# XV: The Retreat of the Elf King explained — The King of Elfland’s Daughter

> Chapter companion for The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany.

## What happens

Lirazel returns to Elfland, carried by the rune of the Elf King, and is joyfully reunited with her father. The Elf King senses Alveric approaching with his magical sword and chants a spell to retreat Elfland further from Earth, causing the entire realm to drift away. A deep calm settles over Elfland, and ten years pass on Earth.

## Themes in this chapter

### Longing and Loss

The Elf King's sorrow and yearning for Lirazel, and the separation between Elfland and Earth.

### Magic vs. Reality

The retreat of Elfland from Earth, the rune's power, and the contrast between the enchanted realm and the mundane world.

### Time and Change

The passage of ten years on Earth while Elfland remains in timeless calm.

## Character check-ins

### Lirazel

Returns to Elfland, carried by the rune, and is reunited with her father.

### Erl

The Elf King, who sorrowed for Lirazel and chants the spell to retreat Elfland.

### Alveric

Sensed by the Elf King as he approaches across Earth with his sword of thunderbolt-iron.

### Lurulu

The troll sits on a lily leaf in Elfland, gazing at his reflection in the calm.

## Key lines

> When Lirazel blew away with the splendid leaves they dropped one by one from their dance in the gleaming air, and ran on over fields for a while, and then gathered by hedgerows and rested; but Earth that pulls all things down had no hold on her, for the rune of the King of Elfland had crossed its borders, calling her home.

Lirazel was carried away like autumn leaves, but unlike them, Earth's gravity could not claim her because the Elf King's magical rune summoned her back to Elfland.

_Describes Lirazel's magical departure from Earth._

> Then the Elf King rose, and put his left arm about his daughter, and raised his right to make a mighty enchantment, standing up before his shining throne which is the very centre of Elfland. And with clear resonance deep down in his throat he chaunted a rhythmic spell, all made of words that Lirazel never had heard before, some age-old incantation, calling Elfland away, drawing it further from Earth.

The Elf King stood and chanted an ancient spell to move Elfland farther from Earth, using words unknown even to Lirazel.

_The Elf King's spell to retreat Elfland._

> And in that calm that settled down upon Elfland there passed ten years over the fields we know.

While Elfland remained still and peaceful, ten years went by on Earth.

_Highlights the temporal divergence between Elfland and Earth._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xv-the-retreat-of-the-elf-king
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters