The Faraway Lurs facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Harry Behn |
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| Illustrator | Harry Behn |
| Cover artist | Milton Charles |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Romantic tragedy |
| Publisher | World Publishing Company |
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Publication date
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1963 |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
The Faraway Lurs (also known as The Distant Lurs) is an exciting adventure story by American author Harry Behn. It was published in 1963. This book is a romantic tragedy, much like the famous play Romeo and Juliet. It tells a tale of love and conflict between two different groups of people.
Contents
What Are Lurs?
The word "lurs" in the book's title comes from Danish and Swedish. A lur is a type of musical instrument from the Bronze Age. Imagine a long, S-shaped metal tube, like a trumpet or trombone. It doesn't have finger holes. People played it by blowing into one end.
Lurs often came in pairs, so they are usually talked about in the plural. The sound of these ancient instruments plays an important part in the story.
Story Summary: A Bronze Age Adventure
The story takes place a long, long time ago in Denmark, during the Bronze Age. Our main character is an 18-year-old girl named Heather. She belongs to a group called the Forest People. They live in a village called Oakwood and worship a special sacred tree and a spring.
Heather Meets the Sun People
At the start of the story, Heather is collecting honey from a tall tree. Her helper is a slave named Buzz. Buzz can hum in a special way that keeps bees from stinging. Buzz used to be part of another group called the Sun People. Heather's father, Goodshade, captured Buzz from them. The Sun People worship the sun and are known for making strong bronze tools and weapons. Buzz is now afraid of them because they once tried to sacrifice her.
Suddenly, Buzz stops humming. Heather gets stung by bees. Buzz says she hears a sound. Heather looks and sees the Sun People far away, moving their cattle toward a lake. The Sun People also play a bronze musical instrument called the lurs. The faraway sound the girls hear is the lurs.
Heather is curious about the Sun People. But she knows they have attacked the Forest People before. She quickly runs home to tell her father. She meets Blue Wing, who is expected to be her future husband. They both go to Goodshade, the village chief. But Goodshade isn't worried. Later, Buzz tells Heather that Goodshade already knew about the Sun People. He had sent messages to warn other villages.
A Secret Meeting
The next day, Heather remembers she left her honey in the tree. She goes back to get it. As she climbs down, she sees a handsome young stranger. His name is Wolf Stone, and he is one of the Sun People. Heather is careful but also interested in him. She asks if the Sun People plan to attack her tribe. He says they might, but doesn't sound serious.
Heather goes back to her village. She doesn't tell anyone about meeting Wolf Stone. She can't stop thinking about him. That evening, she sits on a mound near the village. Wolf Stone quietly comes to talk to her. He tells her to warn the Forest People. He says they should hide their animals and themselves in the forest for several days.
He explains that his father, Great Elk, the chief, wants to build a ship. Great Elk believes a ship made from the wood of the Forest People's sacred tree can never sink. Wolf Stone promises that if the Forest People hide, he will lead the Sun People away from the sacred tree. Heather asks how he knows about their sacred tree. He gives unclear answers. As he leaves, Heather asks why he came to warn her. He tells her she is special, unlike any girl he has met.
A Difficult Choice
Heather returns to her village to warn everyone. She tells her mother that Wolf Stone said to hide from the Sun People. But she doesn't mention their plan to cut down the sacred tree. Heather's mother asks the sacred tree for guidance. The tree seems to say that Wolf Stone might not be trustworthy. It also asks who will protect the tree if everyone hides.
Heather asks Buzz to get medicine for her bee stings from Swampwife, the village herbalist. Buzz refuses. Buzz then tells Heather that Swampwife has bronze bracelets. These could only have come from the Sun People. This makes Heather wonder if Swampwife told the Sun People about the sacred tree.
But Goodshade thinks Heather accidentally told Wolf Stone herself. Goodshade decides not to hide. Instead, he has archers guard the sacred tree. Later, Heather talks to Blue Wing. He tells her he has asked Goodshade to marry her. Heather bravely tells him that she loves Wolf Stone instead.
