lˈɛdʒənd hˈɛld ðætðə stˈiːl blˈeɪd wʌz smˈɛltᵻd fɹʌm ɐ fˈɔːlən mˈiːɾɪˌoːɹaɪt baɪ bˈɛnɪn smˈɪθs, ɪts wˈaɪthˈɑːt lˈɛŋθ kwˈɛntʃt ɪnðə lˈɪvɪŋ blˈʌd əvə lˈaɪən".
Legend held that the steel blade was smelted from a fallen meteorite by Benin smiths, its white-hot length quenched in the living blood of a lion".