Over Sea, Under Stone

This second section of the novel provides necessary exposition about the Arthurian background of the protagonists’ quest. In Chapter 6, for example, Simon, Jane, and Barney’s conversation with Great-Uncle Merry introduces new narrative stakes that enhance the mythical dimensions of the story. Before they start talking, Merry echoes the words he utters when the children first arrive in Trewissick, this time in Latin: “Hic incipit regnum Logri…” (70). This moment symbolically shifts the narrative from the mundane reality of contemporary life to a more fantastical environment, invoking the idea of Arthurian Legend as Living Myth in the Modern World. The author’s tendency to blur the boundary between reality and fiction is also demonstrated in Merry’s explanation that fairy tales are historical facts that have become legends over time. 

To further highlight this trend, Jane even entertains the notion that her great-uncle himself “did not really exist at all, and would vanish away if they breathed” (75), and this whimsical description foreshadows the later revelation of his legendary identity. In short, the narrative creates a sense of ambiguity around the details of Arthurian legend, framing it as historical fact that has come to be regarded as more myth than reality over time. This premise enables the author to draw from parts of the original legend while adapting its overall shape to the realistic, modern world that the characters inhabit. The historicity of the manuscript is also reinforced by the fact that a monk copied it centuries before the story takes place. Furthermore, the grail it describes is a replica of the supposedly real Holy Grail, and these details inject both narrative and historical distance between the protagonists and the time of King Arthur, heightening their determination to discover the mythical artifact.

While Simon, Jane, and Barney cannot confide in their parents, their decision to tell their Great-Uncle Merry about the manuscript implies that the older man is a different type of authority figure than the other adults in the story. Rather than playing a restrictive role and limiting the scope of the children’s explorations, Great-Uncle Merry actively encourages them in their investigation and even aids their progress by providing key information and running interference to distract their enemies. Thus, it is clear that the children view Merry as a mentor and a guide who is “in the know” about the fantastical happenings in the story. His enigmatic support strongly contrasts with the mundane behaviors of Father, Mother, and even the police officers, whose grounding in everyday reality renders them incompatible with the mythical dimensions of the story. As a result, this disconnect creates a sense of dramatic irony because Merry and the three children (and by extension, the reader) all share secret information about the true nature of the Arthurian legend. 

While Great-Uncle Merry is a clear ally, other aspects of the narrative cultivate ambiguity to reinforce narrative tension. Mr. Hastings, for example, is initially introduced through several disjointed accounts that create a sense of dread and mystery around his character. When Jane meets him in Chapter 4, for example, he misleads her into believing that he is the village vicar. In Chapter 7, Bill and a mysterious man “dressed all in black” (104) pursue Simon to get to the manuscript. Finally, in Chapter 8, Simon and Jane run into an ominous figure in a dark cloak while they are investigating the standing stones. Later in the novel, they will eventually realize that Mr. Hastings is the mysterious culprit in these encounters, and that Jane’s visit to him has put him on their trail. At this point, however, the narrative is still building up to that revelation, so Cooper provides only vague glimpses of the supposed vicar’s dark, foreboding appearance and ambiguous identity. 

While Mrs. Palk plays a fairly limited role in these chapters, the few interactions that the children have with her suggest that even she may not have their best interests at heart. For example, she separates Barney from the other two by insisting that he cannot go out because he has a sunburn. Additionally, in Chapter 8, Great-Uncle Merry off-handedly mentions that Mrs. Palk and the unpleasant Bill Hoover are related. Because Bill has already been identified as a villain and his father is described as a “no-good” (109) man, these details indicate Mrs. Palk’s deceitful nature and baleful intentions, which will be further illustrated in the following chapter.