Chapter Thirty-Seven
A Conversation About Myth and Legend
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"History became legend. Legend became myth. And some things that are... forgotten... lost..."
-Galadriel, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
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"You hasta kill it, see," Nencarion informed the Queen. He scratched at one pointed ear. "The Silver Hind, you hasta kill it and use its skin. Elsewise, ya en't gonna be able to finish. He en't got what it takes to make that cape right now, see, milady? He needs the skin of the Silver Hind."
"But he was forbidden to kill any creature."
"No he en't, miss. Er... milady. Trust me, I know. My sister told me. He en't allowed to kill the swans, a course, and the wolf he en't allowed to kill, neither. But that's it, see. Everythin' else is free game, milady. And the only way to set them feathers is to use the skin of the Silver Hind."
"Why is that?" Galadriel asks him. He shrugs.
"No idea. Anoreloth said something 'bout it bein' a legendry object. It en't no ordinary hind, see. The Silver Hind is the Queen's own beast. It's magic. And Nanny Bess, my sister's old nurse, she says it too. The Hind, well, that's its job. It's gotta do what ye say. Once it's dead, a course. When it's alive, it en't gonna do nothin' but run from ye."
"And he needs this?"
"Yes, milady. But he's gotta kill it twice."
"What?"
"Yeah. The second time, it'll do the last thing he needs. Then someone else has to kill it again, to finish the task. Well... someone else could kill it for him, I s'pose. I don't know, I en't ever asked. But I could find out."
"I do not understand," the Elf says, a little helplessly.
"Course not. Yer an Elf. Ye en't one of my people. It's all right. Oh, an' yer gonna need me, too, milady, but that's all right. I'd help ye for nothin', I would."
"Why is that?"
"For Anoreloth."