Knight Notes: The Wizard, Chapters 38-40

This post concludes the story of the WK.

Chapter 38-40:  Dragon Soldiers, It Thirsts, The River Battle

Chapter summaries

Queen Gaynor pays Able a visit in Chapter 38, and makes him a proposition. Able and his friends then meet Prince Smiler and the Dragon soldiers.  They fight, but Able recruits the Prince to his cause. Cloud returns. The war drags on, and Able has a strange dream.

In Chapter 39, Arnthor and the Black Caan’s army approach each other near the Greenflood river. Arnthor convenes his war council, and they decide a plan for battle. Arnthor and Able then confer, and exchange swords.

In the last chapter, the battle begins. Able calls upon the Aelf, and they join the fight. The Army of Osterland is defeated, and the Black Caan slain. Arnthor is killed, and Able heals and cures many of his friends of their wounds and disabilities. The Valfather arrives, and Able makes his decision about the next phase of his life.

The Dragon Soldiers

The Lothurlings are further evidence of the dragons of Muspel’s efforts to conquer Aelfrice. Smiler and his brothers are hybrid offspring of a dragon and human women.  Michael Andre-Driussi thinks the dragon was Grengarm, and I think he is probably right. If it was Grengarm, then the talking table will stop working and their conquests may cease. Smiler later refers to Able as “Scatterer of the Dragon’s Blood”, and words similar to this were used to describe the fight with Grengarm.

The Lothurlings also give homage to Lothur, who they call the Fox. The reason for this and the connection to Lothur doesn’t seem to be explained. It may provide some evidence for the linkage between Lothur, the dragons of Muspel and the most low god.

The defeat of the Dragon Soldiers is also an allusion to the theft of Geryon’s cattle, which I discuss in more detail in the post on Heracles.  And I think Smiler is a reference to Saint Philip the Apostle. Smiler provides Able’s army with food, and Phillip’s symbol is a bundle of loaves.

I have previously suggested that Leort plays the Bishop of Hereford role in the WK, but it may actually be Prince Smiler. Smiler is far more wealthy, and provides much more food for Able/Robin and his troops.

“Honor Not Unstained”

Arnthor tells Able that his (Arnthor’s) “honor is not unstained.” Able isn’t sure what this means. I think this is an allusion to The Once and Future King. In the last volume of that work, A Candle in The Wind, we learn that Arthur had been warned that Mordred would grow up to be a threat to Camelot.  Arthur isn’t sure who Mordred is, so he orders all babies born in the same month to be drowned.

I think Arnthor’s statement is a clue to the destruction of Griffinsford. We learn in these chapters that Arnthor has the gift of prophecy. I suspect that he saw that the “Real Able” would emerge from Griffinsford, and be a threat to his  rule. Like Arthur, he arranged for this future foe to be destroyed, perhaps with the help of Setr and Grengarm. He may have even allowed/encouraged the giants to destroy the village.

The herding of the men of Griffinsford to drown in the pond is similar to Arthur’s drowning of the babies in The Once and Future King, and also in Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur. In my prior post on the “Real Able”, and his death, I suggested that he died in the same pond that Berthold was put in.

Color Symbolism

The battle is at the Greenflood River. Presumably the water is blue, and red blood will stain it. Again, the three primary colors of the RBG model make an appearance.

Disiri changes when she drinks Able’s blood. Her green skin and hair apparently go away, and her yellow eyes turn green.  I am going to discuss this further in a separate post on Disiri.

The Bifrost

As Able walks towards the river, he says that sunlight “had dyed the clouds a thousand colors.” This may be an allusion to the Bifrost.

Christian Allegory

Able heals his friends before he leaves. His healing of Pouk and Uns is similar to the miraculous healings performed by Jesus in the Bible.

Disiri drinks Able’s blood, and apparently becomes human-like, an echo of Jesus’ claim that only those that drink his blood and eat his flesh will have eternal life. Disiri drinking Able’s blood is also a reference to Psyche being given ambrosia, and gaining eternal life as a result.

Able falls twice as he walks towards the Greenflood, like Christ fell on his walk to Golgotha.

The Valfather’s Shadow

When Able looks at the Valfather while wearing his magic helmet, he only sees a glowing shadow. The helmet shows things as they are. Seeing only a shadow is an act of mercy. The Valfather tells Idnn earlier in The Wizard that to look upon the face of The Most High God would mean death. Able is not ready for the full force of the Beatific Vision, and nor is the reader, as GW is implying by refusing to provide a description. Instead, a shadow is shown, as the Valfather is but a shadow of the Most High God.

The Valfather’s Offer

In early readings, the Valfather’s actions seemed puzzling to me. He allowed Able to return to Mythgarthr to regain Disiri. He even asks Idnn to help Able win Disiri. Yet he becomes “remote and severe” when the subject of her joining Able in Skai is raised.

The Valfather’s offer is the “Last Temptation” of Able.  Its the temptation of rejoining his friends in Skai, including Cloud, Gylf, the Valfather, the Lady, Garvaon, etc. Able would have the power of an Overcyn, and his body would probably be restored to its youth. Able earlier calls life in Mythgarthr a “bad dream.”  The Valfather has Wistan put the magic helmet on Able, so Able can see Disiri’s “true” form.

My view is that this is really Able’s last test. Able has accomplished his mission on Mythgarthr, but his next job is to bring reconciliation to Aelfrice as part of the Most High God and Kulili’s plan (see the post on Kulili). Disiri is the first of many who will be changed, and Able is an agent in this endeavor. Able passes the test by offering himself to Disiri, and descending with her to Aelfrice. In a way, he knows she will never love him to quite to the same degree that he loves her. He stoops to conquer.

I think the Valfather turned away so Able could not see the expression on his face (this was before Able put on the helmet). Perhaps it was sadness, because he knew he would be losing Able for quite some time.

The Death of Robin Hood

Some of the oldest stories and Child Ballads about Robin’s death involve his being bled by someone, often a female religious figure. The procedure goes wrong, and Robin dies.  Able’s departure from Mythgarthr echoes the Child Ballads, as he gives his blood to Disiri, and is greatly weakened.

Mythgarthr Post-WK: Who is the new King?

The new king is never expressly identified, and I think GW leaves it a mystery. We can narrow the possibilities.  In the last conference before the River Battle, it is said that Beel and the “the three Dukes” are present. Dukes are the level of nobility right below the king. The two named Dukes are Marder and Bahart (or Bahat, its spelled both ways in my copy of the WK).  Marder is the oldest Duke, but he is not of royal blood, and likely would not succeed Arnthor.  Marder does knight Wistan, but that’s not surprising since Wistan was Able’s squire, and therefore under Marder’s jurisdiction.

Duke Bahart (or Bahat) survives the River Battle, and helps with Arnthor’s pyre. Nothing further is said about him, except that he is the youngest Duke.

The “third Duke” is not given a name, and its not expressly stated that he survives the River Battle.  We learned earlier in the WK that Beel had an older brother and nephew, and that his brother was a Duke. Lord Beel was not a Duke before the River Battle, so either Bahart was his nephew (too young to be his older brother), or the unnamed, third Duke is Beel’s older brother or nephew (they are not given names either).

One possibility is that the “third Duke” died in the River Battle. He did not help Marder and Bahart with Arnthor’s remains, and his absence may be a sign of his death.  If the third Duke was Beel’s brother or nephew, and both are now dead, then Beel is probably the new King of Celidon. If Bahart was Beel’s nephew, then he would be the new king due to his royal blood. He would take precedence over Beel since he was the son of the older brother.  Whew! I have no idea if Bahart is an allusion to anything. MAD linked the name to to an Arabic word for pepper.

Separately, we know from earlier comments in the WK that Pouk worked for the new king, and was very important, as was Ulfa. Berthold slays King Schildstarr, which suggests a possible invasion and destruction of Utgard by Celidon. Able sort of foreshadowed this when he talked about how Utgard was good country for mounted knights and archers to operate in.

Return to Aelfrice & Farvan

Able and Disiri seem to have a very pleasant life in Aelfrice. In Chapter 30 of The Knight, Able seems to suggest he has a house of some kind. He takes a break from his letter writing, and “goes outside” to look at the “beautiful place” where he and Disiri live.

Michael eventually finds him there, as he said he would in their prior meeting. Michael has a new mission for him, for a “great lord.” Able agrees to help, and will bring Disiri with him. I have no idea if this new mission is an allusion to anything. Given the nature of time in the WK, Able and Disiri could be playing the role of some famous pair in history or mythology.

Disiri and Able living together in Aelfrice may be an allusion to the pairing of Titania and Oberon. Oberon is the fairy king in a number of stories.  White dogs with red ears, which is a match for Farvan, are mentioned in connection with various fairy dogs of legend. MAD also identifies the name Farvan as being based on a fairy dog from some Scottish stories.

