Hi theory board! 
I was on the train this morning on my way to work and re-reading WOT (sixth time methinks) and I was thoroughly enjoying The Great Hunt (which I never have in the past - only this time I am practically drooling on the pages!!)
Anyway I got to the bit where Rand is reunited with Thom and the prophecies of the Dragon are discussed. We all know the lines by now, but in reading them and knowing of events in Book 9 - a thought suddenly occurred to me.
What if the day dawning twice has nothing to do with the actual day or an eclipse or time etc. But what if it is in fact two days?
Let's look at the quote in detail:
Twice dawns the day when his blood his shed
Once for morning, once for birth
Red on black, the Dragon's blood stains the rock of Shayol Ghul
In the Pit of Doom shall his blood free men from the Shadow
First line -
Twice dawns the day when his blood his shed.
Hmmm… okay we have:
Day #1 for when the wound in Rand's side spills his blood.
Day #2 some other kind of 'blood' needs to be shed. Possibilities include - Elayne's children, Galad, or someone else who carries his blood.
Once for morning
Ok so one day for mourning - Rand's death?
Once for birth
The birth of Elayne's children? (Or possibly a rebirth by Rand - but let's not go there!!) 
Red on black, the Dragon's blood stains the rock of Shayol Ghul
Ok again - one day for Rand's blood, mingled with the taint of Shadar Logoth to then work counter to the evil that is the Dark One. Evil versus evil - indeed Mordeth will get what he always wanted - using the tactics of the Dark One against the Dark One. The perfect way to destroy thine enemy!!!
In the Pit of Doom shall his blood free men from the Shadow
Now assuming that one day is already assigned to Rand's wound opening (and his possible death) - maybe now the second day - which can be linked to a possible birth of Elayne's children signifies this last event?
If so, then it implies that Elayne will be somewhere in the vicinity of the Bore when Rand fights the Dark One - and possibly then will have her children at the Bore also.
Pagan myth often talks about the Mother Goddess, and how her monthly cycle of 'flowing blood' can have wonderful symbolic effects to the land. Now I am not saying that Elayne has super healing blood, that will clean up Rand's little trickle the day before, but is it possible that Jordan is using this symbolism?
The Queen/Mother Goddess archetype (Elayne) will have her children at Shayol Ghul possibly after or maybe before the day that Rand fights the Dark One. How she arrives there is a mystery that the series itself shall unfold. But then again, this is all conjecture - but it just might - might I say, ring some element of truth.
If so, and if Elayne does give birth, her children would be the blood (the next generation) that would free men from the Shadow.
As we know, when Lews Therin Telamon sealed the Bore, the Dark One and the Forsaken were trapped, but the infrastructure of the Friends of Dark was still intact. One could therefore assume that when Rand fulfils prophecy the Dark One will be imprisoned again outside the Pattern - but the Darkfriends and Dreadlords and armies of Shadow will still be to some degree floating around. Albeit a bit dazzled and lost, but around nonetheless.
It will probably then fall to Rand's descendants, and all of our heroes remaining to fight the Shadow completely and remove those advocates who will try and re-open the Dark One's prison, cause havoc, etc, etc. And this process will take more than a heroic end to a fantasy series. In real life, it would take probably a century or more at a minimum to remove probably all Shadowspawn - hunting renegade Darkfriends may take even longer.
Therefore, assuming I am right … and I prolly aint, but it’s a bent of thought that I considered viable, we have got roughly nine months left in the series before Tarmon Gaidon - assuming I am right!
Otherwise this hypothesis of mine, was just more exercise for my fingertips in typing.
But either way - it got you thinking, didn't it?
Andy
(formerly Clef)
Roonas says: Well Andy, you did get me thinking 
... so I decided to dissect your theory slowly point by point ... and I can only find fault in one interpretation, but then again, it's not really fault because you very well might be correct - we just have to RAFO.
The point is this, I think you misread the intent of the prophecy with regards to Twice the day dawns of him spilling his blood.
"Twice dawns the day when his blood his shed
Once for morning, once for birth
Red on black, the Dragon's blood stains the rock of Shayol Ghul
In the Pit of Doom shall his blood free men from the Shadow"
I think this means that there will be a day where he sheds his blood twice, instead of the time period between bloodspillings being so far apart. The reason being that your example of him spilling his blood with the wound in his side has happened multiple times in my recollection. He has always been bleeding from it, it's a never-healing wound. Therefore, I don't believe that can be the meaning of the first spilling so to speak - I think it is rather going to happen all in one day (or a time paradox of some sort of a repeating day, with the twice dawning having some sort of affect on the pattern ...). Yet, as I stated, whom really can know but the Great RJ himself!
Who knows though, you might very well be correct with the 9 months till prediction because of Elayne's assumed condition .
