Five friends I had, and two of them snakes.
The opening line of the novel introduces the reader to Godric in a substantially unusual way. Right from the opening image, the confession illuminates that this is to be no ordinary memoir. The image of the serpents also immediately create a symbolic image that incarnates the basic underlying premise of the tale: that Godric lives with temptation to sin and is not always successful in casting that temptation out.
“Take, eat me, Godric, to thy soul's delight. Hold fast to him who gave his life for thee and thine. When I came up again, I cried like one gone daft for joy.”
Godric’s later life is shaped by one of his many visions which occurs early in the text. In his dream, Godric rushes into the ocean where a mammoth porpoise speaks to him using the words of Jesus. About midway through the tale, he has another encounter with the porpoise when he imagines hearing its voice speak to him again using the exact same words quoted above.
I loved Mouse. Together we saved a Christian king from infidels and not a silver coin to split between us for our pains.
As noted, Godric had five friends, of which two were snakes. One of the three others is man named Roger Mouse and he is vital to the narrator as a much closer friend than either of the snakes or the other two friends. Roger Mouse is more of a roguish partner-in-crime as the above quote indicates than a mere companion. He is one is loyal and close until the friendship rips apart following a quarrel between the two.
Reginald's forever after me to hear him read his book. He says he's written all my years till now. He doesn't say I've only got a page or two still left to live, but there's no doubt that's what he means. He wants my blessing on his work while I've still breath in me to bless.
The book is actually based on the real life historical accounts of a man named Reginald of Durham who wrote an account of Godric of Finchale. The novel is a fictionalized version of that story which is based on the writings of Reginald who becomes an active participant on the modern interpretation as a monk in the process of recording Godric’s biography.
