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A place for Aryan (European) Folkish Pagans
When Bleys, a son of Oberon and Clarissa, gathers an army he finds himself one in Shadow.
"The land was known as Avernus, and the assembled troops were not quite men. I reviewed them the following morning, walking behind Bleys. They were all of them around seven feet in height, had very red skins and little hair, catlike eyes, and six-digited hands and feet."
Avernus is an ancient name for a volcanic crater in Italy, believed to be a entrance to the underworld.
An army of red giants from Hell fits Bleys who was described as: a fiery bearded, flame-crowned man, dressed all in red and orange, mainly of silk stuff, and he held a sword in his right hand and a glass of wine in his left, and the devil himself danced behind his eyes.
Blowing his horn, riding a horse and accompanied by a falcon Julian looks like a perfect leader of a Wild Hunt. By the way, said horse is proof that Princes of Amber can create life.
"Morgenstern, the fastest horse he has ever created…He did create Morgenstern, out of Shadows, fusing into the beast the strength and speed of a hurricane and a pile driver...Morgenstern was six hands higher than any other horse I'd ever seen, and his eyes were the dead color of a Weimaraner dog's and his coat was a light gray and his hooves looked like polished steel. He raced along like the wind, pacing the car, and Julian was crouched in his saddle…"
Compare the depiction above to Herne the Hunter
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Royal family of Amber
Heroes of the universe
"There had been fifteen brothers and six were dead. There had been eight sisters, and two were dead, possibly four. We had spent much of our time in wandering in Shadow, or in our own universes. It is an academic, though valid philosophical question, as to whether one with power over Shadow could create his own universe. Whatever the ultimate answer, from a practical point we could."
Oberon is the king of Amber and his children are many. They comprise a royal dynasty or a pantheon if you will. They all can travel the universe and even create their own worlds. All of them are superhuman and possess great skills and powers.
It is unknown whether a Prince of Amber can die of old age since none did so far.
Nine Princes in Amber being the first book of the chronicle serves an introductory purpose. It uses classic amnesia to make the main protagonist as clueless as the reader. I will now spoil all of the first book, so those interested in reading it should stop here.
The book offers a semi-forgotten, but once very popular typo of high fantasy with contemporary (for the time) setting. It’s worth your time, especially if you are young (14-18).
With this out of the way I can start analyzing the many references to myth and legends Zelazny made.
Witch by Mikhail Clodt (1891)
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The Northern temple in late heathen times seems to have been shaped much like a church with an apse-shaped building (afhus) at the east end. The afhus, which in Iceland seems not to have been open to the rest of the building, was the sanctuary proper and contained the figures of the gods, the altar with the oath-ring and blood-kettle and the perpetual fire.
H.M. Chadwick
Might write an analysis of an old, rather simple phantasy book for teens I’ve read almost two decades ago (re-reading it now just for nostalgia). It has a lot of references to European Paganism, most of which went over my head back when I read it first time. Let me know if it sounds interesting.
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It is believed that the very reason why the water mill works (with it’s scare noise) is due to vodyanoy allowing it. And if not given an offering in due time he would stop the mill.
Vodyanoy wasn’t the only water spirit who visited the water mill. Rusalkas were frequent too, often washing their legs there.
Miller and vodyanoy
Water mills were considered to be a place where the world of water spirits and humans come into contact and therefore the owner of a mill and the master of the water spirits got to know each other. Millers were offering frequent sacrifices to vodyanoy and the latter protected the mill.
Air-maiden (povitrulya)
By DarBarNir
https://twitter.com/Darbarnir
A carved wooden face based on a Scythian amulet from the Pazyryk culture.
/channel/traditi0n_carving/135
That the oak seems to have been associated with the cult of the thunder-god among the Greeks, Romans, Kelts, Germans, and Prussians; further, that oak-sanctuaries of the thunder-god showing, striking features of resemblance are found among the Greeks and Prussians, and that there are grounds for suspecting that similar sanctuaries have existed among the Kelts, Germans, and Slavs.
H.M. Chadwick
Note that traditionally Thunderer’s club is also made out of oak.
Magusanus has many Thunderer traits. He has a club, wears a pelt and possibility has propensity for fertility of the land. J.A. MacCulloch proposed that his name means Strong (related to Old High German Magan). He also argues that this name is connected to Magni (Thor’s son whose name means Strong). His cult locations were oak groves which is another connection to the Thunder God archetype.
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For a long time I stood staring at this in amazement: I knew not what to make of it, and was beginning to feel somewhat nettled, when I was addressed in admirable Greek by a Gaul who stood at my side, and who besides possessing a scholarly acquaintance with the Gallic mythology, proved to be not unfamiliar with our own. “Sir,” he said, “I see this picture puzzles you: let me solve the riddle. We Gauls connect eloquence not with Hermes, as you do, but with the mightier Heracles. Nor need it surprise you to see him represented as an old man. It is the prerogative of eloquence, that it reaches perfection in old age.