All in all, I like the thought process you used, and it was a really well thought out Theory. Nice work my friend!
Comments
If one Travels far enough west persay from Cairhien to Baerlon. The sun would seem to rise twice for a person. Just a pointer.
Ok this gets a bit grose
Sperm meets egg right?
Sperm and egg become baby or babies
Rand's blood and Elayne's blood is 'spilt' during birth?
*grins*
I told you it was grose!!!
But I am just stretching my hypothesis even MOOOOOOOOOOORE by typing this!
Thanks for posting my theory Roonas!
Andy
Wicca of Downunder
Formely known as Clef
Magically inclined in the good way
Holder of the Magic Turnip™ and the Chatroom Breadstick™
I have only one comment to make. If your theory of spilling blood twice was true, wouldn't it first have been his wound taken over Falme (As you said), and then wouldn't the second be his wound taken from Fain's dagger. This could be true if Rand's second wound occured exactly one year after the first. The couldn't it be said that the day had dawned twice, or whatever.
This probably isn't true. But oh well, it was just a thought.
Brown and Gold, baby!
UW Cowboys
I always took the meaning of 'twice dawns the day his blood is shed' to mean that he will shed his blood on two seperate days, once on shayol ghoul's (sorry about the spelling) rocks, and the second time in the pit of doom. Whether it's his actual blood, or his bloodline, we'll just have to RAFO.
A hard earned thirst needs a big cold spam,
and the best cold spam is ASI.
I like this theory for the most part. I do remember the two times Rand really was on the edge of death both at Falme (his side wound) and when Padan Fain cut him there later on. Could this be the two times he spills his blood? It could be, but what if "blood" means something else? Like the "Elayne theory" mentioned about her children, or could it be the Aiel instead. His blood did come from them, too. Just thought I throw this in.
To me there would be a lot of symetry in having Rand's kids born on the slopes of SG ( say 25 years to the day) after he was born of the slopes of dragon mount.
I always assumed that the day would dawn twice due to an eclipse. After all, prophecy is usually a lot more literal than we give it credit for; we just don't understand. The symbolism of the light being swallowed up by the dark, and then breaking free again, also seemed very important. I guess we'll just have to wait and see!
I've always taken the "twice dawns" reference to be a rather
heavy-handed reference to balefire. Rather, day dawns while
fighting is going on, and somehow powerful enough balefire
is used that time rewinds to some point before dawn.
Of course, the flaw here is that if that were true, only
a handful of people would know the truth.
This sounds like an eclipse of the sun, this strikes me as quite possible. but thats all I have to say on that
Bye.
The twice dawns the day prophecy tends to break people into two camps.
- People who believe that one day dawns twice (the 2 Dawn theory)
- People who believe that Rand sheds his blood on two separate days (the 2 Day theory)
I agree with you that the second camp is most likely correct. (I tried to post a similar theory-although it must have had too many grammatical errors to make the cut because it was perfect otherwise
) . The main reason that I believe the 2 day theory is that the rest of the poem describes two different events ((once for mourning, once for birth) and (once on the slope of SG and once in the Pit of Doom)) . While it is possible that Rand can do all these things on the same day it just makes more sense to divide these into two separate events.
If the order stays the same then Rand will stain the rocks of SG for mourning as one event. Later he will shed his blood in the pit of doom for birth as a second event.
I find it interesting that you think that the event for mourning means that people will mourn Rand's death. I have always taken it to mean that Rand will attack because of mourning (Allana's Death maybe). You could be correct though.
You can take the 2 Day theory further by including the 3 in a boat prediction (by Nicola and the wise ones). The world is at a pivotal moment then. I still don't know whether I think it happens after the first event or after the second. We also know that Rand will die and live again so this is probably related to the 3 in a boat as well.
So many possibilitities, I will have to RAFO!
RabidWombat
Let the Lord of Rambling Thoughts rule
Proud owner of a 2 star rating!
Someone stole all my cookies
I always thought it meant mourning for Rand myself.
I am with those who think it means one day dawning twice for whatever reason. This is basically becuase the way the prophecy is worded, it certainly suggest that. If however, I am wrong and it does mean two days, I doubt either has happened yet.
I do however agree that there is 9 months to TG, as I think Elayne's babes will be those twins that herald a new age (plus it just seems like a reasonable amount of time).
That balefire idea's interesting, but surely for it to make the day dawn twice, you'd have to use the balefire on whatever makes the sun rise (and if anyone does, it's the Creator...can't see the Creator being balefired).
Let me just say that in my line of thinking Aviendhas children are more likely to be born at Shayol Ghul. That would coincide with Mins viewing of Avis quadruplets being odd, or something about their birth being odd.
Other than that I like the theory.
Sooner or later it all connects back to itself.
Guru I don't think that Bale Fire would really cause a second sunrise. It'd just alter the events since that sunrise.