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Knight Notes: The Wizard, Chapters 27-30

This post covers the fight in the Mountains through Able’s audience with Morcaine in Kingsdoom. These are transitional chapters, moving us from the Utgard segment of the WK to the final part of the story.

Chapters 27-30: Redhall, Morcaine and More Magic, Lord Escan, and Morcaine’s Summons

Chapter Summaries

In Chapter 27, Able and Lord Beel’s Embassy has one last fight with the Angrborn before it can return to Celidon. Later Able rides ahead on Cloud to Redhall, and meets the staff. In Chapter 28, Able becomes reacquainted with Morcaine, and then has some time with Disiri. He receives his share of treasure from Utgard, some of which is magical. Able, Pouk, Toug and Wistan continue on to Kingsdoom in Chapter 29, and meet Lord Escan. Wistan fails a test but is forgiven.  Able is enrolled in the tournament, and learns the power of his new helmet in Chapter 30.  Able fails to win any of the events, but he does meet Queen Gaynor.

The Battle of the Mountains

With Setr’s hold broken, Baki is able to summon the Fire Aelf to help Able and the others defeat the giants.

The Three Objects

Able reviews his share of the treasure of Utgard. Uri tells him that one of the items is magical.  There are three things of significance:

• The first is a cup. Its non-magical, but its a clue GW left for readers to put them on the track of the Grail Quest.
• The second is an old helmet. We later learn that it belonged to Arnthor, and that it allows the wearer to see people as they truly are. Baki flees before Able can view her with it on. Borda gave it to Able, perhaps intentionally knowing what he would learn about the  Aelf. In Greek mythology, several gods and heroes make use of a Cap of Darkness or invisibility. Arthur had a helmet called Goshwit, but I can’t locate any description of magic powers. However, I wonder if this the Cap of Knowledge from the Jack the Giant Killer and Tom Thumb stories.
• The final item is golden arm ring in the form of two serpents coming together. I think it serves two purpose. One, I think this is supposed to be Draupnir. Draupnir has been described as looking like a serpent in some sources. Odin placed it on Baldr’s funeral barge after his death. The god Hermod later retrieved it, and it was given to a giantess as a present from the god Frey. This is how it got to Utgard. Like the cup, I think this was put into the WK as a clue for readers to think about Baldr’s place in the story.  The second allusion is to the Goose that Lays the Golden eggs of the Jack tale.  Draupnir had the magical ability to produce new gold rings every eight nights. The golden goose laid golden eggs.

With the arm ring, this is the last of Jack’s treasures to appear. Idnn is the magical self-playing harp, and Beel gave the bag of gold to Svon and Toug.

Robin Hood

More elements of the Robin Hood legend appear in the Redhall chapter.  The first is Qut, who Able fights and disarms. Qut is Friar Tuck. Just flip the name around, Tuq = Tuck. Friar Tuck was a hothead and swordsman in some legends according to Wikipedia, like Qut.

The men of arms at Redhall are versions of the nameless Merry Men of legend. Able trains them in bows, and they “enjoy” and “laughed” at the contestants.  Able later fights one with staves, and is knocked down after being hit in the head.

The man who knocked him down is named as Balye. This may be a reference to Arthur a Bland, who fought Robin with staves in one Child Ballad, and knocked him on his head.

Morcaine

Morcaine is described as “willow tall” and “willow lithe” in her meeting with Able. The English willow was associated with false love in plant symbolism. Morcaine’s desire for Able is primarily physical at this point.

Dame Eluned and Sir Owan

This is an allusion to the story of Owain, or The Lady of the Fountain.  This is related to the story of Yvain, the Lion Knight, which Vil represents in the WK.

Llyr

The name Llyr is mentioned in the spell Able speaks in the Red Room.  In the glossary, Able says people in Skai thought he and Llyr were brothers. MAD identified him in his WKC as the celtic god Lir or Ler, but this may not be the only association.  I think another one may be the Norse god Ullr, which is the closest thing the Norse have to a god of archery. Able was deadly with a bow, which may be why the people of Skai thought he and Ullr were brothers.

The Prodigal Son

All of Jesus’ parables are acted out in the WK.  Wistan fleeing and returning to Able in these chapters is the Prodigal Son. I am not going to point them all out, as I want to give others some incentive to reread the WK for themselves to find stuff.  Wistan talks about how comfortable and wealthy he would be if he worked for Lord Escan, like the prodigal son wanting to enjoy life on his own. Wistan instead decides he wants to be a knight, and “returns” to Able, begging him to accept him, like the prodigal son begged his father to take him back. Able embraces him, like the father in that story.

Bellerophon

The Greek hero Bellerophon makes his appearance in these chapters. He was known for slaying the Chimera, and riding the Pegasus. The “slaying” of the Chimera happens in middle of Chapter 30, when Able views Uri while wearing the magic helmet. Able sees Org, Uri and Gylf in their “true forms.”  These three creatures together represent the hybrid chimera.

A chimera is described as a creature with the parts of a snake/dragon, a fire breathing goat and a lion.  With his helmet on, Uri appears as the amalgamation of matter and flame that a Fire Aelf uses when it comes to Mythgarthr.  Part of the matter that Uri uses is a dead goat.  Gylf looks a bit like a lion, in that he is described as gold colored.  Org was described in The Knight, as a “big thing like a snake shaped like a man.” (Chapter 39). So Org is the serpent part, Uri the fiery goat, and Gylf the lion part of the chimera.

Bellerophon dies when he falls of the Pegasus.  This may be referenced in the River Battle, when Cloud flies away before Able can mount her.

Queen Gaynor

Gaynor’s Arthurian counterpart is Queen Guinevere of course. We don’t learn that much about her. She is younger than Arnthor, and was a friend of Idnn’s.

She is wearing yellow roses when Able meets her, and they may be associated with betrayal or infidelity in the Language of Flowers. Arnthor suspects her of infidelity, but I am not sure if she actually is unfaithful. She and the king have apparently not consummated their marriage due to her repulsion of his half-human anatomy. Once again, the theme of the Hybrid and the Horror of Dehumanization. She later tells Able she would like it if the king put her aside for another queen.

The betrayal signaled by the yellow roses may be towards Able. She releases him from the dungeon, but then apparently changes her mind due to her fear of Arnthor. I think she was the one who ordered that he be put back in. I think Able was being sarcastic when he said he “escaped” after his first release.

She is interested in Able, and offers herself to him as a future wife on the eve of the River Battle. She knows Arnthor will not survive it.

The Broken Bowstring

I suspect Arnthor broke Able’s bowstring using his sorcery, due to his jealousy.

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Knight Notes: The Wizard, Chapters 14-17

This post covers the period from the night after Gilling’s stabbing through Toug’s first trip outside the castle.

Chapters 14-17: Utgard and the Plain, Giant’s Blood, Into Danger, Tools

Chapter summaries

In Chapter 14, we learn that the witch Huld is pretending to be Queen Idnn, to mask the real Idnn’s departure from Utgard.  Idnn briefs Able and his group on what has been happening in Utgard.  In Chapter 15, Lord Beel, Thiazi and Schildstarr form a tenuous alliance. Wistan and Toug squabble, and Baki returns.  Idnn reveals she is Queen of Jotunhome in Chapter 16, and Toug is sent on a dangerous errand by Lord Beel. In Chapter 17, we get to know Vil, Lynnet, and Etela, and Able arrives in Utgard to see King Gilling.

The Attack on King Gilling

The mystery of the attacker is consuming a lot of attention. Thiazi suspects a giant. Beel suspects a member of his own embassy. Some think it could be Baki. It appears that Uri or Baki are playing a role in sowing confusion. One of them talked with Thiazi right before his stabbing, and Uri talks with Beel at some point.  Beel comes to suspect Toug, and begins to send him on dangerous errands, apparently to get him killed or to cause Able to come to Utgard.

Giant’s Blood

The Angrborn blood has moving parts, almost like jellyfish. This is probably a symbol or allusion to something, but I don’t know what it is.

Idnn’s Transformation

Idnn has undergone a transformation from the scared girl since her ride with Able. She seems determined to do  her duty to her father and Celidon no matter how terrible. She marries Gilling, prays for and comforts him, and seems genuinely interested in determining the identity of his attacker. I will suggest a possible basis for her new found strength near the end of this series.

Vil, Lynnet, and Etela

This is a very interesting grouping, especially with Toug added in. On one level, it almost feels like an allusion to Great Expectations: Vil is like Joe Gargery the blacksmith,  Lynnet is Pip’s violent sister (or Miss Havisham?) and Joe/Vil’s husband, Etela is Estella (Pip’s beloved), and Toug is Pip. Org reminds me of the strong, broad shouldered Orlick, who later kills Mrs. Joe.  And Able is almost like Able Magwitch, Toug/Pip’s benefactor. And Mag is Able’s Mother, Able of Mag …  I think GW is playing with Great Expectations references in some of the above character’s names and personalities.

