The Ursong

Summary

After the fall of the Elder Gods and the horrors of the Arnetimachy, the mortal races hid in fear. To comfort them and to coax them back out into the sun, Milil sat beneath the branches of the World Tree and began to sing and play his oud.
Miravar the elf was the first to venture forth. He sat at Milil's feet and listened across the first spring. When the first flowers blossomed in the World Tree's branches, Milil gave Miravar a harp and taught him to sing.
So beautiful was their music together that the human Hawa ventured to share the shade of the tree with them. She listened to their music across the first summer. When the first fruit of the World Tree ripened, Milil gave her a flute and taught her to play.
After they had played together a day and a night, the dwarf Urgin came up from the cave in which he had hid after the Sundering. Quietly he began to clap his hands and stamp his feet with their song. He kept his quiet rhythm for all of the first autumn. When the leaves of the World Tree turned gold, Milil gave Urgin a drum and taught him to mark time with divine precision.

Cultural Reception

Human and elven literature is replete with retellings of and allusions to this mythic event.

Date of Setting

The Year of Song