She spake from the depths of her moonstruck repose and recited,
   " When the innocent babe neverborn shall ride forth as a bright crown upon the head of an evil from beyond time iself, then shall this ancient evil devour the lesser.  The promise of fire and thorns will be kept, the battle recommenced on level ground to be settled for all time in that place.  Seek him in the ashes of all that was, beneath a lake of blood. "
   I stared at her, now awake, her eyes burning, considering not for the first time cursing her prodigious recall if not for the fact it was such a handy thing in this matter.....