Dickens is one of GW’s favorite authors. In his story the “The Doctor of Death Island,” his protagonist creates a Charles Dickens computer virus that infects the world’s electronic talking books.

Maid Marian

Lynnet is the Maid Marian figure of Robin Hood legend in the WK. Lynnet tells Able she danced the “May dance” in Chapter 22 of The Wizard. This is the only time a month from our calendar is used in Mythgarthr, and initially I thought this was a “mistake” by GW.  Its not. This is a clue signalling to the Robin Hood legend. The Maid Marian, according to Wikipedia, was associated with the May Day and May Games in English tradition.

In various ballads and versions of the legend, Marian is a high born woman, like Lynnet. She is something of a tomboy too, and capable of fighting. She fights Robin Hood in one story. Lynnet is also a capable fighter.

Robin Hood and Marian also appear in T.H. White’s The Sword in the Stone, which is one of the Arthurian books GW is alluding too. So we really shouldn’t be that surprised that they make an appearance in the WK.

The Black Knight

There is an Arthurian movie called  The Black Knight that was released in 1954. The main character is John, a blacksmith (played by Alan Ladd). He is in love with his lord’s daughter, Linet. Linet’s castle is destroyed and she is taken prisoner by “Viking” raiders.  John the Blacksmith rescues and wins Linet by movie’s end, and helps King Arthur save Camelot.  This plot sounds a lot like the Vil/Lynnet relationship from the WK.  I have said earlier that GW was influenced by the movies Knights of the Round Table and Ivanhoe, and I think he borrowed from or is alluding to this movie too.

Vil/Vili/Weland/Hephaestus

Lets consider a few names from Norse and Greek mythology, and the WK.

Vil’s name is based on Vili, Odin’s brother in Norse mythology.  Vili played a relatively small role in the Norse legends. Vili allegedly gave intelligence and sense of touch to the first human couple. The latter is interesting given that Vil is blind.

Wayland the Smith is a character from Norse and German mythology.  He was a legendary blacksmith who was imprisoned by a king, mutilated (hamstrung), and forced to forge items.  This sounds like Vil’s life. Vil is imprisoned by the giants, blinded, and made to forge things.   Wayland eventually escapes and takes revenge on his captors.  Vil gets free too. The Wayland of legend also forged a number of magic swords, including those used by great legendary heroes like Ogier the Dane, Roland and Sigmund.

Hephaestus was the Greek god of blacksmiths, metallurgy and fire.  In several stories, Hephaestus was cast out of Olympus and down to earth. In one version this was becaused he was ugly or deformed.  Specifically, Hephaestus was lame, or had a club foot (sort of like Wayland).  He made a variety of magical items used by the Greek heroes of legend. Hephaestus took revenge on other gods who wronged him in several stories. The Hephaestus of myth was referenced in The Book of the Long Sun.

We also have the “King Weland” character of the WK. He is apparently a human of Mythgarthr who forged Eterne (with the assistance of Zio). At some point he became King of the Fire Aelf .  We are given contradictory information about his fate.  An armorer in The Knight says “a dragon got him.”  But Baki says, in The Wizard, that he was killed by “a monster of the deep”, one of Kulili’s creatures. Hard to reconcile these two unless it was Kulili in White Dragon form.

Wayland the Smith and Hephaestus are very similar. Both were smiths who crafted magic weapons. Both had a physical handicap involving their legs. Both later took revenge on those who wronged them.

I would like to propose that the similarities between Vil the smith, King Weland of the Fire Aelf, Wayland the Smith and Hephaestus are not a coincidence.

We learned from Baki and Able that the gods of one level can descend and live on another level, but if they do, they cannot return.

I think that the King Weland character of the WK was an Overcyn of Skai, a Vili or Hephaestus type god, that descended to Mythgarthr. Perhaps he did this to aid the humans against the Angrborn. He crafted Eterne with the help of another Overcyn, Zio.

Weland then becomes King of the Fire Aelf. Maybe he wanted to help them next.  The Aelf then turn against Kulili, and call on the dragons of Muspel for help. Setr, Grengarm and others depose and chase Weland back to Mythgarthr. Or maybe Weland saw the writing on the wall and fled on his own. He returns to Mythgarthr, and is captured by the giants at some point.  Maybe he was even captured by the dragons and sold to the giants, because they did not want to kill an Overcyn. The Free Companies sold Berthold to the giants as a slave. I’ll raise another possibility for how he got caught later in this series.

The loop is completed when Setr fights Garvaon and Svon. Vil takes his opportunity for vengeance on the creature that drove him from Aelfrice. He now has a tool, Able’s bowstring, and uses his residual Overcyn knowledge and abilities to make it into a killing weapon.  Vil taking vengeance on Setr is like Wayland and Hephaestus taking vengeance on those who hurt  them.

This theory also explains some of the abilities Vil has:

• Toug notes that Vil is exceptionally strong and seemingly immune to great heat when working at the forge. A god of fire would not be bothered by the heat.
• Vil is able to do sleight of hand with the coins right in front of Mani, Uri and Able, three beings with supernatural gifts.
• His appearing eyes trick.
• Able later observes that “Vil was uncommonly clever at fire-making, which I though extraordinary  in a blind man.” (from “A Ride After Supper”). A god of fire, like Hephaestus, would be good at starting fires.

So that’s my theory: Vil is an Overcyn, the WK’s version of Hephaestus, who descended to Mythgarthr, became King Weland, and was driven out of Aelfrice by the dragons of Muspel. Vil has one other Greek divine counterpart I will review in another post.

Biblical Allusions and Christian Allegory

Lynnet is a biblical allusion to Mary Magdalene, Vil to St. Thomas the Apostle and Veronica’s Veil, and Etela to the Daughter of Jairus.

Mary Magdalene is a woman who Jesus healed by removing “seven devils”, which has been interpreted by modern scholars as mental illness. Lynnet is similarly suffering from a mental injury, and Able heals her after the River Battle.  Lynnet’s family motto “Marigolds and Manticores” and the name Mary Magdalene sound a bit a like, and have many shared letters.  Lynnet is later inhabited by the spirit of “Mag”, again an allusion to Magdalene. Modern religious scholars no longer equate Mary Magdalene with being a prostitute, or the “woman taken in sin” that Jesus saves from stoning. They are different women.

Etela is the Daughter of Jairus. They are both the only female children named in their respective works. Its a weak reference, but the WK mentions Etela “sleeping” in a bed with Toug several times.

Finally, “Truthful Vil” is a reference to both Veronica’s Veil and Thomas the Apostle. Veronica was apparently derived from the Latin phrase “True Image”, so Truthful Vil could be translated to Veronica Vil(Veil).  When Vil is touching Able’s ears, Able describes his discomfort at being so close to a face that showed so many signs of beatings. The Veil was a cloth Veronica used to wipe the face of Jesus during his walk to Mt. Golgotha. It allegedly bore his suffering image forever after this. Able is seeing his own face in Vil’s, reflecting the beatings he suffers during the WK (Sheerwall, Kingsdoom. etc.).

Vil is also like St. Thomas in several ways. He is blind but believes in Able, calling to mind Jesus’s blessing of Thomas, that he “sees and believes” but that those who can’t see and believe are even more blessed. Vil explores Able’s face with his hands, like Thomas explored Christ’s wounds with his hands after the Resurrection.  One of Thomas’s symbols is a builder’s square, and at one point Vil says he has a “square” on his tongue. Thomas also means “twin” and Vil is a twin of sorts to the Norse god Vili.

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Knight Notes: The Wizard, Chapters 7, 9, 11, 13

These alternating chapters cover Able’s stand in the mountain passes while Beel’s embassy is at Utgard. They conclude with Idnn arriving from Utgard seeking Able’s help.

Chapters 7, 9, 11, and 13: Hela and Heimir, The First Knight, The Second Knight, The Third Knight

Chapter Summaries

In Chapter 7, Able travels south with Gylf, Cloud, Uns, Berthold and Gerda to take his stand in the passes, as he had promised Duke Marder. Able contemplates various mysteries.  Hela and Heimir introduce themselves over dinner. Uri makes an appearance, and Able sends her to Utgard. In Chapter 9, Able meets Sir Leort, and defeats him. Sir Woddet returns in Chapter 11, and Able defeats him as well.  Woddet is seriously wounded, and prayers and sacrifice are offered to save his life. Duke Marder pretends to be the Black Knight to test Able in Chapter 13.  Lady Idnn arrives at the end of Chapter 13, after a long ride from Utgard to fetch Able.

Hela

Hela has multiple counterparts in mythology and history. She is an allusion to Thecla of the New Testament Apocrypha, and Dame Ragnelle/the Loathly Lady from the stories of Sir Gawain. Hela recounts fighting off an attempted rapist, and there is a similar experience in Thecla’s story.  She is also based on some giants of Norse legend who married human heroes.

