On the Black Hill Page #2

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No, well, that is what they said, but,

actually, it's the other way round.

Little monkeys.

They depend on each other

for so much, sometimes I wonder

whether they really understand the

difference between yours and mine.

But they're soon going to have

a little brother or sister to play with.

Congratulations, Mary.

Oh, dear, now where have they got to?

Benjamin. Lewis.

Benjamin! Lewis!

"'She took a wand

and touched the stones.

'And immediately, his brother

and the animals came to life again.

"'And with them, many others

- merchants, artisans, shepherds -

"'all rose up, thanked the huntsman

for having released them,

"'and returned home.'

"The twin brothers, however,

when they saw each other again,

"kissed one another

and rejoiced greatly together.

"But they seized the old witch

and burnt her to death."

"And as soon as she was dead,

the forest opened up itself..."

There's no need to mollycoddle them.

"And you could see the royal palace,

three hours' walk away."

You very tired, boys? Don't worry.

Not far to go now.

Over there we go.

- Oh, it's you, Sam.

- Aggie.

- You'll stay and have a cup 0' tea?

- Yes, please.

Come on, you two.

Ay, it's a pity your missed Old Tom.

He's gone with the coffin

for poor Mrs Williams Cringoed.

- Died of her lungs.

- Ah...

And the twins, church folk,

same as Amos and Mary?

Church.

Lord have mercy on them.

Don't take any notice.

Oh, he don't mean no harm, that Jim.

Take that. For your mam.

Right, then, boys.

Let's have a bit of a rest, shall we?

Grandpa's out of puff, see.

Now then...

Can you remember

the names of them hills?

The Whimble, the Bach,

and the Black Mixen.

- And the Smatcher.

- Ay, the Smatcher.

Nearby where I was born.

It was thereabouts that Prince Llewellyn

of Wales fought the English.

Oh, aye. Up out of England, they came

and stole the good land of the valleys.

But the Welshman kept the hills

and stopped them coming any further.

What's that, Grandpa?

It's Welsh for "dirty Saxons".

There you are, boys.

Come up now and see your mother.

She's waiting for you.

Let's give her a little present, is it?

Come on, then. Up you go.

Go on, then, boys.

Come and see your little sister.

Send her away!

Send her away! Send her away!

"The aviator, Captain Diabolo,

harangued the police to clear the course

"and took off a second time.

"Again the machine rose,

higher this time.

"Then it veered to the right, then crash-

landed, not far from the Flower Tent.

"The propeller,

capable of 2,700 revolutions per minute,

"dealt blows to the right and left.

"Several of the spectators were wounded,

"and Mrs Pitt of Hindlip died of her injuries

in Worcester Infirmary.

"Remarkable to state that, about three

quarters of an hour after the disaster,

"a swan flew low across the showground.

"His graceful flight seemed to reduce the

aviator's unfortunate attempts to mockery."

Hey!

Come 'ere, Jim.

Come back, you...

Now, then...

These are your father's.

You drive them back up to the rock

and you tell him to keep his beasts in!

It be a lot of deaths.

- Someone's after the poultry!

- Mm?

I think it's young Jim.

Be careful.

I hope you didn't hurt him too much.

Dirty thieves.

It's from Uncle Eddie,

in Canada.

Mr Watkins' sheep

have broken through again.

Up at the top!

So...he have cut his way through.

That settles it.

Get away from there, Amos Jones.

This land belong to we.

No, indeed. It do belong to the estate.

You get away from by there.

I have a map of the estate

as can prove it.

Get away from there!

Good God.

Surely we can settle this as neighbours.

The land belong to we!

If the land belong to you,

you'd not fear putting it to judgment.

- I'd not fear.

- Then we must meet in Rhulen,

this market day coming,

and settle it.

No need for that.

Come away, boys.

- The land belong to we, mind.

- I'll kill him.

Then meet me for a drink.

Well, I might...

Twelve noon? The Red Dragon?

Twelve noon, then.

- What's yours?

- Nothing.

Right you are, then.

Let's get on with it.

You can see the boundary fence,

down by there.

Eh, you can see it plain enough.

It's all in the estate.

Stop him!

Say goodbye to Aggie, from me.

She's a good old girl.

As nice and tidy a person

as never meant no harm.

Say goodbye to her, from me.

- He should be in bed.

- Shh...

- He's wearing his wedding clothes.

- He's gotta go back to bed.

Quiet!

Watkins.

- Hello, Rosie.

- Lewis Jones.

- What're you doing?

- Found some glow-worms.

Come on, Lewis.

We'll be late.

You go on. I'll catch you up in a minute,

all right?

Lewis, come on...

Lewis Jones, get away.

Get away!

- All right. I'll see you Sunday, then.

- Maybe.

- What is it?

- Quick!

You are the one as loves me, Rebecca.

Dad!

Fire! There's a fire!

It's the ricks!

Get more water!

Get some more buckets, Rebecca.

Come on!

Keep away from it, Mam.

Go get the buckets.

Amos, don't go so close.

Oh, no.

We seen the blaze from down the hill.

What in God's name have happened?

- Amos?

- Get out of my sight!

No need to be like that.

Get out of my sight!

You must sleep now.

There's nothing you can do.

I'll kill him.

Watkins.

I'll kill him!

Easter's so early this year, I was worrying

we wouldn't find many primroses.

The dingle is full of them.

All the way down the brook,

there's so many.

"I saw no temple therein,

"For the Lord God Almighty and the lamb

are the temple of it."

Church no more! Chapel we shall be!

I see your sins as cat's eyes in the night.

"Harken unto the voice

of the Lord thy God,

"to observe to do all his commandments.

"Else the Lord shall smite thee

with madness and blindness

"and astonishments of heart.

"And thou shalt be only oppressed

and crushed away,

"so that thou shalt be mad for the sight

of thine eyes,

"which thou shalt see.

"And thou shalt grope at noonday

"as the blind gropeth in darkness.

"And thou shalt not prosper

in thy ways..."

"And...thine eyes shall not pity,

"but life shall go for life,

eye for eye, tooth for tooth..."

- "...thou shalt be only oppressed..."

- "Cursed be he that smiteth..."

He have killed the dog!

You stupid fool!

That is your enemy...

Kaiser Wilhelm ll of Germany.

To hell with the Kaiser!

This is the peril to our beloved Empire.

There can be no rest until this cancer

is ripped out of European society.

There must be no compromise.

It's useless to moralise with an alligator.

Kill it!

When this war is over, there will be

two classes of person in this country.

There will be those who are qualified

to join the armed forces

and refrain from doing so,

and there will be those

who are so qualified

who came forward to do their duty

to their king, their country,

and their womenfolk!

I'll be number one!

It's Jim the Rock!

These last will have

the consolation of knowing

that they have done

what England expects

of every man!

What about Wales?

J" For they are jolly good fellows

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