Example: Lets say that the battle starts out with everything going perfectly for the light. The Dark Ones forces are on the run, and the armies of all the various nations are very screwed. Then at noon Moridin Bale Fires Bashere and Bryne in one fell swoop. Doing so he (Moridin) uses enough power in the weave that he erases both generals all the way back to dawn.
It is still noon, however the events since dawn are now drastically altered. Two of the best generals for the light have been killed, so the strategizing and spur of the moment changes in tactics have suffered major set backs. The balefire didn't give two dawns, just changed one.
Wombat I think that that morning might actually mean morning instead of mourning. That is to say the time of day rather than the grief of buring a dead friend. It may have something to do with Lews Therins title as Lord Of Morning. Perhaps the first time Rand bleeds it's Lews taking over his body.
Laodwin Gaidin (sorry bout the spelling) perhaps Rands children will symbolize morning and birth. Two concepts that seem to fit well with the beginning of a new age. When the babies are born and see the sun for the first time that's like dawn for them. Or their births could be one day apart (man that really sucks for Elayne). The only real snag is the idea of a pregnant Elayne being moved from the rocks of Shayol Ghul into the pit of Dhoom, while in labor no less. Man this concept just aint good for Elayne at all.
Andy you are delightfully sick and warped yo.
Rand Tedroni I think it's gonna be a hottly debated subject on what his 'blood' refers to until we see the prophecy fulfilled.
Connor I never thought of that, but yeah Rands kids being born at the moral opposite of Dragonmount does have a nifty quality to it.
Scooter I think you may have a point there. A lot of us might be going from the idea that RJ wouldn't be so obvious, but maybe he'll do the obvious because we wouldn't expect it.
Sooner or later it all connects back to itself.
...I'm sure RJ can go on with five more books to fill those nine months(I'm sure there'll be enough dresses and such to describe)!
...like the part of the FAQ there's an Aiel custom about sister Wives sharing their children. If Rand knocks up Aviendha with a set of twins and all four kids pop out at Shayol then that's some odd birthins
?!
Sooner or later it all connects back to itself.
Some of these comments are a little off as far as the use of the phrase " to the day."
Fact-Rand was born on the first day of the thirteenth month.
Fact-Egwene announced that the army would travel to Tar Valon one month after the Feast of Abram(day of meeting with Andoran and Murandian Nobles -PoD)Rand and Elayne conceived their children before the army Traveled. That probably means that the kids will be born before Rand's next birthday (fast of Abram is ninth day of second month, WotWOT)
Therefore, Rand and his first litter won't have the same birthday.
Also, Falme took place in the Autumn, and Rand was wounded by Fain early in the year, a few weeks at most after the new year started. (Perrin set out to rescue him on the first day of the year, so it couldn't have been that long after)also compare the dates of the Aiel War to the dates of recent events in the Glossary (Taim proclaimed (false)Dragon in 99
and Rand is about 21. (by my best count, his 21st birthday was the day before he sent Mat to Salidar)
Cannoli
"I'm German-Irish" - Tom Hagen
“There is no safety for honest men, except by believing all possible evil of evil men" - Edmund Burke
Inde muagdhe Aes Sedai misain ye!
Deus vult!
Doesn't Rand have two other women to knock-up? Couldn't THEIR babies be the "ones" (or whatever...)? It could be quite some time until TG. Remember, RJ does like his twists and turns and helter-skelters.
~~~Nita Almelia~~~
"If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." - Carl Sagan
I have always thought the balefire theory had the potential to cause the day to dawn twice. Like on day one, it looks like the shadow has won and rand has died on the rocks of shayol ghul. And then, (PSYCH!) one of our other heroes/heroines gets so emotional and full of the power that she balefires some shadowspawn so hard that time goes backwards, and Rand "rises up and gets his saidin on."
I mean, since the little girl in the Stone of Tear, Rand has been preoccupied with not being able to bring people back. And, he probably saved Mat's life (again) when he balefired the Darkhounds in Rhuidean (wasn't that where?) by sending time backwards, to before the darkhounds really tore into Mat.
In addition, the one time Moiraine really advised Rand about balefire, she said that it destroys permanently and can push time backwards. Anyways, just a thought. Since all these posts seem potentially legitimate as to the meaning of "Twice dawns" I guess we'll just have to RAFO.
"Twice dawns the day when his blood is shed
Once for morning, once for birth..."
I always assumed that "once for morning" (by the way, I cut and pasted the quote. Isn't it supposed to be mourning?), "once for birth" referred to the number of times that the day dawned. If I wrote it in plain English, it would read "He sheds blood on the day that dawns twice." I think it's a pretty big leap to turn that into two bleeding episodes.
Other than the obvious reason that nothing is ever simple...
