is the road to fair Elfland Where you and I this night must be. (#litres_trial_promo)

Coda scherzando (#litres_trial_promo)

Coda They shaped him in her arms at last A mother-naked man (#litres_trial_promo)

Other Works (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

PART ONE (#ulink_43ac39dc-21ee-5b55-9105-d36e4fc4230a)

NEW HERO (#ulink_43ac39dc-21ee-5b55-9105-d36e4fc4230a)

1 A dead sleep came over meAnd from my horse I fell (#ulink_1387229d-27f1-5eb3-b58a-cf6d8c084176)

TAM LIN

Polly sighed and laid her book face down on her bed. She rather thought she had read it after all, some time ago. Before she swung her feet across to get on with her packing, she looked up at the picture above the bed. She sighed again. There had been a time, some years back, when she had gazed at that picture and thought it marvellous. Dark figures had seemed to materialise out of its dark centre – strong, running dark figures – always at least four of them, racing to beat out the flames in the foreground. There had been times when you could see the figures quite clearly. Other times, they had been shrouded in the rising smoke. There had even been a horse in it sometimes. Not now.