The Shadow Rising Read through #14 - Perchance to Dream

Perchance to Dream

by Linda


Perrin is that rarest of creatures, a male dreamwalker. His experience of the dream is different in some aspects to that of Egwene and the Aiel Dreamwalkers, but then Talents usually manifest differently in males than in females.

Most of his prophetic dreams have occurred while he is in Tel’aran’rhiod: a window opens and he sees what is soon to happen. He is probably doing what the Wise Ones call ‘reading the dream’ in Te’aran’rhiod. He does not appear to see very far into the future. This is understandable, since the Wise Ones told Egwene that what is happening or about to happen is far easier to read in Tel’aran’rhiod than what may happen or what will happen in the medium to long term:

“The present is much clearer than the future even in Tel’aran’rhiod,” the sun-haired Wise One said. “What it happening or beginning is more easily seen than what will happen, or may. You must learn to find what you need to find and read what you see…”

- The Shadow Rising, Beyond the Stone

In many traditions, the ability to prophesy is often linked to sacrifice or chastity/virginity. Perrin’s family was killed by Fain and Perrin is in danger of losing his humanity at times. It is also telling that since he married Faile, he has seen no visions while in Tel’aran’rhiod. However in Crossroads of Twilight, after days of anguish over Faile’s capture, he had his first prophetic dream warning him of the imminence of the Last Hunt by which time he must take up the hammer, and the presence of Darkhounds near his camp.


An article detailing all Perrin's Wolf-Dreams with discussion of their possible meanings is now published on the Thirteenth Depository.