Babbie; Scylla; Oreb in the Night Chough

Robert Borski · 25 Aug 2000, 01:31 · from whorl-v0011.mbox · original

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From: "Robert Borski" <rborski at charter.net>
Subject: (whorl) Re: Babbie; Scylla; Oreb in the Night Chough
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2000 01:31:30
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alga and William Ansley writing respectively:

>It's the hus, the whole hus, nothing but the hus.

>But, Babbie *is* an eight legged beastie! I just think it was Babbie
the whole time. Most likely under Mucor's control then, and perhaps
later.<

Essentially, the three of us are in agreement here, all thinking the
eight-legged creature is Babbie. I just believe Babbie is more than a
regulation hus, especially given Horn's rather oblique description of it.
Why, for example, doesn't he call it Babbie (who he's seen up close)? At
this stage he still has two good eyes, and is even far-sighted enough to
describe the expression on Mucor's distant face ("her face the face of
General Mint restrained by subordinate"). But now Babbie is "a small dark
figure that seemed almost a cluster of boys, or two men upon their hands and
knees"? Is Horn-the-writer simply being elliptical here? Color me curious.

alga then continuing:

<This may well be true in "The Night Chough," which only you and mantis seem
to have read. But there's not a tweak of evidence for it in the five books
we have all read. Scylla has apparently been there (for the story), done
that and skedaddled.>

I'm curious, alga, if you have any thoughts about why then in GREEN's Proper
Names In The Text, Wolfe parenthetically includes information about how
Scylla is "also a sea-monster of the Red Sea Whorl"--since it doesn't seem
to play (selon toi) a part in the Green narrative at all. Also curious if
you're still holding to your Mother-as-undine theory, and how you fit
undines into the Short Sun weltanschauung.

Falcon then ruminating:

<Just because Oreb sees Scylla in the lake and another person sees Scylla
walking beside Oreb and someone else doesn't prove that Oreb is being ridden
by Scylla.  What we see of Scylla, for example when she rides Chenille, is a
personality that exhibits vicious and bloodthirsty characteristics utterly
foreign to Oreb's character. [snip] A Scylla-ridden Oreb would be a much
different, and less likable and wise, bird.>

Oreb, in "The Night Chough," is a somewhat more sinister figure, even going
so far as to suggest which weapons Starling use to avenge the murder of his
girlfriend. Then again, the murderers (who also sexually assault Lily) are
hardly sympathetic figures. (Hurry up, Kevin M. and reread the story. Surely
others on the list have read TNC?)

Robert Borski

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