Re: Uleria

From: Donald R. Oddy <donald_at_grove.demon.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 00:28:18 GMT


As the perennial favourite topic of Uleria's position in Heortling society has reappeared, I thought the following tale might represent a common attitude.

Why Uleria is not welcome in our stead

You ask, my son, why you should not call on Uleria to help satisfy your desires. Well do I know the ache in the loins when the maid of your choice flirts impartially with you and your rivals. Yet this is Ernalda's way, testing Orlanth to ensure that more than lust drives his choice. For that choice is more than a pairing for a week or a season but a joining of families to bring sons and daughters to strengthen the clan.

Let me tell you a story from your grandfather's grandfather's time.

There were three brothers who shared a stead on the far side of Rafesfell. Two where identical twins who were happily married but the younger brother had yet to win his bride. On this fateful day one of the twins had gone to help a cousin with lambing for he was skilled at helping with difficult births. A young maiden visited the wives to talk of family matters and also run her eye over the third brother. The young man was smitten with lust and called on Uleria to "Bring together those who are destined to be joined". Unfortunatly not only was the maiden joined to the unmarried brother but at that moment the second twin appeared and was joined in lust to his twin's wife by mistake. The embarassing incident might have been hidden had not his wife then appeared and in natural outrage threw them all out of the house.

Well, to cut a long story short, the judges got involved and after deliberation determined that the adulterous couple were primarily at fault but that the younger brother was also to blame for summoning Uleria instead of petitioning Ernalda. Unfortunatly the costs of the decision meant that the stead could no longer support all three brothers and it was decided that it was only fair that the younger brother should seek his fortune elsewhere since any other ruling would hurt an innocent. After consulting her mother the young woman decided she didn't want to marry a disgraced pauper and went looking for a better match.

So that is why Uleria is not welcome in our stead.

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