The wood was dense, and what is known all through the region as a black ash swale, lowland which once reclaimed from nature makes, with its rich deposits, a wondrous meadow-land.

He "lined" the fence's course and cleared the way rudely through the forest, a work of days, and then he made the maul.
The mace of the mediaeval knight is the maul of to-day.

No longer it cracks heads or helmets, but there is work for it.

And it has developed into a mighty weapon.

There are two sorts of maul in the lake country.