Heimir

Heimir is loosely based on Sir Sagramor.  Sagramor was from Hungary in one story, and noted for his fierceness and fighting ability. Heimir is from beyond the borders of Celidon, and prone to anger, and a strong fighter.  GW provides a clue/pun/joke to this source by having Able comment about Hemir’s hunger (he is so thin that Able can see his ribs). So Sagramor is from “Hungary”/hungry.

Sir Leort

In the earlier post on WK characters and Arthurian sources, I have linked Leort to Sir Palamedes and Sir Feirefiz.  Both were Saracen knights who joined the Round Table. GW alludes to these origins by having Leort hail from the southern  Celidon, with his manor named Sand Hill.  I think Leort is also an allusion to Sir Kenneth the Leopard Knight of The Talisman.  Able’s fight with Leort seems similar to Feirefiz’s fight with Percival.

I think the capture of Leort the Leopard Knight is also an allusion to some of the stories of Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford. Robin captures the Bishop and forces him to provide food for his men. Able similarly “captures” the noble Leort and makes him provide food for the party.

The Fight with Woddet

Woddet plays the role of Sir Gawain in the WK, as Able is the Lancelot character. In many versions of the Arthurian legend, as in the WK, Lancelot and Gawain have at least one fight. This is usually tied to Lancelot’s affair with Queen Guinevere.  Lancelot always wins these if I recall correctly, and sometimes Gawain is wounded or dies. Gawain dies while besieging Lancelot’s castle in The Once and Future King.

The fight may also be the WK’s version of Little John and Robin Hood’s duel with quarterstaves at the river bridge. Instead of wooden staves, they fight with wooden lances initially.

Woddet and Hela

Woddet/Gawain begins his courtship of Hela, a Dame Ragnelle figure, after he recovers.  Woddet took part in the sack of Khazneh, and has been affected by the experience of combat.

Hela cares for him after both his defeat by Able, and his later wounding by Prince Smiler. Hela “bore him away” after Smiler wounded him.  GW describes Woddet lying in the arms of the much larger Hela at camp one evening. Hela also cries for Woddet while they pray for his recovery.

This particular pairing may be a reference to Michelangelo’s Pieta. In this famous sculpture, the Virgin Mary is holding the dead body of Jesus. What is interesting about this sculpture is that the Virgin Mary’s body is larger than that of Jesus.  The physically larger Hela may be intended to symbolize the maternal love of God for the suffering of Jesus and humanity.

The Round Table

The more popular Arthurian legends feature a Round Table in Camelot. King Arthur and his knights can sit together at the table and discuss matters.  I have been looking for the table in the WK, but I only have a one candidate.  After his recovery, Woddet tells Able about how Duke Marder and his knights responded to Arnthor’s summons to war against Osterland.

Marder’s knights are called one by one into a special room in Sheerwall called the Sun Room. There is a hanging of the sun on the wall. Marder interviews the knights, and asks who they would want to accompany them to Osterland. This involves placing a grain on an image of each knight’s device on a parchment. The knights who got the most grains would go to Osterland. Woddet doesn’t come out and say it, but I think he and the Duke put two grains down for Able.

I think this scene in the Sun Room, and the Sun hanging (with a sun being “round”) is an allusion to the Round Table.

Christian Allegory: Able’s Temptation, Three Days and Nights, and the Defeat of Death

Able throws his fight with Sir Leort because he is so eager to find Disiri. He admits later that it was a “coward’s path”, and takes his next two jousts seriously.  This could be a reference to Jesus asking that the cup pass from him during the night in the garden.

Able sleeps for three days after healing Woddet. The three jousts are the three “knights.” So the stand in the pass may be a reference to Jesus’s three days and nights in the tomb.

Duke Marder is disguised as the Black Knight, and wears a skull on his crest. Able wins, and skull is broken. Perhaps symbolizing Christ’s defeat of death.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

As Michael Andre-Driussi noted in The Wizard Knight Companion, Able tells Leort the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.  Able claims to have played the role of the Green Knight. It appears the Valfather may have sent Able on missions to other worlds during his stay in Skai.  GW will revisit that story in another novel, which I plan to  review after the WK.

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Knight Notes: The Knight, Chapters 48-54

This section covers Able’s meeting with Lord Beel through his learning Idnn’s role in the embassy to Utgard.

Chapters 48-54: Too Much Honor, The Sons of the Angrborn, Who Told My Daughter?, Archery, To Pouk, Boons, Idnn

Chapter Summaries

Able is introduced to the suspicious Lord Beel in Chapter 48, and is recruited to his mission.  The embassy is attacked by the Mice in Chapter 49, and Able leads the defense. In Chapter 50, Lord Beel becomes even more suspicious of Able. Garvaon and Able compete in an archery contest in Chapter 51, which Able wins.  Able then sends Gylf to hunt for Pouk in the next chapter. Able claims a boon from Garvaon in Chapter 53, and the readers learn Idnn’s role in the embassy in Chapter 54.

Lord Beel

Lord Beel is the grandson of King Pholsung, and a cousin of King Arnthor. His unnamed father, “a Prince”, was the younger brother of King Uthor.  He has ably served in a number of government positions in Celidon, and has been entrusted with a mission to Utgard:  Get the Angrborn to back off long enough so that Arnthor can turn his attentions to the Osterlings.  A mule train with gifts for King Gilling is under his control.

Beel’s origins had me pretty well stumped for a while, but that is because he is a composite of multiple figures from mythology and the Bible. Able makes a point to emphasize how short Beel is.  This leads me to believe that his Biblical counterpart is Zacchaeus.  Zacchaeus was so short he climbed a tree to see Jesus.  A supporting piece of evidence is that Beel mentions that he was Celidon’s First Lord of the Exchequer for seven years. An exchequer was a British position responsible for tax collection. Interestingly, Zacchaeus was also a tax collector.  Able and Beel dine together several times, as Jesus did with Zacchaeus.

I think Beel is also based on King Hoel of Cornouaille of Arthurian legend. King Hoel was a cousin/ally of King Arthur. The name Cornouaille may be related to Cornwall, which can mean “headland.” A headland is a geographic feature, which may include a sea cliff, like Beel’s “Coldcliff” origin. See the picture at the link for headland.  King Hoel had a daughter known as Iseault of the White Hands, and I believe that Idnn is an allusion to the Iseault of legend. There is also a story by Geoffrey of Monmouth where Hoel’s realm is menaced by a giant that kidnaps his niece. Arthur tracks and slays the giant. This tale is also included in Thomas Malory’s compilation of Arthurian stories.  Beel could also be based on the Duke of the Jack the Giant Killer tale.

Finally, Beel is based on King Aeetes of Colchis, of the Golden Fleece story.  Beel gives Toug and others a number of difficult tasks in Utgard,  like Aeetes gave Jason as a condition for getting the Fleece. Aeetes also had a devoted daughter named Chalchiope, as Beel had with Idnn. More on the Fleece in a future post.

Christian Allegory: The Questioning of Jesus by Pilate

Beel’s lengthy interrogation of Able in his tent is an allusion of Pilate’s questioning of Jesus.  Beel is particularly concerned with Able’s status, whether he is noble or of gentle birth.  Beel asks if Able thinks himself invincible, and Able has says he never said it, or says other people have said it. This calls to mind Pilate asking Jesus whether he was King of the Jews, and Jesus saying that it was Pilate or others who said so. Beel ultimately allows Able to sit down, satisfied he is of peasant origin. This is like Pilate initially finding no fault with Jesus, and considering his release. I am not suggesting Beel is supposed to be Pilate, Lord Thunrolf largely plays that role.

Christian Allegory: The Crown of Thorns and Jesus’ Death

The gold helmet that Able wins from the archery contest is an allusion to the Crown of Thorns.  Able splits the rock behind the target, an allusion to the reported splitting of rocks after Christ died in the Gospel of Matthew. Able then causes a landslide with his next shot, which is a reference to an earthquake that occurred after Jesus died, also in Matthew.

Able feels bad and goes to sleep in a crevice in a rock, an allusion to Jesus being in the tomb. He returns and the gold helmet is on his bed. It fits like it was made for him.

Idnn

As Michael Andre-Driussi (MAD) notes in his The Wizard Knight Companion (WKC), Idnn is based on the goddess Idunn of Norse mythology.  She is also the counterpart to a number of “captive princesses” of legend, which has been described as the “princess and the dragon” motif. In particular, Olwen of the Culhwch and Olwen tale, and Iseault of the Tristan story. She may also have a counterpart in Greek Mythology. The mission to Utgard is partly based on the Jason and the Argonaut legend. Atalanta is the only female argonaut. Atalanta was a huntress, and Idnn was skilled with a bow.  Idnn’s argumentative ride with Able calls to mind Atalanta’s footrace with Hippomenes.

