Re: Re: Gods verus Spirits, and more.

From: Peter Larsen <plarsen_at_...>
Date: Thu, 07 Jun 2001 08:37:31 -0500


Mikko Rintasaari says:

>They are neat and otherworldly. Why diminish them down to terran bobcat
>analogues?
>
>That's what it ultimately comes down to, I suppose.

        Ah. I think you have it turned around. Almost everything is "neat and otherworldly" to the Heortlings. Yes, they cherish their alynxes and worship the Yinkin, god of the Alynxes (among other things). But they also cherish and give magical and religious attention to many every day things: their cows, notably, but also the hearth fire, the beer they drink, and the tools they use. For a Heortling, making breakfast is a devotional act. No doubt the grain goddess is praised as the oatmeat cooks, the cow is praised for her milk, and so on. Even the onion goddess gets her due when she does her work for the clan. I think you're elevating the alynx; the average Heortling would see them as special, but not necessarily more special than all the other gifts of the gods. Herders, with special relations and uses for the alynxes, will, of course, have special ritual and religious duties as well, but I doubt if the average Heortling sees alynxes the way you seem to think they do. Of course, that's just my opinion.

Peter Larsen

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