The Music On The Hill by Saki is a short story. I came across this story in a short stories book that I have. Its title intrigued me. The story follows a married couple who move to a country house and find themselves amongst ancient legends.
The story is narrated by Slyvia. She and her husband Mortimer move to the country with lots of land. Their new house is slightly isolated and away from the town. Slyvia seems to miss living in the town, but is also, curious about their new home. She is the one who forces Mortimer to move to their Yessney country home so that he is away from the town. Yessney is in the heart of nature. There’s something about the landscape that makes it seem wild and untamed.
Slyvia prides herself on winning battles with her husband. His family did not approve of their wedding, as Mortimer wasn’t interested in women before her. Mortimer tells her about Pan, the nature God, and his beliefs regarding it. Slyvia doesn’t completely buy into the faith that her husband has. One day, she comes across Pan’s statue on the land with an offering of grapes at its feet. Grapes are hard to come by, so she is angry with her husband for leaving such an offering and picks it up to take it with her.
The descriptions of the landscape kind of reminded me of the moors in Wuthering Heights, but not as bleak. The natural beauty of Yessney is beautiful and untouched. The tale takes a turn when Slyvia snatches away the offering of grapes. The element of horror and suspense picks up after this point. Slyvia always seems to be uncomfortable at Yessney. Even the farm animals and the way they look at her is an unwelcoming feeling. Mortimer has devotional faith in Pan, the nature God (Greek mythology). Mortimer calls him the Father of the Gods. Once they settle at Yessney, Mortimer refuses to go to town again.
After the offering incident, Syliva is warned by her husband to stay indoors and not to wander far away from the house. Although Slyvia catches a glimpse of a boy after she picks up the grapes, she is not willing to believe her husband’s warnings. The theme of vengeance of nature and transgression is omnipresent from the start. Her transgressions against her husband and then against Pan. She forces her husband to leave town, her husband is hinted to be attracted to men, and she wants him away from it all. Then, she doesn’t like his faith in Pan and pays a price for it. This version of Pan in the story is something that intrigues me.
The Music On The Hill by Saki is a short story, that has gothic vibes woven with mythology. I enjoyed reading this story because of how it played out from start to finish. It kept me engaged and intrigued. The title makes sense when you realize it is related to Pan and the flute. It was an interesting read.
*Click on the book cover above to get a copy.
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