Idnn is also based on the Duke’s daughter from the Jack the Giant Killer tale. Able describes Idnn as “doe eyed”, and the Duke’s daughter had been turned into a deer by the giant’s sorcerer (a role Thiazi is playing).

She is also a personification of the self-playing magic harp from the Jack and the Beanstalk tale.  Able describes her voice “as a guitar that some girl playing alone in a garden at night” and “acoustic guitar” in Chapter 48 of The Knight. Idnn the magic harp is one of the three Beanstalk treasures rescued from the giant’s castle. Again, I subscribe to John Clute’s observation that GW does not use words inadvertently. She will not be the last character in the WK to personify an object of legend.

Arabian Nights

During their ride together, Idnn tells Able she has thought up “about a thousand” stories to take her mind off her coming betrothal to King Gilling. Mani brokers a deal to delay Able from sending Idnn back to her minders. GW is alluding to the Arabian Nights (also known as One Thousand and One Nights) in this scene. Idnn and Mani play the part of Scheherazade and her sister, and Able is the Persian king. In Arabian Nights, a new bride told a new story to her King and husband every night to delay her execution. Idnn makes up a story about her, Mani and Able on the spot.

Sir Garvaon

Garvaon is another WK character with a very a complicated background.  As I noted in my prior posts on name origins, he is loosely based on a variety of characters from literature and mythology, including Culhwch and Theseus’s friend Pirithous. Culhwch dealt the death blow to a giant king, like Garvaon killed Gilling.

The archery contest between Garvaon and Able is partly based on the Theseus story.  Pirithous had heard of Theseus’s reputation, and challenged him.  They decided not to kill each other, and instead became friends. Similarly Able and Garvaon exchange boons after the archery competition. Able and Garvaon fighting off the Mice in Chapter 49  seems to be a based on the Theseus and Pirithous story.

Garvaon has some Biblical counterparts, but I am a bit torn on these.  At a minimum, he represents Lazarus.  Lazarus died, but was then resurrected by Jesus.  Jesus was somewhat chided by Martha in the Bible for taking so long to come to Lazarus’ aid when he was sick.  Similarly, Able stays on the sideline during the fight with Setr, and feels the need to explain his inaction later.

Another connection is to Judas Iscariot.  Judas was a betrayer, and the only one of the 12 Apostles to die in the Gospels.  Garvaon is the only member of the Utgard expedition to die in the WK.

I have already linked Garsceg with Judas, but I think this may be an example of two characters in the WK alluding to the same person.  What is Garvaons’s betrayal? It is the slaying of King Gilling, which was a betrayal of sorts of Beel’s embassy and Queen Idnn of Jotunland.  If Garvaon is Judas, he is an alternative history Judas who repented and was forgiven, rather than one who committed suicide.  Able judges the slaying of Gilling “no crime.” Garvaon’s manor is also called Finefield, and Judas was reputedly buried in a “Potter’s Field.”  Again, this is one of the links I am less confident about.  Garvaon may purely be a Lazarus reference.

Garvaon is also playing the role of Sir Balin of Arthurian legend, which is explained in some other posts.

Robin Hood elements

(The Robin Hood elements are a late addition to this series, and often don’t flow well with the rest of the posts).

The archery contest here and in Kingsdoom are also allusions to the Robin Hood legend.  In particular, the competition for the Gold Helmet recalls the story of Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow.  Robin participates in a number of archery contests in various Child Ballads or more recent retellings of the Robin Hood story, which he usually wins.

Sir Garvaon is probably the WK’s version (a more benign one) of Sir Guy of Gisbourne. Robin and Guy participate in an archery contest in one Child Ballad, like the contest here.  They are romantic rivals for Marian in some stories, and Garvaon assumes Able is a rival for Idnn’s hand. Guy is killed in most versions of the legend, as Garvaon dies in the WK.  Robin has a violent dream about Guy of Gisborne in the Child Ballad, and Able dreams about Garvaon’s death.

The Embassy to Utgard

When I was well into The Wizard, I grew somewhat frustrated that the Utgard section took up so much space. I wanted Able to get to Kingsdoom to deliver the message.  However,  the visit to Utgard is the main adventure in the WK, other than Able trying to win Disiri.  Tor’s decision to break the WK into two books sort of obscures this fact.

GW based the visit to Utgard on many of the great quests of legend, including the Tale of Culhwch and Olwen, the Quest for the Holy Grail, and Jason and the Argonauts’ Quest for the Golden Fleece. I will do separate entries on those quests in other posts.

“Too Much Honor”

The title of Chapter 48 of The Knight is a reference to Dunsany’s The King of Elfland’s Daughter, which included a chapter titled “Too Much Magic.”

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Knight Notes: The Knight, Chapters 35-42

This post covers the time period Able was directed to remain in the vicinity of Sheerwall before taking his stand in a mountain pass.

Chapters 35-43: There was Ogres, The Dollop and Scallop, A Green Knight, The Wind in the Chimney, Magic in the Air, A Citizen of Cellars, Org, I Am A Hero

Chapter Summaries

Able and Pouk stop at Nukara’s farm while on their way to fetch Able’s possessions in Forcetti in Chapter 35.  Able is none to pleased by the size of the bill presented by the Dollop and Scallop in Chapter 36. Before he leaves the inn, Sir Nytir ambushes him, but Able prevails. They visit an armorer in Chapter 37, and return to Nukara’s farm in Chapter 38.  We meet Uns and Duns, and Baki makes an appearance. In Chapter 39, Gylf and Able are reunited.  In Chapters 40 and 41, Able confronts Org, and Org is taken into his service. In Chapter 42, Able returns to Sheerwall, and meets Master Caspar and his warders.

The Return of Gylf

Able learns that Gylf has returned when the innkeeper at The Dollop and Scallop tries to bill him for Gylf’s food.  We later learn that Setr had chained Gylf up in his sea cave, and that Gylf eventually escaped.

The Incident at the Dollop and Scallop

The segment at the Dollop and Scallop puzzled me for a bit. It seems like Jesus’s Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Able owes money to the innkeeper, some of it from Pouk’s drinking. Pouk is forgiven by Able. Able also reduces what he owes the innkeeper. Able is then ambushed by Sir Nytir, apparently with the innkeeper’s approval. Able disarms him, and claims certain possessions.  Nytir pretends to surrender, then tries to kill Able again, and Able wounds him.  He gives Nytir’s horse to his squire, who he apparently forgives for attacking him at Sheerwall. It may be something else entirely however. Perhaps the Parable of the Unjust Steward?

Remember the Layer Cake? While the WK is a New Testament story, there is also a current of the Old Testament present too. I keep thinking of Samson when I consider the Berthold character and the events in his life. And I believe Borda is based on Deborah.  The fight at the Inn has a feel almost like the incident of Zipporah at the Inn. In this mysterious passage, someone tries to kill Moses at an Inn. Blood is shed.

Poul Anderson’s Influence on the WK

As MAD notes in his WKC, the armorer in Forcetti makes a reference to Poul Anderson’s Three Hearts and Three Lions, a novel that influenced the WK. The novel shares some similar points of plot with the WK. It involves a man from Earth who travels to an alternative version of medieval Europe where fairies, dwarfs, trolls, and giants are real. The main quest involves the recovery of a magic sword. There are a few names that were used, Gerda and Thiazi, that reappear in the WK. The character has to fight a giant at one point, and Morgan Le Fay makes an appearance.

Another Anderson work of interest is The Broken Sword.  This novel is set in England after the Viking invasions. It tells the story of the son of a Viking chieftain named “Orm the Strong.”  An Elf lord, with the help of a witch, switches Orm’s son for a changeling, an elf-troll hybrid.  The human and hybrid grow up to be powerful warriors on opposing sides in a great war.  The human eventually goes on a quest to reforge an ancient, broken magical sword. He is successful, but the blade is a danger to all, and the book has a tragic ending. Its possible that this book also influenced GW’s development of the WK.  Able’s real name is Arthur Ormsby, and he was switched with the Real Able of another world

Nukara’s Farm

There are probably some allusions here I am missing.  But I think Able defeating Org is dual allusion to one of the Labors of Heracles (which I described in the post on Heracles) and one of the Labors of Theseus.  Able describes Org as having a “sows belly” when he fights him.  So I think Org represents both the Erymanthian Boar as well as the Crommyonian Sow.  The Sow was raised by a female crone, Nukara may represent the crone.

The names Duns and Uns are probably a reference to Lord Dunsany. I have also proposed in the post on Arthurian counterparts that they are Gaheris and Gareth. I think Uns is also an allusion to the Apostle James, son of Zebedee. See the biblical counterpart post for more detail.

