The Water of the Wondrous Isles
The Water of the Wondrous Isles follows a young woman who escapes captivity and embarks on a transformative quest filled with magic, love, and self-discovery across enchanting isles, where she faces various trials and forms meaningful alliances. Throughout her journey, she learns to embrace her strength and courage while cherishing the bonds she forms along the way.
By William Morris · First published 1897 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance · 60 chapters · 166,144 words
First lines
Whilom, as tells the tale, was a walled cheaping-town hight Utterhay, which was builded in a bight of the land a little off the great highway which went from over the mountains to the sea.
The said town was hard on the borders of a wood, which men held to be mighty great, or maybe measureless; though few indeed had entered it, and they that had, brought back tales wild and confused thereof.
What this Textopian page supports
The Water of the Wondrous Isles is listed on Textopian as a novel by William Morris, dated 1897 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: William Morris
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Mythopoeia, Literary Fiction
- Length: 166,144 words
- Structure: 109 chapters, 1,366 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Water of the Wondrous Isles by William Morris
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Water of the Wondrous Isles?
- How does this novel by William Morris fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Wood Beyond The World by William Morris
- The Golden Fleece by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- The King Of Elflands Daughter by Lord Dunsany
- A Mabinogi by Madison Cawein
- The Wizard by H. Rider Haggard
- The Worm Ouroboros by E. R. Eddison
Genres
- Fantasy — The novel features magical elements, mythical creatures, and an imaginative setting, characteristic of the fantasy genre.
- Adventure — The plot involves quests and explorations across wondrous isles, embodying the adventure genre.
- Romance — Themes of love and relationships are central to the narrative, aligning it with the romance genre.
- Mythopoeia — The book creates a rich mythology and world-building, typical of mythopoeic literature.
Tags
Fantasy · Romance · Adventure · Mythology · Fairy Tales · Medieval Setting · Arthurian Legend · Knights · Chivalry · Magic · Enchantment · Island Setting
Contents
- Catch at Utterhay
- The First Isle
- Birdalone Comes to the Castle of the Quest
- Of Birdalone's Grief; and of Leonard the Chaplain
- Of Sir Leonard's Trouble and the Coming of the Quest
- Birdalone Rides to Greenford and there Takes Leave of Arnold and his Men
- Sir Hugh Asketh Birdalone where she Would have the Abode of their Fellowship to Be
- Now Shall be Told of the House by the Waterside
- Birdalone Falleth in with New Friends
- Of Birdalone, and how she Rested the Night through in a Bower Without the Castle of the Quest
- Birdalone Learneth Lore of the Priest. Ten Days of Waiting Wear
- Now Ask they of Birdalone, and Sir Leonard Speaks
- Of Birdalone and her Fellowship, their Faring over the Downland
- Birdalone Taketh Counsel with her Wood-Mother Concerning the Matter of Sir Hugh
- Of Skin-Changing
- Birdalone is Brought before the Witch-Wife's Sister
- How Birdalone Dight her for Meeting the Champions of the Quest
- Now Would Birdalone Ride Abroad
- How they Follow the Slot of Birdalone and the Black Knight
- They Come to the City of the Five Crafts, and Birdalone Meets with the Poor-Wife
- Of the Journeying through the Forest of Evilshaw Unto the Town of Utterhay
- Of the Waxing of the Stolen Child
- Of the Witch's Prison in the Wailing-Tower
- And now she Meets the Champions
- Of Birdalone's Faring Abroad
- Of the Slaying of Friend and Foe
- Of the Love of Gerard's Sons and of Jacobus for Birdalone
- Of the Abiding in Utterhay in Love and Contentment
- Of Birdalone, and how she is Grown into Maidenhood
- They Feast in the Witch's Prison
- Birdalone has True Tokens from the Champions of the Quest
- Sir Aymeris Showeth Birdalone the Mountains Afar Off
- They Come Home to the Castle of the Quest
- Of the Death of Audrey, Mother to Birdalone. she is Warned in a Dream to Seek the Black Squire, and is Minded to Depart the City of the Five Crafts, and Seek again the Castle of the Quest
- Herein is Told of Birdalone's Raiment
- Atra Tells of how they Three Came Unto the Isle of Increase Unsought
- How the Champions Would do Birdalone to be Clad Anew in the Castle of the Quest
- Birdalone Heareth Tell Tales of the Black Valley of the Greywethers
- Of the Talk Betwixt Birdalone and Viridis
- Of the Sundering of Birdalone from Gerard and his Sons
- Birdalone Hath an Adventure in the Wood
- The Three Damsels Take Birdalone out of the Witch's Prison
- Of Birdalone, how she Told the Champions all her Tale
- Birdalone Beguileth the Priest to Help her to Outgoing
- Birdalone Telleth the Tale of her Wandering up the Valley of the Greywethers
- Birdalone Cometh to Greenford, and Hears of the Wasting of the Castle of the Quest
- Of Birdalone and the Witch-Wife
- In what Wise Birdalone was Clad, and how she Went her Ways from the Isle of Increase Unsought
- In the Meanwhile of the Departing of the Champions, they Would Pleasure Birdalone with Feats of Arms and Games of Prowess
- Birdalone Fares on her Adventure
- Atra and Birdalone Talk Together while the Lords Sit at the Murder-Council
- Birdalone Cometh to the Castle of the Quest, Heareth the Tale Thereof from Leonard, and Departeth Thence by the Sending Boat
- Of Birdalone's Swimming
- How Birdalone Came to the Isle of the Young and the Old
- Birdalone Cometh before the Champions in her New Array
- Birdalone Comes to the Black Valley
- Hugh Tells the Story of the Quest's Ending
- Birdalone Findeth the Isle of Nothing Greatly Bettered, and is Kindly Entreated There
- Birdalone Comes on New Tidings
- Birdalone Comes to the Isle of the Queens