That is why all magic is wrought by names.

It becomes simply a matter of knowing the right ones." "Is that a very new idea, or a very old one ?" "All ideas are ageless, so it must be both." "I wonder how they named things in the very, very first ?" mused Desire.
"Did they just sit in the sun, as we are sitting, and think and think, until suddenly--they knew ?" "Very likely.

There is a legend that, in the beginning, everything was named true--fire, water, earth, air--so that the souls of everything knew their names and were ruled by those who could speak them.

But, as the race grew less simple and more corrupt, the true names were obscured and then lost altogether.

Only once or twice in all the ages has come some master who has known their secret--such, perhaps, as He who could speak peace to the wind and walk upon the sea and change the water into wine." Desire nodded.