Robin Hood

Robin was famed for his Lincoln Green attire. The story of Robin is partly alluded to by Able becoming a Green Knight. He acquires Nytir’s green shield, surcoat, saddle and lance. Able maintains the green colors through the rest of the WK. Nytir may even be an allusion to Guy of Gisbourne, who was hired to kill Robin Hood in some versions of the legend. Guy attempts to ambush Robin Hood in many of his stories. Similarly, Nytir attacks Able twice without warning.

Back to Sheerwall

Able and company return to the castle. Putting Org in the dungeon is a continuation of the Erymanthian Boar labor.  Able gets in a fight with the warders, and heads north to take his stand in the mountains. In other posts, I have suggested that Able sitting in Master Caspar’s chair is an allusion to Galahad sitting in the Siege Perilous of the Grail Quest legend.

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Knight Notes: The Knight, Chapters 32-34

This post covers Able’s first visit to Sheerwall Castle.

Chapters 32-34: The Marshal’s Tower, Drink! Drink!, and Being a Knight

Chapter Summaries

Able arrives in Forcetti, and makes his way to Sheerwall, the castle of Duke Marder of Celidon.  He meets Agr, the Duke’s Marshal, and asks to take service with the Duke. Agr does not believe he is a knight, and demands that Able joust with Master Thope to prove it. Able is unhorsed, and gets into a brawl with a  group of knights.  He is seriously injured, and healed by Baki’s blood in Chapter 33. He then becomes friends with Sir Woddet of East Hall, and is introduced to Duke Marder in Chapter 34.  Marder agrees to take him into his service, and once Able is healed, he is to be sent to take a stand at a mountain pass until winter.

Master Agr

Michael Andre-Driussi (MAD), in his Wizard Knight Companion (WKC), stated that Marshall Agr’s name may derives from the word “agriculture.” I am going to suggest another possibility.

Agr might also be based on the Old Norse words “ergi” and “argr”. Argr was an adjective meaning “unmanly” or “effeminate”, and apparently considered an insult. Marshall Agr was not a knight or fighting man, and more in the nature of an administrator.  Sir Woddet, when he visits Able, refers to Agr sarcastically as “His Hungryhunks.”  I am not sure what this nickname means.  Moguda later tells Able that Agr is not popular with the knights because he orders them around. Its possible there is something more to this, and that GW is hinting that Agr is gay. I don’t believe GW intends to portray Agr negatively, as he is shown to be an effective administrator, and sympathetic to Able once he got to know him.

Wikipedia notes that in modern Scandinavian languages, the root “arg” is more associated with being “irritable” or “angry.” Agr does seem somewhat irritated by his initial dealings with Able, and the subsequent matter of Master Caspar and Org. So perhaps “irritable” is all that’s intended by GW’s use of this particular name.

Duke Marder

I have previously suggested that Marder is based on King Richard from Ivanhoe, and that events at Sheerwall match certain events from the novel. I also link Marder to Duke Cador and Joseph of Arimathea in posts on Arthurian and Biblical counterparts, respectively.

I think Marder may also be based on the Sir Richard at the Lee, a knight and nobleman friendly to Robin Hood in the Child Ballads and later versions of the Robin Hood legend.  I think the use of the name Sheerwall was another example of GW leaving a clue to the mythic underpinnings of the book. Sheerwall = Sherwood.

Sir Woddet

In a prior post on character sources, I have linked Sir Woddet to the Norse hero Orvar-Oddr and Sir Gawain.  Woddet teaches Able how to use the lance after he heals up. I think he is also an allusion to the Apostle Jude Thaddeus (see the Biblical counterpart post).

Woddet may also be the “Little John” of the WK.  Able makes a point to emphasize how big Woddet is, bigger than even him. Little John was bigger than Robin Hood in the tales. In the stories, both men fight the first time they meet, like Able and Woddet in the joust fight. Able and Woddet later fight during his stand in the passes.

“A man of your hands”

Woddet uses this expression to describe Able’s brawling skills. Its a term I’ve seen used in literature about knights before, so GW did not invent it.  Its also used by an uhlan in describing Severian, in Chapter 19 of Citadel of the Autarch. An uhlan was a mounted warrior, like a knight.  I think GW  is alluding to the Book of the New Sun in a variety of ways in the WK.  Able is like Severian in that he dies, has a foe based on the Typhon of legend, etc.

The Siege Perilous

The Siege Perilous was a chair in Camelot reserved for the knight who would find the Grail. It would slay those who weren’t destined to get it.  I think Able sitting in Master Caspar’s chair, despite being warned not to, is a reference to this. Able sitting in the chair foreshadows his success in the Grail Quest by entering the Room of Lost Loves. Able is a version of Galahad, who obtained the Grail in some versions of the story.

Christian Allegory

Able’s beating by Marder’s knights is an allusion to Christ’s beating after he is taken before the Sanhedrin.  Christ says he is the Messiah, which angers those present, and the high priest’s guards beat him severely.  Able claims to be a knight, which the other knights do not accept, and beat him for it. Agr plays the role of Caiaphas or Annas in his questioning of Able.  Master Caspar of the warders may also be an allusion to Caiaphas. The warders may be an allusion to the Pharisees.  Able claiming to be a knight throughout The Knight is like Jesus claiming to be the Messiah. Neither is initially believed. Able’s discussion of Marder’s rules with Agr recalls Jesus’s conflict with the Pharisees over what the law of God requires.

Caspar’s branding may be a reference to the Mark of Cain.

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Knight Notes: The Knight, Chapters 15-20

Chapters 15- 20: Pouk, The Western Trader, At Anchor, Alone, The Cable Tier, and Sword Breaker

Chapter Summaries

In Chapter 15, Able returns to Irringsmouth. He makes the acquaintance of Pouk Badeye.  Pouk advises him on finding a ship to Forcetti and joins him on a visit to the blacksmith, where Able obtains Sword Breaker.

In Chapter 16, Able boards the Western Trader and meets the captain and first mate. He bullies his way into obtaining the Captain’s cabin for the trip.

Able gets used to ship life in Chapter 17. In Chapter 18, Able and Pouk spell out the terms of his employment, and we learn Gylf has been following Able, and snuck aboard.  Able tries to start a journal, and realizes he can write and read in the language of Aelfrice.

In Chapter 19, we learn that Osterling pirates had tried to take the Western Trader. Able fought them off, but was stabbed in the abdomen. The crew thought he was going to die, and put him down in the cable tier to recover. The captain wanted to kill Able, but the crew stopped him. In Chapter 20, Able confronts the captain to recover his property. The captain attempts to kill Able, but Able slays him.

Axes of Evil

Able almost seems to be suffering from PTSD on the subject of axes in Chapter 15. It appears he has not quite gotten over the death of Disira, who was killed by an ax blow to the head.  This was the first time in his life he has been exposed to violent death. He has difficulty raising the subject of buying an ax with Mori. His later killing of the captain with a blow to the head brings back memories of Disira’s death.

I raise this in response to the “Able the Bad” criticisms of some readers. Able is an adolescent thrust into a very different world with very different rules, and grappling with a new, adult body. His brain has not quite caught up, and he lashes out at others out of fear and inexperience.  At this point he has already been jumped twice.  The first time leaving Irringsmouth, when Ve and Toug attack him. Then in Griffinsford when Ve, Old Man Toug, and Toug ambush him. Able is modeling the behavior of others. Not excusing it, but explaining it.

Sword Breaker

There is a separate post on Sword Breaker and its possible counterparts later in this series.

Pouk and his Counterparts

Pouk takes the measure of Able, and essentially adopts him. No contract is signed. Some of this is Pouk seeing Able as a meal-ticket. The one-eyed Pouk calls to mind the one-eyed Odin, who exchanged an eye for wisdom. Pouk’s every day wisdom is on display throughout the WK. I originally thought Pouk was much older, but Able later says he is only in his twenties.

I think his intended Arthurian counterpart is Sir Lucan, who was King Arthur’s butler. Lucan, like Pouk, faithfully served his master throughout the stories. Pouk serves almost as Able’s valet or butler in parts of the WK. He takes care of his possessions and clothes at times.

Additionally, I believe that all the major characters in the WK have one or more Biblical counterparts.  Pouk is Saint Peter, the “Rock.” Pouk was a sailor, and Peter was a fisherman.  He is the first of Able’s long term associates, and Peter was called to be the first apostle.  Able says Pouk became very important after the events of the WK, and Peter was the first Pope of the RC Church.  There are other incidents that happen later in the WK that confirm the Peter/Pouk connection.

Pouk may be the Alan-a-Dale counterpart in the WK.  Alan was a wandering minstrel, and no character is a perfect match for this description. Pouk is a wanderer in a way in that he is a sailor. Robin later helps Alan by rescuing his beloved from an unwanted marriage. Able rescues Pouk’s beloved from Utgard. One could make the argument though that Svon might be a better fit for Alan.

