l of Welleran urging the
dreams of Rold caused him to pause before the great red cloak, and
there the soul said among the dreams: 'Thou art cold in the night;
fling now a cloak around thee.'

And Rold drew round about him the huge red cloak of Welleran. Then
Rold's dreams took him to the sword, and the soul said to the
dreams: 'Thou hast a longing to hold the sword of Welleran: take up
the sword in thy hand.'

But Rold said: 'What should a man do with the sword of Welleran?'

And the soul of the old captain said to the dreams: 'It is a good
sword to hold: take up the sword of Welleran.'

And Rold, still sleeping and speaking aloud, said: 'It is not
lawful; none may touch the sword.'

And Rold turned to go. Then a great and terrible cry arose in the
soul of Welleran, all the more bitter for that he could not utter
it, and it went round and round his soul finding no utterance, like
a cry evoked long since by some murderous deed in some old haunted
chamber that whispers through the ages heard by none.

And the soul of Welleran cried out to the dreams of Rold: 'Thy knees
are tied! Thou art fallen in a marsh! Thou canst not move.'

And the dreams of Rold said to him: 'Thy knees are tied, thou art
fallen in a marsh,' and Rold stood still before the sword. Then the
soul of the warrior wailed among Rold's dreams, as Rold stood before
the sword.

'Welleran is crying for his sword, his wonderful curved sword. Poor
Welleran, that once fought for Merimna, is crying for his sword in
the night. Thou wouldst not keep Welleran without his beautiful
sword when he is dead and cannot come for it, poor Welleran who
fought for Merimna.'

And Rold broke the glass casket with his hand and took the sword,
the great curved sword of Welleran; and the soul of the warrior said
among Rold's dreams: 'Welleran is waiting in the deep ravine that
runs into the mountains, crying for his sword.'

And Rold went down through the city and climbed over the ramparts,
and walked with his eyes wide open but still sleeping over the
desert to the mountains.

Already a great multitude of Merimna's citizens were gathered in the
desert before the deep ravine with old swords in their hands, and
Rold passed through them as he slept holding the sword of Welleran,
and the people cried in amaze to one another as he passed: 'Rold
hath the sword of Welleran!'

And Rold came to the mouth of the ravine, and there the voices of
the people woke him. An