Perhaps the Twice day dawning is more literal than proposed? Everyone is interpreting the first dawning for 'morning' being for 'mourning'. Is there anywhere else in the series where mourn is spelled morn? Perhaps the first dawning is literal in that the dawn brings the morning of that day.
As far as the second day being for birth, the birth of a new age with the dark one sealed seems pretty good to me. Although there are plenty of other possible births.
I was intrigued by the reference to a possibliity of someone getting to do the day over again. Perhaps that's why it dawns twice. I can Imagine Rand or Nyn wanting to be in the right spot at the right time and not being able to manage it, and then finding a way to do it over. Perhaps someone figures out how to 'bend' time we haven't seen the effect of two streams of balefire hitting each other?
Twice dawns the day when his blood is shed
Once for morning, once for birth...
Doesnt Rand get referred to as the Lord of the Morning a bit? Well what if, the first dawn is the death of LTT, the second is the birth of either the children or perhaps the rebirth of Rand as himself, as in the removal of the influence LTT had in him.
Twice dawns the day when his blood is shed
Once for morning, once for birth
Red on black, the Dragon's blood stains the rock of Shayol Ghul
In the Pit of Doom shall his blood free men from the Shadow"
I think RJ is speaking figuratively here. There won't be 2 actual "dawns" as we think of them, ie the sun rising in the East. There will be one true dawn (one for morning, NOT mourning) the second dawn may be the dawn of a new age, the "birth of a new era" if you will. Prophets tended to speak in cryptic verse that only poets understood, according to Messaana.
I like your thought process, but it lead me to another thought, perhaps the blood that is spilled IS Rand's, but not from his own body. His children also carry his blood.
Perhaps one of his children must die instead/also?
I take back what I wrote before...there is a good chance that The Last Battle is in 9 months. It just doesn't mean that Elayne will give birth on the slopes of SG.
Just a thought to contradict myself...
Snarl of the Wolf King
Young Bull sits in the darkness
His eyes glowing golden in the night
His ax shimmers with the moonlight
Crouching
Awaiting the Dawn
Snarl of the Wolf King
As the darkness deepens
Young Bull waits,
the fires of his anger
burning bright in the night
His eyes glowing golden
Ax shimmering with the cold moonlight;
Young Bull crouches
awaiting the Dawn
where does it say that both 'bloods' have to be shed ON SG? rand could be fighting and dieing on the rocks of SG (red on black, first dawn etc.) while later somewhere to the west (possibly Cairhein if elayne gets the Sun throne) the babies are born. as they are in the west, the day would dawn later.
ezmie
Twice dawns the day when his blood his shed
Once for morning, once for birth
Red on black, the Dragon's blood stains the rock of Shayol Ghul
In the Pit of Doom shall his blood free men from the Shadow
It says Twice dawns THE day which clarely states that its one day
and it's morning (like in waking up) not mourning.
Otherwise its a good theory but i disagree with a few things.
P.S
it's spelled Tarmon Gaidon
Mourning is generally done when someone has died, most likely person in this context is rand. Morning normally symbolises the beginning of stuff - day, era, change in someone's life. Ok so the first time that Rand's blood was spilt was on tomon head book 2 when fighting ishmael. It could be that the "beginning" symbolised by the word morning is rand becomming the dragon reborn. This is significant enough to be found in a prophesy and fits into the context of the passage by linking the shed blood in becomming the dragon reborn and the shed blood in the dragon saving the world.
You people think too straightforward. This is a prophesy, the word birth is a lot more likely to symbolise the dawning of a new age brought about by the dragon rather than the birth of elayne's childern. This prophesy covers the dragon vs the DO in 4 lines, therefore everything said must be fairly important. Rand becomming dragon reborn and rand defeating the DO and bringing a new age is important enough to fit.
Cheers
I also think the second dawn relates to the birth of children, it's a dawn of life.
Welllllllllll here is .I think you are you are wrong about twice dawns the day.And i think ishould just post a theary instead of saying it here so I will look for it.I love all the ideas that all the wot freaks post and and glad to be apart of it.
you are wrong but read my theary to find out why.
I will keep it simple ,Rand gos to SG.RAND and DO fight.Rand wins ,The wheel sort of reboots and starts time over in a sense,a new day a new everithing.If you havent noticed in all RJ complexities all his ansers have been simple ,though not obvious and that in essence is his greatness and the reason I love his book with ecceptoin to all of the plot twist and originality.
As for his blood on the rocks I believe the children have alot to do with it and as soon as i come up with a reason or theaqry that seems smart enougph for you wot freaks I will be sure to post it.I love this place man...
Llaydwhonn Gaidin 
Still unbonded 
Dedicated to the Black Ajah 
Shara is actually inhabited by bannanas 
The Band of the Red Hand is made of Ninjas like Mat
;
But what if . . .