The characters listed here are "fictional," only appearing in stories, tales, songs, etc. Heroes of the Horn from the Great Hunt of the Horn are assumed to be real and so are found in the historical character listing.
- The annual Emond's Field sheep shearing takes place in a meadow called Widow Aynal's Meadow even though no one can remember who Widow Aynal was.
The crowd in
Emond's Field begs
Thom to tell their favorite stories:
- The Thousand Tales of Anla, the Wise Counselor
- "Jaem the Giant-Slayer"
- How Susa Tamed Jain Farstrider
- "Mara and the Three Foolish Kings"
- Lenn flew to the moon in the belly of an eagle made of fire. His daughter Salya walked among the stars.
- Mosk the Giant, with his Lance of Fire that could reach around the world, and his wars with Elsbet, the Queen of All
- Materese the Healer, Mother of the Wondrous Ind
- How Goodwife Karil Cured Her Husband of Snoring
- King Darith and the Fall of the House of—
- On the way to Baerlon, Thom tells stories of Anla, the Wise Counselor and "Mara and the Three Foolish Kings."
- Rand plays "Mistress Aynora's Rooster" at the Grinwell farm. The next evening at the inn in Arien he plays "Darling Sara."
- Lan makes a sarcastic comment to Rand about flying to the moon like Lenn.
- Rand's reaction to Daes Dae'mar reminds Hurin of the time Teva got so mad at a hornet buzzing round his ears, he kicked the nest.
- At Lord Barthanes' party, Thom tells the story of Goodwife Mili and the Silk Merchant
- Thom entertains Lord Barthanes' guests with "Mara and the Three Foolish Kings," How Susa Tamed Jain Farstrider and tales of Anla the Wise Councilor
- In The Woman of Tanchico in Tar Valon, Thom tells the story of "Mara and the Three Foolish Kings." Mara steals the crowns of Kings Madel, Orander and Kadar and leaves them floundering in the mud by a river. When the people of Heape hear how foolish the kings are they will have no king at all.
- Min's mother named her after Elmindreda, a woman of story who spent most of her time sighing at men, when she was not inspiring them to compose songs about her eyes, or her smile.
- When Egwene and Elayne tell Mat about the twisted red doorway, Mat scoffs thinking of the story where Bili spends the night for a purse always full of gold then finds that ten years have passed.
- After Mat exits the twisted red doorway, he worries that they will go back upstairs to find ten years gone like Bili in the story.
- To justify staying in the White Tower, Min makes up two suitors, Darvan and Goemal, who both supposedly want her hand. She is staying in the White Tower until she can make up her mind between them.
- Thom questions the truth behind stories from past ages. "Did Mosk and Merk really fight with spears of fire, and were they even giants? Was Elsbet really queen of the whole world, and was Anla really her sister? Was Anla truly the Wise Counselor, or was it someone else?"
"We'll drink the wine till the cup is dry,
and kiss the girls so they'll not cry,
and toss the dice until we fly
to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
We'll dance all night while the moon runs free,
and dandle the lasses upon our knee,
and then you'll ride along with me,
to dance with Jak o' the Shadows."
- Mat whistles "Dance with Jak o' the Shadows."
- Mat whistles "Dance with Jak o' the Shadows."
"We'll sing all night, and drink all day,
and on the girls we'll spend our pay,
and when it's gone, then we'll away,
to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
There're some delight in ale and wine,
and some in girls with ankles fine,
but my delight, yes, always mine,
is to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
We'll toss the dice however they fall,
and snuggle the girls be they short or tall,
then follow young Mat whenever he calls,
to dance with Jak o' the Shadows."
- Rand does not understand Aiel humor, so he tells a joke of his own about Hu and Wil, two irascible old farmers who do not get along. The Maidens do not get it.
"We drink all night and dance all day,
and on the girls we spend our pay,
and when we're done, then we'll away,
to dance with Jak o' the Shadows."
- Nynaeve wishes she could forget her worries and sleep for a year until Lan wakens her with a kiss like the Sun King with Talia. It is a very improper story.
- With the tension in the White Tower, Yukiri worries that the rebels will dance in and empty the house while the rest of them squabbled over who got Great-Aunt Sumi's pewter.
- Furyk Karede is so fond of young Tuon that he keeps her doll Emela for ten years until he loses it in the Great Fire of Sohima.
- In The White Ring in Maderin a tavern maid sings, "Now Jac gets an hour when the sky is clear, and Willi gets an hour when my father's not near. It's the hayloft with Moril, for he shows no fear, and Keilin comes at midday; he's oh so bold! Lord Brelan gets an evening when the night is cold. Master Andril gets a morning, but he's very old. Oh, what, oh, what is a poor girl to do? My loves are so many and the hours so few."
"There're some delight in ale and wine,
and some in girls with ankles fine,
but my delight, yes, always mine,
is to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
We'll toss the dice however they fall,
and snuggle the girls be they short or tall,
then follow Lord Mat whenever he calls,
to dance with Jak o' the Shadows."
- Ordered to bed rest, Elayne feels like Gelfina who was locked in a tower for a thousand years.
- Opining on boots, Mat speculates what poor Mop might say if asked which pair of boots he will wear, or which pair would be good enough for visiting old lady Hembrew.
Notes#
In earlier printings her name is spelled "Alsbet."