Finally, Pouk is also a reference to Rudyard’s Kipling Puck of Pook’s Hill.  This collection of stories is narrated by the fairy Puck, who reviews the the history of England to an audience of children. One of his listeners is named Una, and the selection of Ulfa’s name might have been chosen for this similarity.  One of the stories in this book is about “Weland” the Smith, and his forging of magical swords. Weland’s sword had runes on it, and the runesword from Dunsany’s The King of Elfland’s Daughter may be based on this.  GW also chose to use Kipling’s spelling for the “Weland” character in the WK, as opposed to Wayland.

“the Vikings”

A brief joke/hint to Able’s origins by GW. Able makes a reference to being able to play football, due to his new body, for the NFL’s Vikings in Chapter 17. Art Ormsby is thus probably from Minnesota, or maybe an adjoining state.  This fits, given that Minnesota was settled by Scandinavian immigrants, and that the world of the WK has a Norse flavor. The name Ormsby has a Scandinavian origin, deriving from Orm the Viking according to some.

Christian Allegory

Able is stabbed in the abdomen during the Osterling fight. He is then suffering in the  dark cable tier for several days.  I think this is an allusion to the lance wound to Jesus’s side while on the Cross. The cable tier may be a version of Christ being in the tomb.  But wait, you are saying, its too early in the story for an allusion to the crucifixion.  As I said in the “So What’s It All About” post, the events that GW uses in the WK to allude to  the Gospels do not occur in the same chronological order as the  events in the Gospels themselves.  The allegory would have been way too obvious, and GW is not “Mr. Obvious.”

Able’s Dreams

Able makes repeated references to his dreams, which come from the bowstring. He talks about having nightmares every night.  During these chapters, he dreams about looking for his machine gun in the cable tier. He later dreams about waking up in a hospital and being praised by a nurse for fighting off hijackers.

MAD has proposed in his WKC that Able is dreaming about what happened to the “Real Able” back in Earth, suggesting that he foiled an airplane hijacking. I am doubtful.  I think the dreams are either symbolic of the fight with the Osterling pirates, or that they are from one of the other lives that makes up Able’s bowstring. They are also related to my theory of who the Real Able was, which I will get to later.  I think the real Able (at least his mind) wound up in the ambulance Art/Able dreams about late in The Wizard.

One crazy theory I had was that the machine gun and hijacker dreams Able has in these chapters were a reference to Home Fires. In that book, the protagonists have to retake their cruise ship from “hijackers”, and use “machine guns” in the fight.  Chelle Sea Blue winds up in the ship infirmary after the battle, and there is a nurse that takes care of her.  The obvious problem with this theory is that Home Fires was published in 2011, seven years after the WK. … Unless GW was somehow working on an early draft of Home Fires while writing the WK, … or he later decided that Chelle Sea Blue was one of the lives of Able’s bowstring.   So 99% chance this is wrong.  … And yet I note that the name of the cruise ship in Home Fires is “Rani”, that the name of Norse sea goddess “Ran” is invoked in Chapter 17.  Rani also means Queen or Lady in some languages. … So, probably 98% chance this is wrong.

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Knight Notes: The Knight, Chapters 10-14

Chapters 10-14 : Frost, Gylf, Old Man Toug, Caesura, The Broken Sword

Chapter Summaries

There is a lot of action in these chapters, but not much requiring deep analysis.

Much time has passed from Chapter 9 early into Chapter 10. Able has spent the summer and early fall with Berthold, Disira and Ossar in the wilds around Glennidam.  Their peace is interrupted by the onset of cold weather, which allows the giants to raid Celidon.  Able encounters his first giant. He races back to Berthold’s hut to find Disira dead. Apparently she was killed by Seaxneat with an ax to the head.  Ossar is alive, and Berthold is missing.

In Chapter 11, Able meets the Bodachan, also known as the Earth Aelf, who provide him with Gylf, one of the Valfather’s hounds. Able places Ossar into the Bodachans’ custody, and they promise to raise him. Able and Gylf share a meal.

In Chapter 12, Able returns to Glennidam. He meets with Toug’s family, and explains what happened to Toug, Disira and Ossar. Able wants to avenge Disira, and gets directions to the Free Companies hideout.  Old Man Toug agrees to guide him and help fight.

In Chapter 13, Able, Gylf and Old Man Toug enter the woods to find the Free Companies. Able spends a lot of time in this “letter to Ben” reviewing his memories of Berthold, Ravd, and his feelings for Disiri.

In Chapter 14, Able finds and defeats the Free Companies.  Able plunders their cave, and finds Sir Ravd’s broken sword inside. Ravd is dead.

Ossar/Oscar  and Ossian/Oisin

I think some of the events described in these chapters are allusions to the legend of Oisin and Oscar, and maybe the poetic work Ossian, by James McPherson.  Again, I am following the advice of Clute that everything in a GW story is there for a reason, and Neil Gaiman, who advises readers of GW to “trust the text implicitly.”  Let’s review:

• In Chapter 10, while caring for Ossar, Able sees a doe and fawn. However, he doesn’t shoot it, even though he is very hungry. He thinks the doe is the same doe he saw turn into a girl at the end of Chapter 9.
• This is confirmed when the Bodachan give him Gylf in Chapter 11. Able meets the Bodachan who masqueraded as a deer. He gives Ossar into their keeping, and the female says they will raise and “educate” him.
• Oisin was a figure in Irish legend, and his name is spelled Ossian in English.
• Oisin’s mother was turned into a deer by a druid. She encounters the famous Irish warrior, Finn MacCool, who catches her but doesn’t kill her.  She turns back into a human, and she and MacCool conceive Oisin as their child. The mother is turned back into a deer again by a druid.  Oisin grows up, marries, and has a child named Oscar  (which means “deer friend”).

A Scotsman (not another one!) named James McPherson published a work called Ossian in 1761.  McPherson claimed he had discovered some epic poems written in Gaelic by Ossian, who lived in the third century AD, and then translated them into English.  Ossian had apparently written this epic as an old man, and it tells the tale of his father Fingal, himself, and other figures of Irish and Scottish folklore.  Most scholars believe that McPherson is the actual author, that he based the work on Scottish folk tales, and that no Ossian existed.

So, I think this bit about the deer girl/Aelf and baby Ossar is an allusion to the legend of Oisin and Oscar, and perhaps the Ossian controversy.  Having the Aelf “educate” baby Ossar in Aelfrice may be GW’s humorous attempt to explain how Ossian came to learn the tales he passed down (i.e. McPherson’s Ossian really came from the parallel world of Mythgarthr).  Able is sort of playing the role of Finn MacCool here, so its also another example of GW exploring the “Hero with a thousand faces” monomyth.

Gylf and The Wild Hunt

GW taps the legend of The Wild Hunt with the introduction of Gylf.  In the WK, the Valfather leads a pack of hounds out from time to time to hunt down monsters in Skai. Sometimes the young offspring are lost during the hunts due to storms, etc.. The  Wild Hunt of our legends is often led by Odin, who the Valfather is the counterpart of.

A White Stag

Able and Old Man Toug see a white deer in Chapter 13.  Able and Gylf are quiet make no effort to hunt it. Old Man Toug calls it a “cloud buck.”

In my post on Chapter One, I have proposed that Able’s real honorific is “The High Hart”, not the “High Heart.”  And that the Hart is a reference to the white stag of legend, which is associated with spiritual development. GW seems to signal confirmation, as he calls it a “cloud buck.” Able will later name his unicorn of Skai “Cloud.”

Old Man Toug

Old Man Toug is a version of the Apostle Bartholomew, which I explain in the post on Biblical counterparts at the end of this series.

Old Man Toug is also another Robin Hood character, here Will Stutely. Will was famous for being rescued from hanging in several stories.  Old Man Toug’s capture matches Child Ballad 141 about Will Stutely. There, Stutely goes ahead to spy on the Sheriff of Nottingham, and is captured after killing two of his men.   Similarly, Old Man Toug is captured after getting separated from Able and killing two of Jer’s (the Sheriff’s) men. Old Man Toug is being hung by a rope from a tree when Able rescues him.

The Dual Attack

In earlier readings of the WK, I accepted that the simultaneous Free Company attack and Angrborn arrival near Berthold’s hut was a coincidence. Or that this was simply GW moving the story along. Something had to happen to get Able out of the Glennidam forest. But it does seem strange that the giants came all that way just to get Berthold.  And why did Seaxneat wait all those months to kill Disira? Everyone in Glennidam knew that Able had been sent in search of her by Ravd, and that Able was living with Berthold (we know it was Seaxneat because of the turned in footprints Able saw, and Seaxneat had been described as having feet like that).

Was there some mover behind these attacks?   One possiblity is Setr.  Setr wants Able as his champion against Kulili.  Setr was a powerful sorcerer, and we learn in the WK that sorcerers have some ability to see the future (Arnthor saw his own death at the River Battle). Perhaps Setr saw that a champion would arise from Griffinsford, from Black Berthold’s family. This may be the reason he kidnapped Mag earlier; to recruit the real Able, when he grew up, to be his champion against Kulili. The real Able did visit the Isle of Glas, but he was unable to free Mag. He later died, maybe because he refused to cooperate and was then killed in the destruction of Griffinsford.