Spying on the Sun People
Littleman, one of the oldest Forest People, lets himself be captured by the Sun People. He wants to spy on them. He learns they only have swords, not bows and arrows. He confirms they are very interested in the sacred tree. They release him and try to follow him home. But Littleman is too smart, and they can't find the tree.
In the Sun People's camp, Eagle wants to build a ship. Great Elk (Wolf Stone's father), Eagle, and the Sun Priest Troll Tamer argue. They discuss if the ship must be built from the sacred tree or any tree. They also talk about destroying the sacred tree if they don't use it. We learn that Swampwife did tell the Sun People about the tree. She promised to lead two other priests, Longfire and Knife, to it that night.
Many Sun People want to kill Troll Tamer. But they believe in a curse: if Troll Tamer dies, so will Great Elk. Some still want Troll Tamer dead, even if it means Great Elk dies too. Wolf Stone had promised Heather to lead his people away from the sacred tree. But now he realizes he cannot lie to his father. Great Elk tells Wolf Stone his plan to take the tree without a fight. Wolf Stone decides to warn Heather again.
Danger in the Swamp
Meanwhile, Heather discovers that the village dogs have been poisoned. She knows Swampwife could do this. Heather suspects Swampwife did it to keep the dogs quiet during a possible attack. Heather and Buzz go to confront Swampwife.
When they arrive, the two priests, Longfire and Knife, are there. Swampwife had promised to lead them to the sacred tree. Swampwife tricks Knife into walking into the swamp. He sinks and drowns because of his heavy armor. Swampwife laughs. Buzz uses her special humming noise, which makes Swampwife unable to move. Swampwife also drowns.
Longfire catches Buzz and Heather. He is about to kill them when Wolf Stone arrives. Wolf Stone stops Longfire and sends him back to the Sun People. After Longfire leaves, Wolf Stone tells Heather that the Forest People must guard the wrong tree. This will trick the Sun People about which tree is truly sacred. Heather asks him to meet her father to convince him. They go to Goodshade. Wolf Stone explains his plan, but Goodshade doesn't think it will work. Wolf Stone warns Goodshade that if Great Elk fails to get the tree, Troll Tamer will burn down the entire forest. Then Wolf Stone leaves to return to the Sun People.
A Sacrifice and a Betrayal
The next day, the Forest People ask the sacred tree what to do. It tells them to be brave and give their "greatest treasure" to their god. As people wonder what this means, Buzz tells Heather she wants Wolf Stone to kill his father. Heather disagrees. Buzz says someone must do it. That night, Elfstream, an old chieftain, thinks the tree wants them to sacrifice one of their own lives. Goodshade says a god has never asked for this before. He believes time will show what their greatest treasure is.
That night, Eagle sneaks into Oakwood. He finds Buzz sleeping. He convinces her to help him kill Great Elk. Eagle doesn't want the forest burned down; he only wants to build a ship. He asks Buzz for poison, a stone axe, and some bows and arrows. She agrees.
Blue Wing sees Buzz giving these items to Eagle. He confronts Eagle. Blue Wing says Eagle has no right to these things and can't even shoot a bow. Eagle tells Blue Wing that one arrow could defeat Great Elk. He suggests Blue Wing could do it himself. Blue Wing wonders why Eagle wants to kill his own chief. Eagle says it's because Great Elk wants to burn the forest, while Eagle only wants a tree for his ship, not the sacred tree. Eagle tells Blue Wing that once Great Elk is dead, Troll Tamer would die too because of the curse. Then Wolf Stone would become chief of the Sun People, and he wouldn't burn the forest. Blue Wing says he doesn't think Wolf Stone is timid. Eagle replies that if Wolf Stone isn't timid, he would be killed too.
Blue Wing wants to save the forest. He is also excited about the chance to kill Wolf Stone, whom Heather loves. Blue Wing wants to marry Heather himself. So, he goes with Eagle to the Sun People. Goodshade and Littleman see them leave. Buzz, who overheard their talk, tells Goodshade and Littleman that Eagle and Blue Wing plan to kill Wolf Stone. Littleman suggests Buzz run to the Sun People's camp to warn them.
