"Bird of the gods!" said he, reverently, "hast thou not a secret message for my ear ?" Then the hawk put its beak to Morven's ear, and Morven bowed his head submissively; and the hawk rested with Morven from that moment and would not be scared away.

And Morven said, "The stars have sent me this bird, that in the day-time when I see them not, we may never be without a councillor in distress." So Siror was made king and Morven the son of Osslah was constrained by the king's will to take Orna for his wife; and the people and the chiefs honoured Morven the prophet above all the elders of the tribe.
One day Morven said unto himself, musing, "Am I not already equal with the king,--nay, is not the king my servant?
Did I not place him over the heads of his brothers?
Am I not, therefore, more fit to reign than he is; shall I not push him from his seat?
It is a troublesome and stormy office to reign over the wild men of Oestrich, to feast in the crowded hall, and to lead the warriors to the fray.

Surely if I feasted not, neither went out to war, they might say, 'This is no king, but the cripple Morven;' and some of the race of Siror might slay me secretly.
But can I not be greater far than kings, and continue to choose and govern them, living as now at mine own ease?
Verily the stars shall give me a new palace, and many subjects." Among the wise men was Darvan; and Morven feared him, for his eye often sought the movements of the son of Osslah.
And Morven said, "It were better to _trust_ this man than to _blind_, for surely I want a helpmate and a friend." So he said to the wise man as he sat alone watching the setting sun,-- "It seemeth to me, O Darvan! that we ought to build a great pile in honour of the stars, and the pile should be more glorious than all the palaces of the chiefs and the palace of the king; for are not the stars our masters?
And thou and I should be the chief dwellers in this new palace, and we would serve the gods of night and fatten their altars with the choicest of the herd and the freshest of the fruits of the earth." And Darvan said, "Thou speakest as becomes the servant of the stars.

But will the people help to build the pile?
For they are a warlike race and they love not toil." And Morven answered, "Doubtless the stars will ordain the work to be done.

Fear not." "In truth thou art a wondrous man; thy words ever come to pass," answered Darvan; "and I wish thou wouldest teach me, friend, the language of the stars." "Assuredly if thou servest me, thou shalt know," answered the proud Morven; and Darvan was secretly wroth that the son of the herdsman should command the service of an elder and a chief.
And when Morven returned to his wife he found her weeping much.