Setr has now learned that another Able has arisen near Griffinsford. To get Able to move along, he directs/encourages a bandit/giant attack to remove Able’s reasons for staying: Berthold and Disira/Ossar.

Related to this is the fluctuating strength of the Free Companies. When Able asks Toug’s family how many bandits there might be, they suggest between five and ten. When Svon recounts his memory of the fight in The Wizard, he describes Ravd fighting a foe to numerous to count, and slaying scores of bandits. For some reason they gathered in great numbers when Ravd came through. Setr acting behind the scenes?

Another possibility is the giant Thiazi. Thiazi is a sorcerer and practices divination (seeing the future). We learn in The Wizard that King Gilling wants to enlist Able into this service. This is because Thiazi has learned through his magic that this will help Gilling secure his rule of Utgard. Perhaps Thiazi saw that Berthold was important to Able, and arranged his kidnapping to bring Able north? But I discount this possibility.

If you want to be really cynical, then you might nominate Disiri herself for sponsoring the attacks.  Able wasn’t going to deliver any message to King Arnthor if he hung around in the woods with Berthold and Disira for the rest of his life.

In closing, I think this is either just GW moving the story along, or Setr’s hand at work.

Caesura

This seemed an odd choice for a chapter title. A caesura is a full pause in a line of poetry or song. It probably refers to the later half of Chapter 13, when Able breaks off from relating the hunting of the bandits and seems be speaking directly to Ben about this feelings for Disiri. He emphasizes that his feelings are so strong that everything else that happened through the River Battle was secondary.  He was truly bewitched by her kiss.  Disiri is, in part, an example of La Belle Dame Sans Merci, or femme fatale.

Christian Allegory

While Ravd is a representation of John the Baptist, the incident with the bandit’s cave is from the story of Lazarus.  Jesus had come to Bethany on hearing that his friend Lazarus was sick.  Jesus cried when he arrived and learned that Lazarus was dead.  The cave where Able find’s Ravd’s sword is an allusion to Jesus arriving at Lazarus’s Tomb. Able weeps for Ravd, like Christ did for Lazarus. I think its the only passage in the Gospels where Jesus weeps over the death of a specific person.

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Knight Notes: The Knight, Chapters 7-9

Chapters 7-9: Disiri, Ulfa and Toug, and A Wizard Knight

Chapter Summary

Able meets Disiri and is transformed into an adult. We then are introduced to Ulfa and Toug, who will be important characters in the WK.

In Chapter 7, Able is pursuing what he thinks to be the peasant woman Disira into the forest. He hears a cry for help, and finds that it is actually Queen Disiri of the Moss Aelf. She pretends to be trapped under a tree branch to get Able alone. They are intimate, and she then uses her magic to age him into a larger, and more powerful adult male body.

In Chapter 8 Able returns to Glennidam. He strikes down Toug’s father (Old Toug) for laughing at his nakedness, and has his daughter, Ulfa, sew him some new clothes.  Ravd and Svon have already left in search of the Free Companies. When Able leaves he is attacked by Old Man Toug, Toug and a neighbor. Able disarms them and captures Toug.

In Chapter 9, Able and Toug  wander into Aelfrice. Queen Disiri makes an appearance. She “knights” Able and tells him of Eterne. Able resolves to obtain it. Toug stays with Disiri in Aelfrice, and Able plants the last of this spiny orange seeds there. He then leaves Aelfrice and finds Disira and her baby Ossar. They make their way to Berthold’s hut.

Able’s Physical Transformation

In early readings, I simply accepted that Disiri could age Able through magic. However, on further review, I think something more complex happened. The Aelf are not native to Mythgarthr, and are weak there in sunlight.   They have limited control over Mythgarthr’s physical world.

So where did Able’s adult body come from? In talking with Ulfa, he says that Disiri has told him he was “held back” (by her), and that she undid the holding back.  This is probably a reference to the time the “real” Able spent in Aelfrice. But Art/Able was not held back by Disiri, as his arrival in the world of the WK is relatively recent.  Right? Or was Art kept in Aelfrice for years?

I think there are several possibilities. One is that Art Ormsby’s mind was placed into the real Able’s body, and vice versa. The real Able is dead by this point.  This death happened either in Aelfrice, or his body was taken to Aelfrice so it would not decay.  When Disiri undid her magic, the real Able’s body (with Art’s mind) assumed its true chronological age. Perhaps he absorbed new mass from the surrounding environment. Art occupying Able’s body may explain why Berthold thinks Art/Able is his real brother.  Interestingly, Art Ormsby never confuses Berthold with his brother Ben.  So my gut is that Art Ormsby and the “real” Able don’t look that much alike.

Before Able fights Kulili in Chapter 26 of The Wizard, Uri grabs Able and says “This I hold is that part of the Able who was which survived.”

Now this could be Uri just talking about the change in Art/Able before and after he went to Skai. But “the Able who was” reference might also be to the first, or “Real Able.” It may be GW’s clue that Art Ormsby is actually occupying the Real Able’s body.

Able has a dream in The Wizard (Chapter 38) about watching an ambulance on a highway in our world. He knows that the “real Able” is in the ambulance. So, in this theory, the real Able’s mind was put into Art’s body, which was found by Ben, EMS workers, etc.  Given that the real Able was possibly brain dead, Art’s body then died on Earth, perhaps from exposure if his body was lying out in the woods for days.

An alternative possibility is that Art/Able was kept in Aelfrice for years before he awoke in Parka’s cave.  In that case, Disiri is simply allowing Art’s body to catch up to where it should have.

The Worlds Turned Upside Down

We get further evidence of the spiritual disorder in Mythgarthr in these chapters.  Ulfa swears by Garsceg’s name at least twice, and once in thanks that her mother is still alive. She admits that the people of Glennidam worship the Aelf in secret, including Disiri.  Disiri herself accepts homage from Able when he wanders into Aelfrice. This is contrary to the cosmic order of this universe. All beings are to give their worship to the beings of the levels above them. The humans of Mythgarthr are to direct their worship to Skai. Towards the end of the review of The Knight I will suggest a reason for the spiritual disorder.

Able “the Bad”

Some have objected to the WK based on their dislike of Able’s conduct, particularly early on in The Knight. He strikes down Old Toug and threatens to kill Toug during his encounter with Disiri in these chapters. He exhibits some bullying type behavior in later chapters.

I think what is happening is the result of suddenly putting boy in a grown man’s body.  Able is essentially drunk on the change in hormones and is getting used to his new, adult brain.  The more I read, I increasingly lower Art Ormsby’s age when he left Earth. He never mentions driving a car, having a girlfriend or playing a sport.   Ulfa describes him as a “boy”, Ravd a “lad.”  So, I think Art was in the range of 14-15 when he left Earth.

Toug’s Parentage?

I have previously identified Toug as being based on the knights Percival and Tor of Arthurian legend. In some stories, Percival and Tor were fathered by a noble or knight on a peasant woman, often identified as King Pellinore of Listenoise.  According to Ulfa, Old Man Toug was afraid that Ulfa would be raped, and hid her when Sir Ravd arrived at Glennidam.  We later see that Ulfa’s mother is terrified of Able, and can’t even speak to him.  GW could be hinting that Ulfa’s mother was raped in the past by a knight or noble. Maybe Toug is not the son of Old Man Toug.

Who is Toug’s father? Does GW hide any clues in the WK?  Glennidam was in Duke Indign’s lands, so perhaps he was the son of the Duke Indign. Pellinore was also King “of the Isles” according to Wikipedia and Duke Indign’s castle was on a Bluestone Island. Bluestone and Listen(oise) even sound a bit alike.

The name Indign seems to mean “disgraceful” or “unbecoming” according to MAD’s WKC.  It could be that the sexual exploitation of his female subjects is Duke Indign’s disgrace.   Morcaine later says in The Wizard that knights are notorious for raping peasant women.

Toug does later become a knight, and normally knighthood was only open to those of “gentle birth” in Celidon. His desire to become a knight may also hint at his father having this kind of background.

Toug may also be the WK’s version of Much the Miller’s Son. Much is commoner portrayed as a young man taken in by the Merry Men after being engaged in poaching. Toug is also a young peasant who tried his hand at criminal activity when he ambushed Able as he was leaving Irringsmouth.

Ulfa

Ulfa’s Arthurian counterpart is Elaine of Astolat. Ulfa weaves, as Elaine weaves. Elaine tried to and sometimes successfully seduced Lancelot in the stories. Able is playing the role of Lancelot in the WK.

Ulfa also means a female wolf, and a she-wolf was one of the beasts that menaced Dante in the early chapters of The Divine Comedy. 

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