Clay Rabbits

Clay Rabbits

UNCLAY--T. F. Powys--Viking ($2.50).

Pastmaster at exorcising goatish emanations from rural England's maids, meadows, men and mud, Author Powys sticks to his increasingly familiar incantation like a leech. As in other of his books, in Unclay there are the simple-minded clergyman whom nothing shocks, the dovelike virgin, the innocent poor farmer, the rich farmer like a boar. Only one newcomer is in the book, Last Comer Death.

Scythe and all, John Death comes to Dodder with a parchment signed in flame ordering him to unclay Joe Bridle and his truelove Susie Dawes. Death drops the parchment by Joe Bridle's pond; Joe hides it under his shirt. At a loss for once, Death rents a house in Dodder to await the discovery of his parchment, or new orders from above.

To while away the time he whets his scythe, courts the womenfolk of Dodder who find him highly aphrodisiac. Parson Hayhoe's wife, who has lost her only child, lets him love her, as does crazy Sarah Bridle. Best of all he loves Joe Bridle's truelove Susie Dawes. But Susie's depraved father will not let her go with Bridle or with Death: he aims to sell her to rich, sadistic Farmer Mere. After the wedding ceremony Joe Bridle in love's despair hands the deadly parchment back to Death.

On the wedding night orders come from above to unclay Susie's father and Farmer Mere. Mere, who has stolen John Death's scythe to torture Susie with, is cut down by it himself. Susie runs off to meet Joe Bridle by his pond. When their eternal moment of loving is at an end, Death appears to execute his orders. Hand in hand, Joe and Susie walk into the pond. Death disappears.

Throughout his tale Author Powys allegorizes to high heaven. The story is better helped along by its author's beautifully artless style, and occasional quirks of humor, all too few.

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