The three ladies touched small harps that were in their hands and began to chant. It seemed that they were telling a tale of things yet to come as if they were over and done, and that these things concerned Lansenet. In after days, he recalled snatches of their words and tried to set them into song as he had heard them that night, but his strivings fell far short of the staves that they chanted in that dream.
Melusendë sang:
Lansenet the wrathful, the rage bearer,
Set on at sunrise by the secret champion
Suffered his onslaught, but withstood smiting,
And spared his foe. Him he favoured with gifts:
Wargear and weapons to withstand the Deep
Guidance and counsel for the Quest of healing.
But Thilfri the White awoke not yet.
Finarelya sang:
Lansenet the lofty and lover of valour
For his sister’s sake and for sibling love
Rode to Hogunoth to where Thilfri fell.
Going to Gebren he gave him tongue,
Rove Gulgrudur, reft his fangs forth,
And cleansed Kapgar from the Cold Sleeper.
But Thilfri the White awoke not yet.
Viditháli sang:
Lansenet the valiant ventured the mouth
Of the cavern Onskabâ, omen of terror,
Endured the Fear of the Fâlagidhron,
Stole from Hawkheads Hammer of Mivgâ
Viewed the hateful Hand of Horror
At Onskabâ and Kapgar’s gate.
But Thilfri the White awoke not yet.
Melusendë sang again:
Lansenet the fierce dared Fef Heigum
With quiet craft cozened Imbrig
And Thurbal’s thinking with a thief’s cunning
Smote Sinkarad with sledgehammer’s blow,
Stole the starfire in despite of Murnag.
But Thilfri the White awoke not yet.
Then they sang together:
Lansenet the gallant guided by fate
Crosses waters of the Western Lake
To seek the isle of the secret Lady.
Changes starfire for a chosen leaf
From the secret book — Silûnakánti’s —
Where is whole written the Healing Rune,
And wins Thilfri to the world again.
Then they joined hands and paced in a solemn measure around the green lawn where Lansenet lay, and after bowing to one another they doused their torches and vanished.
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