He lay down but could not sleep.
Midnight had barely come when Lod arose and went with his iron sword again to the hill.
And there sat Ged. Had Ith been to him yet? Ith whom Ged loved, who hated the sword-holders.
And Lod looked long at the old sword of iron that had come to his grandfather on the plains of Thold.
Good-bye, old sword! And Lod laid it on the knees of Ged, then went away.
And when Ith came, a little before dawn, the sacrifice was found acceptable unto Ged.
The Idle City
There was once a city which was an idle city, wherein men told vain tales.
And it was that city’s custom to tax all men that would enter in, the toll of some idle story in the gate.