Brede's Tale

Brede's Tale is the story of the coming of the Tanu and Firvulag to Pliocene era Earth aboard the Ship and how it crashed to form the Ship's Grave.

Fitharn's retelling

The story as told by Fitharn Pegleg (so presumably from the Firvulag perspective) to the Lowlives, Claude, Amerie, Richard, and Felice...

"When Brede's Ship, through Té's compassion, brought us here, its mighty striving drained its heart and strength and mind—and so it died that we might live. When we left the Ship our flyers spread their curving wings, and people sang the Song together, friend with foe. We made our weeping way to where the Grave would be. We saw the Ship come burning from the east. We saw it coming through the high air and the low. It howled its agony. As the rising of a planet's sun dismisses night, so did the flaming of our Ship transform the very day, and make the Earth-star dim."

"The passing of the Ship devoured the air. The forests and the eastern mountains fell and thunder rolled around the world. The waters steamed within the brackish eastern seas. No living thing survived along the westward-trending path of death, but we watched sorrowing until the end. The Ship cried out aloud, it burst, it yielded up its soul. Its falling made the planet moan. The air, the waters, planet-crust, and Ship had merged into a glowing holocaust of stormy wound. But we stayed, singing there until the fire was quenched by rain and tears of Brede, and then we flew away.

"Then Pallol, Medor, Sharn, and Yeochee, Kuhsarn the Wise and Lady Klahnino, the Thagdal, Boanda, Mayvar, and Dionket, Lugonn the Shining One and Leyr the Brave—the best of the Tanu and Firvulag—went forth into the setting sun to find a living-place while still the Truce prevailed and none should fight. The Tanu chose Finiah on the riverside; but we, far wiser, tool High Vrazel on the fogbound mountain crag. This being done, one task remained—to consecrate the Grave."

"In final flight the aircraft took to air. We rode within them to the place, and all embarked to stand upon a rim of land above the cup of liquid sky too wide to see across, while all around the land lay scorched and still. We watched a Great Ordeal, the first upon this world, with Sharn contending for the Firvulag and for the Tanu, bright Lugonn. With Sword and Spear they smote until their armor blazed and birds fell from the sky and heedless watchers lost their eyes. They battled for a month of hours and longer still, until the folk who watched screamed out as one, transfigured by the glory that redounded the Ship and solemnized its death."

"At last, brave Sharn could bear no more. He fell with Sword in hand, steadfast until the end. The victory was won by bright Lugonn, whose Spear had caused the crater's lake to boil and liquified the rocks and conjured sparkling dew that merged its tears with ours. And thus the votive offerings of Man and Blade were chosen for the consecration of the Grave. We marched away, the voices of our minds raised up in Song for one last time in honor of the Ship and also him who there was offered up to captain it upon its voyage into the healing dark. There, comforted within the GOdess's womb, they wait the coming of the light..."

See also

• Brede
• Ship
• Ship's Grave