Tragedy Strikes
Wolf Stone goes to his father, Great Elk. He tells him about his love for Heather. He declares he doesn't want the ship, or to fight the Forest People, or burn their forest. Great Elk listens to his son. He says he doesn't believe the curse that he will die if Troll Tamer does. He decides to have Troll Tamer killed. Wolf Stone and Great Elk's other sons start planning. But they know Troll Tamer is powerful and has many spies.
Troll Tamer announces that the lurs will be played, followed by games that evening. He says this is part of his plan to take the sacred tree. He believes the Forest People will hear the lurs and come to watch the games. While they are watching, the Sun People can take the tree. Eagle says Blue Wing, the best archer of the Forest People, has been taken hostage. They will trade him for the tree. Great Elk surprises Eagle by saying he no longer wants the tree or the ship.
As Great Elk dismisses Eagle, Troll Tamer announces the sacred tree will be burned. Great Elk rejects this plan too. He asks to see Blue Wing's bow and arrows. He tells Blue Wing to teach them how to use a bow. He says Blue Wing can return home after the games. While Blue Wing is showing his archery skills, Buzz comes to Wolf Stone. She warns him that Blue Wing intends to kill him.
The next game involves Blue Wing trying to hit the Doves (girl warriors) with arrows. They ride in circles around him on horses. He worries about hurting them. But they are so skilled that he misses every shot, no matter how hard he tries. After the game, the Sun People find that a stray arrow has killed Troll Tamer. When other priests tell Great Elk, he drinks from his cup and falls over dead. He has been poisoned. Eagle, who is nearby, picks up the poisoned cup.
Buzz is still at the Sun People's camp. She realizes Great Elk must have been poisoned by the poison she gave to Eagle. Now that Great Elk is dead, Wolf Stone is the chief of the Sun People. Wolf Stone gives Buzz a bronze sun-disk. He tells her to take it to Heather and say he will come for her after he buries his father. He then orders Blue Wing to be tied up to prevent him from attacking. Buzz goes to Heather and gives her the sun-disk. Heather starts wearing it, even though the other Forest People don't like it. Then Heather discovers that the spring has dried up. She becomes afraid everyone will want her to offer her sun-disk to the spring to make it flow again.
After Great Elk and Troll Tamer are buried, Wolf Stone tells his brothers and the priests about the changes he will make as chief. While they are talking, Blue Wing frees himself. He finds his bow and an arrow. He manages to shoot an arrow at Wolf Stone before Wolf Stone's warriors kill him. Later, a messenger arrives at Oakwood. The news is that Blue Wing was killed because he killed Wolf Stone. Heather is shocked. She gives the sun-disk to her parents to offer to the spring. She goes to bed as it begins to rain.
The next day, the spring still hasn't started flowing, even with the rain. The Sun People prepare a special offering to their god. At the last moment, Heather realizes that she is the intended offering. She is given a poison to drink, and she willingly drinks it.
Main Characters
Forest People
- Heather: The main character of the story.
- Buzz: Heather's helper, originally from the Sun People.
- Goodshade: Heather's father and chief of the Forest People.
- Tree Woman: Heather's mother.
- Blue Wing: Heather's expected future husband.
- Swampwife: A herbalist, seen as strange or bad.
- Littleman: An older member of the Forest People.
- Elfstream: An old chieftain.
Sun People
- Wolf Stone: The young man Heather falls in love with.
- Great Elk: Wolf Stone's father and chief of the Sun People.
- Eagle: A ship builder.
- Troll Tamer: The Sun Priest.
- Longfire: A priest.
- Knife: A priest.
Movie Possibilities
Harry Behn, the author, used to write screenplays for movies. This background is clear in The Faraway Lurs. The story is so vivid, it could easily be made into a film. However, no movies have been made from this story yet.
