Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr

"Choosers will be beggars if the begging’s not their choosing," said the Dog.

I’ll sing you a song of the long ago -

Seven shine the shiners, oh!

What did the Seven do way back when?

Why, they wove the Charter then!

Five for the warp, from beginning to end.

Two for the woof, to make and mend.

That’s the Seven, but what of the Nine-

What of the two who chose not to shine?

The Eighth did hide, hide all away,

But the Seven caught him and made him pay.

The Ninth was strong and fought with might,

But lone Orannis was put out of the light,

Broken in two and buried under hill,

Forever to lie there, wishing us ill.

"No mother, no father, no Sight."

"So are you saying that somebody went to all the trouble to make you a crypt a thousand years ago on the off chance that you might turn up one day, walk in, and have a convenient heart attack?"

When the Dead do walk, seek water’s run,

For this the Dead will always shun.

Swift river’s best or broadest lake

To ward the Dead and haven make.

If water fails thee, fire’s thy friend;

If neither guards, it will be thy end.

Sam swallowed. The dire pronouncement echoed in his ears, imbued with the faint hint of the Free Magic power that was contained within the cat form on his shoulder. He slapped Sprout on the rump to get her going; then he said the first thing that came into his head.

"Mogget. Shut up."

"I am the Disreputable Dog. Or Disreputable Bitch, if you want to get technical. When are we going for a walk?"