Hmm... It is a point made time and again in "fairy-stories" that promises
have to be kept. Tolkien, in his famous essay, used the example of the
frog-prince: the princess promises to wed (kiss) the frog if he performs a
certain service for her -- and she must keep her promise.
On one level, this is the "point" of the story of the Dead
-- they had to keep their word and could not go until they
did.
__________________________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
