Myra's Well: A Tale of All-Hallow-E'en

In Short

Set on All-Hallow-E'en, this narrative poem depicts the fateful meeting of young Sir Bertram Morven and Ada, a farmer’s pious daughter. While Ada’s family observes traditional rural customs—divining future husbands through apple rinds and hemp seed—Sir Bertram wrestles with a dark legacy of family sin that forbids him from courting a lowly maiden. Drawn to an ancient, spring-fed well guarded by the local witch Elpsie, Ada seeks a vision of her true love at midnight, only to fall into Bertram's arms. Their brave declaration of mutual devotion breaks the ancient curse, replacing old wrongs with a holy marriage.

The Story

The narrative opens under a cold, eerie October moon on All-Hallow-E'en, a night when disembodied spirits walk the earth. In a grand marble castle high above the valley sits young Sir Bertram Morven, deep in thought over a Persian tale of love and identity. He secretly harbors an intense passion for Ada, a beautiful maiden living in the raftered farmhouse below. Yet Bertram restrains himself, weighed down by the knowledge of a dark curse haunting his lineage, which has brought sudden and violent deaths to his ancestors. Meanwhile, inside the cozy, smoke-blackened farm-house, the Holt family gathers around the hearth to celebrate the ancient festival of Sah'm. They light the sacred Fire of Peace, pray for protection in the coming year, and indulge in cider, nuts, and traditional love-divinations.

Outside the glowing window-pane, a hooded, wrinkled old witch named Elpsie peers in at the festivities. Ada, partaking in the games, twirls an apple peel and watches it land in the shape of a "B." She then sings a moving ballad of a lowly maiden and a noble knight separated by a mystic gulf. Below the surface, both Bertram and Ada feel drawn toward a legendary landmark a mile away: Myra's Well. According to local lore, the well sprang from the tears of an abandoned maiden in King Arthur’s day, and its waters possess the magical power to reveal one's future spouse at midnight.

Near the well stands Elpsie’s desolate hut. Crouching over a bubbling cauldron of dark ingredients, Elpsie croons a cryptic prophecy: the curse on the House of Morven will fail only when the "Great Mountain" comes down to the vale, a "Raven" flies by moonlight bearing the weight of a "Forest," and wrong is atoned in the very place it began. Bertram, walking through the crisp night air to clear his head, overhears Elpsie's chant and catches a transient vision inside her hut. Shortly after, Ada braves the frightening night—enduring the terrifying sights of black cats, shadowy monsters, and hissing snakes in the woods—to reach the sacred oak and the mossy well.

As the castle bell strikes midnight, Ada kneels at the water’s edge and prays to Saint Myra. Looking into the mirror-like surface, she sees the reflection of Sir Bertram’s face beside her own. Overwhelmed when real arms wrap around her waist, she faints. Bertram gently carries her to Elpsie's empty hut, tending her until she awakens. There, they confess their deep love. Bertram explains the ancestral curse—which stems from his grandsire's long-ago betrayal of a young maiden, who was none other than Elpsie herself—but Ada courageously offers to risk any curse to be his wedded wife. By choosing selfless love, they fulfill every requirement of the prophecy. Elpsie's hut burns to the ground that night, and by Christmas, Bertram marries Ada in a newly built chapel, uniting the families and bringing lasting peace to the Morven line.

How It Unfolds

The midnight watch On a frosty All-Hallow-E'en, spiritual forces stir across the countryside as the moon illuminates both the grand marble castle on the hill and the humble farm-house below. Sir Bertram Morven reads alone by his fire, while the Holt family gathers around their hearth to offer prayers and light the sacred Fire of Peace.

Charms and prophecies The young folk of the farm perform traditional Hallow-E'en rituals to foresee their future spouses, including peeling apples and peeling hemp-seeds. Outside, the withered witch Elpsie spies on their joy before returning to her shadowy hut to stir a bubbling pot and sing a riddle-like prophecy about the downfall of the Morven curse.

Journey to the well Seeking a vision of her true love, Ada journeys alone through the dark, terrifying woods toward the legendary Myra's Well. Beset by frightening illusions of howling were-wolves, flitting witches, and creeping beasts, she clings to her faith and reaches the ancient Druid oak just before the midnight hour.

The vision in the water At the stroke of twelve, Ada gazes into the still waters of the well and sees the reflection of Sir Bertram looking back at her. Realizing he is physically present, she faints from shock and is tenderly carried by Bertram into Elpsie's abandoned hut to recover.

Love destroys the curse Inside the hut, Ada and Bertram exchange passionate vows of love, choosing to face the dark ancestral curse together. Their pure union fulfills Elpsie's ancient prophecy, lifting the doom from the Morven line and leading to a joyous Christmas wedding in a newly consecrated chapel.

The People

• Sir Bertram Morven is the solitary, high-born master of Morven Castle. He yearns for Ada’s love but is restrained by the agonizing fear that his family's dark ancestral curse will bring death and misery upon her. By stepping into the night and declaring his devotion at the well, he transforms from a tormented recluse into a protective, courageous husband who breaks his family's doom.
• Ada Holt is a pure, beautiful farmer's daughter whose soft voice and deep faith illuminate the story. She desires to know her destiny and secretly loves Sir Bertram, though she believes a vast social gulf separates them. Braving the spectral horrors of the forest to test the well's magic, she shows unflinching resolve, ultimately risking any curse to stand by Bertram's side as his wife.
• Elpsie is a mysterious, tattered old woman living in a solitary rock-side hut, feared by the locals as a vengeful witch. Driven by the trauma of a betrayal committed by Bertram's grandfather fifty years prior, she harbors deep bitterness and croons prophecies over a simmering cauldron. Her death brings closure, revealing her final blessing and the rest of her story through a last will.
• Farmer Holt is the sturdy, pious patriarch of the farm-house who leads his household in the ancient rites of Sah'm. He represents warmth, contentment, and traditional wisdom, guiding his family with a cheerful spirit and simple faith.

In Its Own Voice

"The clear-cut radiance of a frosty moon / Lights up, and darkens, all the growth around. / The great trees stand out black against the stars."

This opening scene establishes the sharp, dramatic contrast between dark shadows and brilliant moonlight that frames the eerie Hallow-E'en setting.

"A gruesome gulf's between us spread-- / She cries--Sir Knight, beware! / Fate spans that gulf with mystic thread / So frail that only souls may tread--"

Sung by Ada at the hearth, this ballad reflects her inner fear that social class and fate present an insurmountable boundary between herself and the young lord of the castle.

"When the Tempter is weak beside Goodness and Grace, / And the Wrong is atoned in the very same place, / Then shall Happiness fall upon Morven's dark race."

Crouched over her cauldron, Elpsie croons the core terms of the supernatural prophecy that dictates how the Morven line can finally achieve redemption.

What It's Really About

Beneath its supernatural atmosphere and folk tradition, the poem explores how love and moral courage can dismantle generational trauma. The Morven line is burdened not merely by fate, but by an unatoned moral wrong—the historic betrayal of a vulnerable maiden by Bertram's grandfather. Elpsie's bitterness and the recurring sudden deaths of the Morven heirs represent the lingering poison of past transgressions left unacknowledged. The poem argues that fear and social pride preserve such curses, whereas selfless affection and humble atonement heal them. When Bertram risks his status and Ada risks her safety to form a union grounded in "Goodness and Grace," the mystic riddle resolves itself. True devotion transforms an environment of dread into one of lasting peace and community reconciliation.

Why Read It Today

This poem appeals to readers who enjoy classic Victorian verse, romantic folklore, and atmospheric Gothic tales. Written in steady, accessible blank verse interwoven with lyrical songs and rhyming incantations, the text captures the genuine chill and charm of nineteenth-century Hallow-E'en traditions. Rather than relying on modern horror tropes, the work immerses the reader in historic seasonal customs—from hazel-nut divinations and hemp-seed sowing to apple-bobbing and lingering local legends.

The reading experience feels like gathering around a crackling fireplace on a cold autumn night to hear a traditional ghost story with a deeply satisfying, warm outcome. The poem moves at a comfortable pace, offering vivid visual descriptions of moonlit castles, glowing hearthstones, and shadowy woods. While the language carries the formal cadence of its era, it remains clear and readable throughout. Modern readers will appreciate its cozy, antique mood and the satisfying way it weaves ancient Arthurian lore, folklore superstitions, and a heartwarming romance into a singular, memorable narrative.