Lucian
Another reference to European Paganism is found in Rebma, a Shadow of Amber in water.
Moire, queen of Rebma, says at one point: "He is gone these twelve years and ten, however, and Lir knows where his bones may lie.”
Lir is an Irish God of the sea, probably best known as the father of Manannan Mac Lir.
It’s fitting for people of Remba to worship him since they are an underwater civilization.
Another example of this archetype is Welsh Arawn
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Despite not being Gods most of Princes and Princesses of Amber are clearly inspired by Pagan deities of Europe. The first book doesn’t feature many so the only example I can give without spoilers is Julian. He is son of Oberon and Rilga. Julian is the greatest hunter in the universe who spends most of his time in great forest of Arden with his steed and hounds. Though not being described as wearing a horned helmet, here the artist clearly saw the inspiration from archetypal Hunter King of the forest and drew him with one.
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Amber and Shadows
Amber is the centre of the universe. As Zelazny puts it: "Amber was the greatest city which had ever existed or ever would exist. Amber had always been and always would be…"
Shadows are other worlds "Of Shadow, there is an infinitude of things. Every possibility exists somewhere as a Shadow of the real. Amber, by its very existence, has cast such in all directions"
There is also Chaos but it was only briefly mentioned in the first book so I won’t discuss it now.
Finished re-reading Nine Princes in Amber today. As promised a review and analysis are on their way.
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Petersen, however, believes that there was another form in use, namely the round temple, of which he thinks the round churches, which occur in all Teutonic lands, are a relic. He believes that this is the more original form and that it is a development of the grove-sanctuary.
H.M. Chadwick
The books I will analyze are 70s classic fantasy/sci-fy Chronicles of Amber by R. Zelazny. Will re-read the first 5 and write a bit on each as I go along. They have a lot of references to European Paganism, Arthurian legends and Shakespeare. The books are easy to read and pretty short e.g. I remember finishing one in only 3.5 hours.
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Water from the mill-pond was considered magical due to the spirits and was used by local healers. Even if the water mill no longer there, the pond was still believed to be full of water spirits so build a house on the same place was forbidden and those who dared do that suffered from constant mishaps.
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Water mill being a liminal place existing between two worlds was considered dangerous, especially for women and children. Millers were known for their mystic powers and dealings with spirits and somewhat feared too. There are many stories of millers pulling harmless, but scary pranks on a passerby. But real danger averted those who dared fish or swim in mill-ponds which was an absolute taboo.
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Will return to the topic of male magic in folklore soon
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Lleu Llaw Gyffes, Welsh equivalent to Lugh.
A cobbler and his ward come to Caer Arianrhod, the home of Arianrhod. They make shoes for Arianrhod, and the boy, using some missile, shoots down a bird through its leg. This impressive display inspires Arianrhod to say that this fair-haired boy has quite the skilled hand. This is how Lleu Llaw Gyffes got his name. The cobbler reveals himself to be the wizard Gwydion, who tricked Arianrhod, the mother of Lleu, into breaking the very tynged she had cursed her son with - to never have a name lest she alone named him.
Later on in his life, Lleu is almost killed by the man who slept with his wife Blodeuwedd, Gronw Pebr. Lleu takes the form of an eagle, and flees, perching himself upon an oak. When Gwydion manages to persuade Lleu to descend, and then nurses him back to health, Lleu takes revenge on Gronw Pebr by throwing his spear through a stone, clean into Gronw, who had used the stone for protection.
Holy trees and groves are found also among the Slavs. Thietmar of Merseburg states that Riedegost was completely surrounded by a forest, which was regarded with veneration and never touched by the inhabitants.
According to Helmold, Germans were, in his day, admitted to all privileges among the Pruzi (Prussians) except the right of access to groves and springs; they thought that these would, be polluted by the presence of Christians.
H.M. Chadwick
Based on above mentioned iconography its possible that donarkeule pendants from Germany could have been an amulet of the club-wielding God of Thunder Magusanus.
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Despite clear iconographic elements of a heroic Thunder God Dagda’s primary role is that of a wiseman, eloquent and persuasive. He is also the one who introduced Ogham writing much like Wotan did the runes. This similarity is not surprising as Ogma is indeed a shaman psychopomp just like Wotan, despite his Thunderer elements.
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This ancient Heracles drags after him a vast crowd of men, all of whom are fastened by the ears with thin chains composed of gold and amber, and looking more like beautiful necklaces than anything else. From this flimsy bondage they make no attempt to escape, though escape must be easy. There is not the slightest show of resistance: instead of planting their heels in the ground and dragging back, they follow with joyful alacrity, singing their captor’s praises the while; and from the eagerness with which they hurry after him to prevent the chains from tightening, one would say that release is the last thing they desire.
Lucian