From: "Dan'l Danehy-Oakes" 
Subject: (urth) Horn and Silk
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 08:51:03 -0800

I'm tossing some ideas around here for play. Toss 'em back if you 
don't like 'em; play with 'em yourself if you do.

I think one thing that needs to be addressed is the nature of the 
relationship of tBotSS to tBotLS, and I think the best model is the
relationship between the Gospels and the other books of the New
Testament.

It has recently been suggested by several persons on this forum that 
Silk directly inspires LONG, thus giving it a greater level of veracity 
or accuracy than SHORT, or at least than those parts of SHORT that deal 
with Horn prior to his becoming bleshed with Silk (and possibly some 
nameless inhumu). Now, it seems to me that, given that Silk is very much 
a messianic figure for the people of the Short Sun Whorls, and that Horn 
is the author of one, but not the only, account of the deeds of Silk,
we need to look at the Apostles for our models of Horn. 

My first inclination is to look at St. Paul. Quite aside from the obvious
Odyssey parallel, one could easily see SHORT as in some ways paralleling
the missionary voyages of Paul - complete with shipwrecks, the insistence
of the principal on earning his way when the local people want to give him
all he needs, etc., etc. There is, however, a very serious objection to 
the use of Paul as a model for Horn: Paul's (well, Saul's) persecution of 
the early Church, prior to his conversion, is a stark contrast to Horn's 
position as possibly Silk's first convert, and certainly a convert prior 
to the founding of the Silk cult.

The next choice would seem to be Peter. I don't recall anything in LONG
that would parallel Peter's moment of doubt - but then, there's nothing
in LONG that really parallels the Crucifixion either: perhaps a less
literal approach is required here. At that point, things become a little
more promising. Horn, like Peter, is the first to recognize the unique
nature of his Master. Horn stays at home (well, new-home) with his people
until at last he sets out on a journey which results in his death.

But that really doesn't work either. Another option would be John, and
indeed one can see some parallels to John's apocalyptic visions in the
Narr's experiences on Green and the Whorl.

But to be honest, I think in the end any such search for specific 
parallels is going to fall apart, because Horn isn't any of them - he
is a unique character, in a very different situation from first-century
Judaea: and at the same time, he amalgamates aspects of at least these
three, and perhaps several others of the Apostles and Evangelists. And
the voyages of Paul thus become relevant and interesting again 
(especially if we think of Krait as a possible parallel to Luke ...
horrors!). We then see that Silk, as a result of his experiences on
his voyage, ultimately is indwelt by the Spirit of Silk ... or is it
that Silk is indwelt by the spirit of Horn? This becomes complex and
confusing.

Comments? Sneers?


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