The Seal-Singing (1971)

Many a man in the West has hunted and killed the seal ... And many a seal hunter has repented the day ... for it brings bad luck, and spells a man they do say, so he and his people must pay back to the seal-folk a death for a death. R.M. LOCKLEY, Grey Seal, Common Seal

A voice, sweettoned and sustained, called to him from the sea. Turning the curve he waved his hand. It called again. A sleek brown head, a seal's, far out on the water, round. Usuper. JAMES JOYCE, Ulysses

... All done before. / Love's agonies, victory's drums / Cannot huddle the Cross away / Planted on its future hill. / The secret on the appointed day / Will be made known, the ship once more / Hit upon the waiting rock / Or come safely to the shore .... EDWIN MUIR, The Recurrence

Dedication

First words

"Lockley says - " said Toby, lying on his stomach before the fire, "they can be classified by their structure in the Order Pinnepedia. And that true seals or Phocidae have trailing hind limbs partly encased in the flesh of the trunk (useless for land locomotion); and small, inconspicuous retractable ears."

Quotations

"She's a splendid girl," said Rollo. "But I shouldn't marry her, if I were you. Not unless you want baby Macbeths in the family."

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

▾Book descriptions

▾Library descriptions

No library descriptions found.

▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

Two cousins, Toby and Cat(riona), are annoyed when Miranda, a London cousin, arrives at their island in Scotland for the summer. After preliminary snarls, the three become involved in a mysterious puzzle with occult overtones.

Haiku summary