Re: A little Elmal question

From: simon_hibbs2 <simon.hibbs_at_...>
Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2002 11:07:11 -0000

> > Alternatively, in KoDP Elmal is swallowed by a chaos demon, so is
> > temporarily obscured, but then (if the heroquester is lucky...)
> > emerges again.
>
> There are certainly many such variant myths, certainly.

That particular one sound an awful lot like an eclypse.

It's all very confusing because we're trying to reconcile stories from different myth cycles that overlap. In fact the 'Orlanth vs Evil Emperor (and king of the fire tribe)' myth, the 'Zorak Zoran vs Yelmalio' myth, the 'Rebellus Terminus vs Yelm' myth and probably even the 'Chaos monster swallows Elmal' myth are actualy the same story told by different people with a different perspective.

My particular belief about Elmal is that when Orlanth kills the king of the fire tribe, the fire in Elmal goes out leaving only his light. (I think we know there was a light in the sky during the great darkness from troll myths). Orlanth knows that without it's heat the sun is weakened and travells to the underworld to atone, and finds the torch which represents the fire of the sun. He returns it to Elmal, but in accepting it back Elmal must also accompany it to the underworld every night. Because Elmal was a light in the darkness there is always a light in the night sky, which is Lightfore, perhaps Elmal's shield?

Simon Hibbs

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