The Fourth Age

Author: Atarah al'Norahn

General

As might be expected due to the fact that ‘The Wheel of Time’ takes place in the Third Age, little is known about the Fourth Age. As it is, all we have are fragments of songs and other compositions, with the occasional vague reference to an author and his, or her, homeland. Where these places come to be located, we do not know.

People of the Fourth Age

Boanne: Songmistress at Taralan. Composer of "Songs of the Last Age: Quarto Nine: The Legend of the Dragon" (TDR, Footer).

Sulamein so Bhagad: Chief Historian at the Court of the Sun. Composer of "The Wheel of Time" (TSR, Footer).

Meane sol Ahelle: Composer of "Glory of the Dragon" (TFoH, Footer).

Places of the Fourth Age

Court of the Sun (TSR, Footer)

Great Arvalon (LoC, Header)

Taralan (TDR, Footer)

Fragments of Compositions of the Fourth Age

Aleth nin Taerin alta Camora, The Breaking of the World

• Author Unknown
• Reference: The Eye of the World, Header

"And the Shadow fell upon the Land, and the World was riven stone from stone. The oceans fled, and the mountains were swallowed up, and the nations were scattered to the eight corners of the World. The moon was as blood, and the sun was as ashes. The seas boiled, and the living envied the dead. All was shattered, and all but memory lost, and one memory above all others, of him who brought the Shadow and the Breaking of the World. And him they named Dragon."

Charal Drianaan te Calamon, The Cycle of the Dragon

• Author Unknown
• References: The Eye of the World, Header; The Great Hunt, Header

"And it came to pass in those days, as it had come before and would come again, that the Dark lay heavy on the land and weighed down the hearts of men, and the green things failed, and hope died. And men cried out to the Creator, saying, O Light of the Heavens, Light of the World, let the Promised One be born of the mountain, according to the Prophecies, as he was in Ages past and will be in Ages to come. Let the Prince of the Morning sing to the land that green things will grow and the valleys give forth lambs. Let the arm of the Lord of the Dawn shelter us from the Dark, and the great sword of justice defend us. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time."

Do’in Toldara te, Songs of the Last Age

• Quarto Nine: The Legend of the Dragon
• Composed by Boanne, Songmistress at Taralan
• Reference: The Dragon Reborn, Footer

"And it was written that no hand but his should wield the Sword held in the stone, but he did draw it out, like fire in his hand, and his glory did burn the world. Thus did it begin. Thus do we sing his Rebirth. Thus do we sing the beginning."

Glory of the Dragon

• Composed by Meane sol Ahelle
• Reference: The Fires of Heaven, Footer

"And the Glory of the Light did shine upon him.
And the Peace of the Light did he give men.
Binding nations to him. Making one of many.
Yet the shards of hearts did give wounds.
And what was once did come again.
-in fire and in storm
splitting all in twain.
For his peace…
-for his peace…
…was the peace…
…was the peace…
…of the sword.
And the Glory of the Light did shine upon him."

Lord of Chaos

• Author unknown
• Chant from a children’s game in Great Arvalon
• Reference: Lord of Chaos, Header

"The lions sing and the hills take flight.
The moon by day, and the sun by night.
Blind woman, deaf man, jackdaw fool.
Let the Lord of Chaos rule."

The Wheel of Time

• Composed by Sulamein so Bhagad, Chief Historian at the Court of the Sun
• Reference: The Shadow Rising, Footer

"And when the blood was sprinkled on ground where nothing could grow, the Children of the Dragon did spring up, the People of the Dragon, armed to dance with death. And he did call them forth from the wasted lands, and they did shake the world with battle."