# How One Came, as Was Foretold, to the City of Never explained — The Book of Wonder > Chapter companion for The Book of Wonder by Lord Dunsany. ## What happens The chapter recounts the prophecy and journey of a destined man who, using a magic halter given by an old woman, captures a hippogriff at dawn and rides to the legendary City of Never, a twilight city perched on the cliffs of Toldenarba. He passes the mysterious Under Pits, enters the city, and marvels at its agate streets and copper domes, but ultimately sees an even greater city beyond, which his mount refuses to approach, leaving his quest unfulfilled. ## Themes in this chapter ### Fate and Prophecy The entire chapter is driven by a prophecy that the protagonist would come to the City of Never, and his journey is portrayed as an inevitable fulfillment of destiny. ### Escape and Wonder The protagonist escapes the ordinary world to reach the twilight City of Never, a place of perpetual wonder, hippogriffs, and unknown marvels. ### The Otherworldly and Mythic The City of Never, the Under Pits, the hippogriffs, and the even greater city beyond are all mythic, otherworldly elements that define the chapter's setting. ## Character check-ins ### the Gladsome Beast Not directly present; the chapter focuses on the unnamed protagonist and the hippogriffs. ## Key lines > The child that played about the terraces and gardens in sight of the Surrey hills never knew that it was he that should come to the Ultimate City The boy who played in the gardens near the Surrey hills had no idea that he was destined to reach the Ultimate City. _Introduces the protagonist's unawareness of his prophesied fate._ > He had the magic halter, and a worn old rope it was; an old wayfaring woman had given it to him: it had the power to hold any animal whose race had never known captivity He possessed a magic halter, a frayed old rope given by a wandering woman, which could restrain any creature that had never been tamed. _Describes the magical tool that enables his journey._ > Even so he came, as foretold, to the City of Never perched upon Toldenarba, and saw late twilight on those pinnacles that know no other light. Thus, as prophesied, he arrived at the City of Never on Toldenarba, witnessing the perpetual twilight on its peaks. _Climax of the prophecy's fulfillment._ > He knew now why all the windows faced this way⁠—the denizens of the twilight gazed at the world and not at a greater than them. He understood then why all windows looked outward: the twilight inhabitants watched the world, not the even greater city beyond. _Reveals the citizens' perspective and the protagonist's realization of a greater mystery._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_book_of_wonder_se/chapters/how-one-came-as-was-foretold-to-the-city-of-never - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_book_of_wonder_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_book_of_wonder_se/chapters