I feel that no one owns Ernalda's sexuality, not even her many husbands. I
would assume that
before marraige, Heortling women can sleep with whomever they want, and that
Ernalda
has a number of stories of various wanton affairs that equal those of her
husband and best lover,
Orlanth. I'm not exactly sure what the rules for Heortling women are in
regards to having lovers
once in marraige, but I'm sure that the social restrictions that do apply
are distinct so as to
preserve the family and the happiness of the married couple. From my
understanding,
adultery is also a severe crime for Orlanthi of either sex, but I'm not sure
of this exactly means
in regards to the common c21st conception of it, or the actual stipulations
detailed in the
type of marraige bond that an Orlanthi couple share. As marraige and child
rearing
have much to do with Orlanthi customs in regards to inheritance and clan
structure, I'm sure it
would all be important.
Depending on which Heortling region is talked about, I'm sure there are
tales of Ernalda or her daughters in her youth where she teases, flirts,
wooes and is wooed, and is the object of desire and adoration of many male
gods. I can even see a whole body of myth that surrounds Ernalda and
Dendara. Although in the Hero Wars scheme Dendara is now "simply" Yelm's
wife and not Ernalda's sister nor an Earth Goddess, I can see a series of
myths based on how Dendara is the wife that is best for Yelm, but that
Ernalda is the one he always wanted. Of course, this is why Ernalda is
called to be
a concubine in the solar court. When Orlanth arrives, the young storm god
wins the Earth Queen's heart,
and it's as much for this reason that Orlanth is repressed by Yelm in his
jealousy as for other reasons.
This can turn the whole slaying of Yelm as a vicious romance-tragedy cycle,
in which cunning Ernalda
plots and schemes to use Orlanth as her cat's paw initially to win her
freedom from cruel Yelm.
Thus, it is Ernalda who is responsible for Yelm's death, not Orlanth, who is
a mere patsy,
according to one view.
More charitably, it makes sense that there would be an aspect of Ernalda that would bless secret romance, affairs,seduction, love against all odds, and on a darker note, sexual manipulation. This perhaps could be a subcult orinvoked hero cult for Heortling women who want to catch that perfect man or simply carry on and be the object of desire for all the nearby men. Of course, the proper social role would be for unmarried women, and I see as part of such a subcult's teachings a strong run of morality, since breaking hearts can start feuds and destroy families. Such a cult or heroine would be passion and sensuality used for all the right reasons in Heortling myth, and is an aspect of Ernalda that needs to be explored.
In any case, time to back away from subject drift :) Any Digest ideas for an "Ernalda The Love Goddess" ?
Chris Bell
argrath_at_agoron.com
coridan_at_shai-net.com
End of The Glorantha Digest V8 #283
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