Lilith

Roy C. Lackey · 22 May 2001, 12:24 · from urth-v0030.mbox · original

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From: "Roy C. Lackey" <rclackey at stic.net>
Subject: (urth) Lilith
Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 12:24:16
Message-ID: <urth-v0030-0434 at digest.urth.net>
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The search engine was working last night, and I found the post by alga
(vol.19, 10-22-98) I remembered, where she mentioned Lilith's disinclination
for the missionary position. Better yet, I actually have the book she cited
as a reference, HEBREW MYTHS, by Robert Graves and Raphael Patai. In it, the
authors relate:

"Adam and Lilith never found peace together; for when he wished to lie with
her, she took offence at the recumbent posture he demanded. 'Why must I lie
beneath you?' she asked 'I also was made from dust, and am therefore your
equal.' Because Adam tried to compel her obedience by force, Lilith, in a
rage, uttered the magic name of God, rose into the air and left him."

We know that Wolfe is familiar with Graves, and I think that Jane Doe's
"Vhas a groose." and "Aw zay, 'ou vhill nawt neffer grawnt offer mee agan."
almost certainly refers to Adam in this Lilith myth.

On another tack, has anyone else wondered exactly what Wolfe intended with
the last six words of the story: "a mountain ram winded its horns."? Even if
Wolfe hadn't been raised in Texas, much less been a former Aggie, he has to
know that no animal blows a horn, much less its own.

-Roy

*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/

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