he will save or damn the Earth
because he is mad and sane,
cold and passionate,
lost and found.'
Sunder fell silent. After a moment, Linden asked, “What is that?” She panted the words raggedly.
“A song,” said the Graveller. “Nassic my father sang it-whenever I became angry at his folly. But I have no understanding of it, though I have seen the white ring, and the wild magic shining with a terrible loveliness.”
Terrible, Covenant breathed as if he were dreaming.
Later, Linden said, “Keep talking. It helps-Do you know any other songs?”
“What is life without singing?” Sunder responded. “We have songs for sowing and for reaping-songs to console children during the sun of pestilence-songs to honour those whose blood is shed for the Stonedown. But I have set aside my right to sing them.” He made no effort to conceal his bitterness. “I will sing for you one of the songs of a-Jeroth, as it is taught by the Riders of the Clave.”
He straightened his shoulders, harrowing Covenant's arm. When he began, his voice was hoarse with dust, short-winded with exertion; but it suited his song.
' “Oh, come, my love, and bed with me;
Your mate knows neither lust nor heart-
Forget him in this ecstasy.
I joy to play the treacher's part.'
Acute with blandishments and spells,
Spoke a-Jeroth of the Seven Hells.
'Diassomer Mininderain,
The mate of might, and Master's wife,
All stars' and heavens' chatelaine,
With power over realm and strife,
Attended well, the story tells,
To a-Jeroth of the Seven Hells.
'With a-Jeroth the lady ran;
Diassomer with fear and dread
Fled from the Master's ruling span.
On Earth she hides her trembling head,
While all about her laughter wells
From a-Jeroth of the Seven Hells.
' “Forgive!' “ she cries with woe and pain;
Her treacher's laughter hurts her sore.
“His blandishments have been my bane.
I yearn my Master to adore.”
For in her ears the spurning knells
Of a-Jeroth of the Seven Hells.
'Wrath is the Master — fire and rage.
Retribution fills his hands.
Attacking comes he, sword and gage,
'Gainst treachery in all the lands.
Then crippled are the cunning spells
Of a-Jeroth of the Seven Hells.
'Mininderain he treats with rue;
No heaven-home for broken trust,
But children given to pursue
All treachery to death and dust.
Thus Earth became a gallow-fells
For a-Jeroth of the Seven Hells. '
The Graveller sighed. “Her children are the inhabitants of the Earth. It is said that elsewhere in the Earth- across the seas, beyond the mountains-live beings who have kept faith. But the Land is the home of the faithless, and on the descendants of betrayal the Sunbane wreaks the Master's wrath.”
Covenant expostulated mutely. He knew as vividly as leprosy that the Clave's view of history was a lie, that the people of the Land had been faithful against Lord Foul for millennia. But he could not understand how such a lie had come to be believed. Time alone did not account for this corruption.
He wanted to deny Sunder's tale. But his swelling had risen black and febrile halfway to his shoulder. When
