The Dales of Arcady

audiobook

The Dales of Arcady

by Dorothy Una Ratcliffe

EN·~52 minutes·40 chapters

Chapters

40 total
1

PROLOGUE

3:13
2

DALESHIRE

1:03
3

ON OTLEY CHEVIN

0:57
4

THE SONG OF NIDDERDALE

1:21
5

SONG OF THE MISTS

0:30
6

WANDER-THIRST

1:03
7

THE ROAD

0:28
8

THE SWALING* OF THE MOOR

0:48
9

THE MOORS IN SUMMER

2:36
10

MY HERBARY

1:06

Description

In a timeless corner of the cosmos a youthful goddess, long denied a turn with the great Earth‑Ball, seizes it for a single, daring act. She finds a barren stretch of heather and, with a gentle press of her hand, draws forth a chain of merry rivers that become the famed Airedale, Wharfedale, Nidderdale, Wensleydale and Swaledale. The myth explains why only one Daleshire exists, a gentle punishment that forever keeps her touch away from the Ball. This creation myth sets the tone for a story that reveres both the divine whimsy and the rugged beauty of the English uplands.

From that ancient spark the narrative follows a wandering soul who feels the pulse of those valleys in every mist‑laden morning and rushing stream. Poetic verses echo the landscape’s quiet grandeur, capturing the longing of a heart that calls the rolling hills “home” even when far away. Listeners are invited to wander alongside, hearing the rustle of willows, the call of thrushes, and the timeless whisper of the rivers that the young goddess first set in motion.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~52 minutes (50K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Al Haines

Release date

2011-08-14

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Dorothy Una Ratcliffe

Dorothy Una Ratcliffe

1891–1967

A lively English writer remembered for poetry in Yorkshire dialect, she mixed a love of place with an adventurous, well-traveled life. Her work helped fix the voices, humor, and landscape of Yorkshire in readers' minds.

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