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From: "Peacefrog" <peacefrog4@crosswinds.net> Subject: (whorl) First time poster & thoughts on Scylla Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 23:13:08 Hi! I'd just like to introduce myself and start off with the cliche, "First time poster, long time lurker." I noticed there hasn't been much activity on the list for some time now and I thought I'd take the opportunity to jump in with an observation. I recently started going back through On Blue's Waters and I noticed something that might help to settle one of the numerous debates that have gone on here. Earlier this year, there were some who expressed their annoyance with the sudden introduction of Scylla-hiding-in-Oreb and thought that the idea seemed tacked on and unnecessary in the greater context of the trilogy. I was one of those people. It seemed as if Gene Wolfe was coming out of left field. It didn't really bother me as much as it did to some, but I thought it was weak nonetheless. Then on page 60 of the hardcover edition of OBW, in the middle of the first paragraph, it describes Horn's prayer to "whatever god might hear" (but mostly to the Outsider) that he be given wind for his becalmed sloop. One of the things he promises to the god who grants his wish is that he (Horn) will "do anything in my power to bring them both here if they were not hear already." The duo he is referring to are Pas and Scylla. In that same scene, Horn expresses his loneliness and isolation in the middle of the sea. The Outsider cures this condition by sending him a visitor in the form of a giant leatherskin. Is it not possible that the Outsider also allows Horn to bring Scylla to Blue just as he promised? In the form of a certain night chough we all know and love? It might then be argued that the Pas half of the bargain was also fulfilled when Passilk came to Blue riding Horn's gray matter. In that light, it makes sense to me that Scylla would play such an "unforeseen" part in Horn/Silk's journeys. The Outsider grants the supplications of the somewhat-faithful, but in unexpected ways. Kind of like, "Be careful what you wish for. It might come true." If this has already been discussed before, I apologize. I admit that I haven't read all the postings here, but I have read most of them. That's all. Hope to see some more activity here soon! Peacefrog "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun. *More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.moonmilk.com/whorl/ *To leave the list, send "unsubscribe" to whorl-request@lists.best.com *If it's Wolfe but not Long Sun, please use the URTH list: urth@lists.best.com