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defeat the warrior, Merlin sailed to the Forgotten Island —using the giant Shim 's hat as a boat. Thanks to the mer people who came to his aid, perhaps in memory of his grandmother Olwen , Merlin landed on the forbidden shore. There he won the final battle with Sword Arms—and discovered the warrior's true identity. Some might call that victory a miracle; others might say the same about the Forgotten Island's return to its ancient shore. Yet the greatest miracle of that day was performed not by Merlin, but by the children he had saved.
    T'eilean and Garlatha
    How could a small green oasis survive in the midst of Stangmar 's terrible Blight on the land of Fincayra? Young Merlin discovered that it was the orchard and garden of an old married couple: T'eilean and Garlatha. As they emerged from their earthen hut that was supported—almost embraced—by the surrounding trees, the elderly couple moved with an odd, disjointed rhythm. One back straightened as the other curved; one head lifted as the other drooped. As different as their motions were, they seemed unalterably connected. So it did not surprise Merlin or his companion Shim (who was, at this time, still very small) that the pair had been married for sixty-eight years. It also did not surprise Merlin that, when T'eilean got the number of years wrong, his wife swiftly corrected him—and gave him a kick in the shin, as well.
    Given the dangerous times, it took a while before the travelers felt free to trust these people, whose kindly appearance might have been a disguise. (Shim, when asked his name, replied, "My name is a secret. Nobodily knows it. Not even me.") But in time, trust came. Merlin told them that they reminded him of Elen 's tale about Baucis and Philemon, an old couple whose sole wish was to die together—a wish the gods granted by turning them into a pair of trees whose leafy branches would wrap around each other for all time.
    None of them could have guessed that the two old gardeners would, in fact, end their days in much the same way. Just as they could not have guessed that, before that end came, they would share several adventures—including caring for the Flowering Harp, one of the great Treasures of Fincayra . Yet T'eilean did guess that Merlin might be more than he seemed: "I don't know who you are, young man. But I suspect that, like one of our seeds, you hold surprises within you." At that, Garlatha touched Shim's little head and added, "The same could be said for you, little fellow."
    Treasures of Fincayra
    … For centuries, the Treasures belonged to the people of Fincayra.
    For centuries, the Treasures belonged to the people of Fincayra , a shared heritage that benefited the land and all its creatures. What did these fabled Treasures include? The Flowering Harp, whose music could bring springtime to any meadow or hillside; the sword Deepercut, which had two edges—one that could cut right into the soul, and one that could heal any wound; the Orb of Fire that possessed what the great spirit Dagda called "a force of life" strong enough to rekindle hope even in the darkest times; and the Seven Wise Tools, including a plow that could till its own field, a saw that would cut only as much wood as someone needed, and a hoe that knew how to nurture its seeds. (During the tumultuous Dance of the Giants , one of the Seven Wise Tools was lost. But young Merlin and the deer woman Hallia later found its location—as well as its secret purpose—in the adventure known as The Mirror of Merlin .) There were other Treasures, as well: the fearsome Cauldron of Death, the Caller of Dreams that could bring any dream to life, and one more called "the Last Treasure"—whose identity remained a secret.
    Stangmar , the wicked king of the Shrouded Castle who had sworn allegiance to the warlord Rhita Gawr , tried to capture all the Treasures to enhance his own power. Though his favorite was the Cauldron of Death, he also twisted the power of the Caller of Dreams to