Fear of the Unknown

Where it surfaces

• Epigraph

  The Sirens represent the perilous call of the unknown, from which a man may never return.

• I: Master Nathaniel Chanticleer

  Master Nathaniel's life is poisoned by a small, nameless fear, generated by a single plangent note from an ancient lute, which haunts his dreams and makes him dread a hidden menace lurking in everyday life.

• II: The Duke Who Laughed Himself Off a Throne and Other Traditions of Dorimare

  The horror and taboo surrounding Fairyland and fairy fruit reflect a deep societal fear of the mysterious and the otherworldly.

• Ranulph Goes to the Widow Gibberty’s Farm

  Master Nathaniel's anxiety about fairy fruit and the Note, and Ranulph's inexplicable terror at the sight of Portunus, reflect deep unease with hidden or supernatural elements.

• VII: Master Ambrose Chases a Wild Goose and Has a Vision

  Moonlove's terror and cryptic words about horror and a never-stopping tune embody the fear of unknown forces.

• IX: Panic and the Silent People

  The disappearance of the Crabapple Blossoms and the threat of Fairyland create widespread panic and dread, with citizens and officials alike paralyzed by uncertainty.

• X: Hempie's Song

  The town's fear of fairies and fairy fruit is challenged by Hempie's neighborly and unafraid attitude.

• XII: Dame Marigold Hears the Tap of a Woodpecker

  Dame Marigold senses a change in the town's atmosphere, and Luke's letter describes a mysterious cloaked man and cryptic threats, heightening unease.

• XV: “Ho, Ho, Hoh!”

  The town's horrified reaction to the fairy fruits and the mob's violence against Nathaniel reflect deep-seated fear of the fairy realm.

• XIX: The Berries of Merciful Death

  Nathaniel's discovery of the sinister poison and the silent language of dead men's tales evokes a deep unease about hidden truths.

• XX: Watching the Cows

  The children's fear of the Silent People and the protective use of fennel highlight the community's anxiety about supernatural forces and the unknown.

• XXI: The Old Goatherd

  Hazel's anxiety about Ranulph's disappearance and the strange goatherd near the Elfin Marches underscores the pervasive fear of the unknown and the dangers lurking near the border.

• XXII: Who Is Portunus?

  Nathaniel's unease with Portunus's riddles and Hazel's fear of the old weaver highlight the mystery surrounding the fairy influence.

• The Northern Firebox and Dead Men's Tales

  Hazel's unease with the widow's strange Northern ways and the outlandish stove; the mysterious near-death of Master Nathaniel.

• XXIV: Belling the Cat

  The widow's taunts about Ranulph going to 'the land whence none returns' and the dread of Fairyland evoke the fear of the unknown and the supernatural.

• XXV: The Law Crouches and Springs

  Leer's cry of betrayal by the Silent People introduces a supernatural element, suggesting hidden forces at work.

• XXVII: The Fair in the Elfin Marches

  Nathaniel confronts the silent market of souls and the horror of the dead, facing the unknown beyond the hills.

• XXVIII: “By the Sun, Moon and Stars and the Golden Apples of the West”

  Nathaniel's terror in the Marches, the death of his horse, and the final leap into the abyss all embody the fear of what lies beyond the familiar.

• Master Ambrose Keeps His Vow

  The populace panics at the fairy invasion, but Ambrose calms them by urging acceptance of the unknown.

• XXXI: The Initiate

  Nathaniel hints that the final secret of the Mysteries may be bitter, and he feels ashamed and uncertain about his honors, reflecting a fear of what initiation truly entails.