Any scholar of Arthurian literature will recognize the novella's allusions to ancient Arthurian lore and probably will note the changes Yolen makes in her source material. For instance, the dream of two dragons, one white and one red, is taken directly from ancient accounts of King Arthur and Merlin. In the ancient accounts, one dragon devours the other, symbolizing the defeat of the Britons by the invading Saxons and other Germanic tribes. This dream will show up again in Hobby and Merlin, with a twist unique to Yolen.

The dream of "a circle of great stones" recalls the legend that Merlin cast a magic spell that transported huge stones from Ireland to Britain, forming Stonehenge. This dream has little bearing on the story and may well mystify anyone unfamiliar with Arthurian literature. The dream "of a man and a sword" is of Arthur and Excalibur and...