It is clear that there is some interpretive task left to the reader in Wolfe. Prophecies like "horn, you shall ride a beast with three horns" and then babbie showing up later with two tusks and saying huh huh huh and acting protectively towards horn's son scream to me that horn is in babbie after "on blues waters".
when I was actively reading short sun I kept a cross reference of words used in the book like wind and green and tree etc. that appeared in a confusing passage at least once.
I had the great pleasure of corresponding with Gene and several years ago I asked him a question. his reply was written on the back page of the manuscript of return to the whorl. I still don't know if the answer was somehow on that page or not. he is a deep deep writer but I do think some interpretations are more in line with his intent than others.