RE: Re: How Uralda Joined the Storm Tribe

From: Andrew Solovay <asolovay_at_...>
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 14:51:24 -0700


>
> A cool myth.

Thanks!  

> There is also a myth about how Uralda came to join Ernalda in
> the King of Dragon Pass computer game. However, the two are
> not exclusive...

I need to look that up again, then. (Haven't played KODP in a while.)

If I may get all god-learnerish--I wonder if the two different myths might reflect a male-vs-female, earth-vs-storm difference in outlook?

That is--to the woman/Ernaldan, raising cattle is an agricultural activity, not fundamentally different from farming (though the skills are different). Cattle are food, food are a gift from the earth, Ernalda is the earth, so naturally, Uralda came with Ernalda.

But to a man/Orlanthi, cattle is something you get by raiding. Cattle are a prize that go to the skilled warrior, and are kept by the vigilant watchmen. So naturally, Uralda was stolen by, and guarded by, Orlanth.

Of course, in real life, both are true. A typical herd is going to be made of mostly native-raised cattle, but there will be some prizes from raids, and it's the warrior's vigilance that keeps the herd intact. But I suspect that when an Ernaldan sees a large, healthy herd, her first reaction is, "How good that clan is at taking care of their animals!" When an Orlanthi sees the same herd, his first reaction is, "What skilled raiders and steadfast watchmen that clan must be, to build and keep that herd!"

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