Subj : Re: SIGILS, Move 9: On the Road Ag--For the First Time? To : All From : jcb26@cornell.edu Date : Sun May 07 2000 11:28 am From: Joseph Betzwieser Subject: Re: SIGILS, Move 9: On the Road Ag--For the First Time? >Yoon Ha Lee writes: > Rei remarks to no one in particular, "There must be a tale about those two houses." Suddenly she's reminded of a story--from her childhood? She says slowly, savoring the sudden rush of words, "The sun is set, the night is here, and there's a tale for you to hear. Two houses by the seashore stood, one of coral, one of wood." [Andrew] >No, this is just fine. Go a little farther, actually...I'd be interested to= > see where this goes. [YHL: Okay. I'm just using some vague knowledge of oral traditions and making this up. Note that Rei is not a poet, *but* I imagine that storytelling/poetry is important among elves, and there could very well have been a strong oral tradition in her village.] She continues reciting the story to herself without really noticing the world around her: The sun is set, the night is here, and there's a tale for you to hear. Two houses by the seashore stood, one of coral, one of wood. Two families in those houses dwelled, Whose conflicts--O, they grew and swelled. No words were spoken 'twixt the two, But blades, they sang, and sparked, and slew. [A gloss of that last line: Blades sang and sparked and slew. The construction's a bit archaic, but hey.] While the other folk all slept, there was a maiden, and she wept alone inside the coral walls. as she walked the coral halls. Meika hight she, Meikor's daughter, and she wondered at the slaughter. Meikor summoned her one night and said, "Our honored, ancient fight "Has no place for child or maiden." Standing straight, the elfmaid bade him reconsider their old hates, but such was not old Meikor's fate. ....at this point, Rei looks around and realizes she's been rambling on. "My apologies," she says, and is thenceforth quiet, thinking on the old tale. YHL -- |Fidonet: jcb26@cornell.edu |Internet: ad&d@conchbbs.com | | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own. | Conch, Net 106's Public Access Internet Gateway --- # Origin: (1:106/357.99) * Origin: ConchGate (1:106/357.0) .