The Roots of the Mountains

Wherein is told somewhat of the lives of the men of Burgdale, their friends, their neighbours, their foemen, and their fellows in arms.By William MorrisRecorded Track

Length14h 13m

About this audiobook

William Morris's "The Roots of the Mountains" is one of the hidden wellsprings of modern fantasy tales, a formative influence on J. R. R. Tolkien’s vision of Middle‑earth. It chronicles the epic struggle of two kindred peoples as they struggle against raiders from afar, forge fragile alliances, and discover love, honour, and sacrifice in the shadow of looming conflict. A story in which a young man, the Face-of-god, navigates relations with important women in his life; the Bride, The Sunbeam, and Bow-May. He faces the disapproval of his father, but must win his respect and that of his people. This new edition preserves the depth, the poetry and mythic power of Morris’s original while offering carefully updated language and presentation, making a foundational classic of fantasy fully accessible and gripping for today’s audio listeners.

Audiobook details

GenreFantasy, Historical Fiction

Length14 hrs 13 mins

Narrated byRecorded Track

FormatAudiobook

Publish dateMay 30, 2026

LanguageEnglish

1CHAPTER 0. Introduction

32CHAPTER 31. OF THE WEAPON-SHOW OF THE MEN OF BURGDALE AND THEIR NEIGHBOURS.

2CHAPTER 1. OF BURGSTEAD AND ITS FOLK AND ITS NEIGHBOURS.

33CHAPTER 32. THE MEN OF SHADOWY VALE COME TO THE SPRING MARKET AT BURGSTEAD.

3CHAPTER 2. OF FACE-OF-GOD AND HIS KINDRED.

34CHAPTER 33. THE ALDERMAN GIVES GIFTS TO THEM OF SHADOWY VALE.

4CHAPTER 3. THEY TALK OF DIVERS MATTERS IN THE HALL

35CHAPTER 34. THE CHIEFTAINS TAKE COUNSEL IN THE HALL OF THE FACE.

5CHAPTER 4. FACE-OF-GOD FARETH TO THE WOOD AGAIN.

36CHAPTER 35. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE SUN-BEAM.

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6CHAPTER 5. FACE-OF-GOD FALLS IN WITH MENFOLK ON THE MOUNTAIN.

37CHAPTER 36. FOLK-MIGHT SPEAKETH WITH THE BRIDE.

7CHAPTER 6. OF FACE-OF-GOD AND THOSE MOUNTAIN-DWELLERS.

38CHAPTER 37. OF THE FOLK-MOTE OF THE DALESMEN, THE SHEPHERD-FOLK, AND THE WOODLAND CARLES: THE BANNER OF THE WOLF DISPLAYED.

8CHAPTER 7. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE FRIEND ON THE MOUNTAIN.

39CHAPTER 38. OF THE GREAT FOLK-MOTE: ATONEMENTS GIVEN, AND MEN MADE SACKLESS.

9CHAPTER 8. FACE-OF-GOD COMETH HOME AGAIN TO BURGSTEAD.

40CHAPTER 39. OF THE GREAT FOLK-MOTE: MEN TAKE REDE OF THE WAR-FARING, THE FELLOWSHIP, AND THE WAR-LEADER. FOLK-MIGHT TELLETH WHENCE HIS PEOPLE CAME. THE FOLK-MOTE SUNDERED.

10CHAPTER 9. THOSE BRETHREN FARE TO THE YEWWOOD WITH THE BRIDE.

41CHAPTER 40. OF THE HOSTING IN SHADOWY VALE.

11CHAPTER 10. NEW TIDINGS IN THE DALE.

42CHAPTER 41. THE HOST DEPARTETH FROM SHADOWY VALE: THE FIRST DAY’S JOURNEY.

12CHAPTER 11. MEN MAKE OATH AT BURGSTEAD ON THE HOLY BOAR.

43CHAPTER 42. THE HOST COMETH TO THE EDGES OF SILVER-DALE.

