The Ballad of the Dream Weaver

"The Ballad of the Dream Weaver" was a famous and popular ballad composed by the bard Talanthe Truesilver in the early 14 century DR.

History
In the late 1320s DR, then a young half-elf bard, Talanthe visited an obscure and ramshackle tavern in Secomber named the Stag. One night in the taproom, she performed a ballad of her own composition, "The Ballad of the Dream Weaver". For some reason, it proved to be popular, becoming one of the most well known and widely played ballads in Faerûn by the 1360s DR, with many variations. The Stag was renamed The Seven-Stringed Harp to take advantage of its reputation of being where "The Ballad of the Dream Weaver" was first heard.

Composition
Used to start and finish the ballad, the refrain ran as follows:"I cast my net in the sea of night And bring back a catch of glittering dreams. Which will you have, proud lady, laughing lady? This bright one, perhaps, or that? Gleaming silver-blue, winking at you With its own mysterious, inner light, It is so beautiful. Yet so is that one, and that, and this, too. I cannot choose. Take them all. Take them all!"

- Elminster's translation

Later female minstrels typically sang "proud lord, laughing lord", but Talanthe used the original "proud lady, laughing lady".

In the middle, minstrels weaved in their own verses, singing of their favorite legends, strange sightings, hidden treasures, and secrets and intrigues. This led to many variations and personal versions, but the refrain remained the same and was famed across Faerûn.

The ballad was sung slowly, with the words drawn out. Elminster suggested it was similar in mood and tone, though not the actual tune, to a Celtic song of Earth called "Dawn of the Day".

Usage
Minstrels typically sang "The Ballad of the Dream Weaver" in the middle or at the close of their performances. They used it as a way to compile and share recent rumors they'd heard.