13CHAPTER 12. STONE-FACE TELLETH CONCERNING THE WOOD-WIGHTS.

44CHAPTER 43. FACE-OF-GOD LOOKETH ON SILVER-DALE: THE BOWMEN’S BATTLE.

14CHAPTER 13. THEY FARE TO THE HUNTING OF THE ELK.

45CHAPTER 44. OF THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE MEN OF THE STEER, THE BRIDGE, AND THE BULL.

15CHAPTER 14. CONCERNING FACE-OF-GOD AND THE MOUNTAIN.

46CHAPTER 45. OF FACE-OF-GOD’S ONSLAUGHT.

16CHAPTER 15. MURDER AMONGST THE FOLK OF THE WOODLANDERS.

47CHAPTER 46. MEN MEET IN THE MARKET OF SILVER-STEAD.

17CHAPTER 16. THE BRIDE SPEAKETH WITH FACE-OF-GOD.

48CHAPTER 47. THE KINDREDS WIN THE MOTE-HOUSE.

18CHAPTER 17. THE TOKEN COMETH FROM THE MOUNTAIN.

49CHAPTER 48. MEN SING IN THE MOTE-HOUSE.

19CHAPTER 18. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE FRIEND IN SHADOWY VALE.

50CHAPTER 49. DALLACH FARETH TO ROSE-DALE: CROW TELLETH OF HIS ERRAND: THE KINDREDS EAT THEIR MEAT IN SILVER-DALE.

20CHAPTER 19. THE FAIR WOMAN TELLETH FACE-OF-GOD OF HER KINDRED.

51CHAPTER 50. FOLK-MIGHT SEETH THE BRIDE AND SPEAKETH WITH HER.

21CHAPTER 20. THOSE TWO TOGETHER HOLD THE RING OF THE EARTH-GOD.

52CHAPTER 51. THE DEAD BORNE TO BALE: THE MOTE-HOUSE RE-HALLOWED.

22CHAPTER 21. FACE-OF-GOD LOOKETH ON THE DUSKY MEN.

53CHAPTER 52. OF THE NEW BEGINNING OF GOOD DAYS IN SILVER-DALE.

23CHAPTER 22. FACE-OF-GOD COMETH HOME TO BURGSTEAD.

54CHAPTER 53. OF THE WORD WHICH HALL-WARD OF THE STEER HAD FOR FOLK-MIGHT.

24CHAPTER 23. TALK IN THE HALL OF THE HOUSE OF THE FACE.

55CHAPTER 54. TIDINGS OF DALLACH: A FOLK-MOTE IN SILVER-DALE.

25CHAPTER 24. FACE-OF-GOD GIVETH THAT TOKEN TO THE BRIDE.

56CHAPTER 55. DEPARTURE FROM SILVER-DALE.

26CHAPTER 25. OF THE GATE-THING AT BURGSTEAD.

57CHAPTER 56. TALK UPON THE WILD-WOOD WAY.

27CHAPTER 26. THE ENDING OF THE GATE-THING.

58CHAPTER 57. HOW THE HOST CAME HOME AGAIN.

28CHAPTER 27. FACE-OF-GOD LEADETH A BAND THROUGH THE WOOD.

59CHAPTER 58. HOW THE MAIDEN WARD WAS HELD IN BURGDALE.

29CHAPTER 28. THE MEN OF BURGDALE MEET THE RUNAWAYS.

60CHAPTER 59. THE BEHEST OF FACE-OF-GOD TO THE BRIDE ACCOMPLISHED: A MOTE-STEAD APPOINTED FOR THE THREE FOLKS, TO WIT, THE MEN OF BURGDALE, THE SHEPHERDS, AND THE CHILDREN OF THE WOLF.

30CHAPTER 29. THEY BRING THE RUNAWAYS TO BURGSTEAD.

61CHAPTER 60. CAST AND END NOTES

31CHAPTER 30. HALL-FACE GOETH TOWARD ROSE-DALE.