For the Giants

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 3:55 am

Ah, my friends, none can bring tears to my eyes like the Giants! Their fierce joys, and the depths of their pains! OK, here's some of my favorite examples of Giant beauty and wisdom. Some of my favorite happy moments. I'll also get to some the sad ones if nobody beats me to them. The last two were quoted in another thread, but I figured the beauty of the Giants deserves to be gathered by itself.

When the Search first sees Coercri in The Wounded Land:

"Here is a habitation, in good sooth - a dwelling fit for Giants. Such work our people do not lightly undertake or inconsiderately perform. Perhaps the Giants of this place knew that they were lost to Home. But they were not lost to themselves. They have given pride to all their people."

When the Search first sees Revelstone in White Gold Wielder:

"Can you read it? Do you know what it means? I've been here three times" - four counting the brief translation during which he had refused Mhoram's summons - "but no one's ever been able to tell me what it means."
(snip)
Swallowing heavily, Pitchwife murmered, "No words. There are none. Your scant human tongue is void-" Tears spread through the creases of his face, mapping his emotion.
But the First said for him, "All tongues, Giantfriend. All tongues lack such language. There is that in the granite glory of the world's heart which may not be uttered with words. All other expression must be dumb when the pure stone speaks. And here that speech has been made manifest. Ah, my heart!" Her voice rose as if she wanted to both sing and keen. But for her also no words were adequate. Softly, she concluded, "The Giants of the Land were taught much by their loss of Home. I am humbled before them."

When Vain bowed to Starfare Gem's mast, then stood staring at it in The One Tree:

"Forsooth," responded Pitchwife with a light chuckle. "Had this Demondim-spawn not been gifted to the ur-Lord by a Giant, I would fear he means to ravish the maidenhood of our foremast."
At that, laughter spouted from the nearby crewmembers, then spread like a kinship of humor through the rigging as his jest was repeated to those who had not heard it.

And these two both from the phenomenal chapter from The Power That Preserves, The Spoiled Plains:

"A costly choice, Unbeliever. Costly. Much harm might have been averted-"
Foamfollower interrupted him. "Costly! Might!" A fierce grin stretched his lips, echoed out of his deep eyes. "A child was saved! Covenant - my friend - even reduced as I am, I can hear joy in such a choice. Your bravery - Stone and Sea! It astounds me."

"Gently, my friend. He has turned his back on vengeance. Two thousand years and more of pure service were violated for him - yet he chooses not to avenge them. Such choices are not easily made. They are not easily borne. Retribution - ah, my friend, retribution is the sweetest of all dark sweet dreams."

Post by **danlo** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 6:18 am

Two words: Cable Seadreamer!!!!!

Post by **Lord Mhoram** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 3:36 pm

Pitchwife! Yea! Giant power!

Post by **duchess of malfi** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 3:45 pm

I sobbed like a baby, I am not ashamed to admit, when TC gave the dead giants their release from damnation at the end of TWL.

Post by **Zahir** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 5:14 pm

The exchange I sometimes relate to get folks interested in the Chronicles is from Lord Foul's Bane, where Covenant meets Foamfollower for the first time:

"So, Thomas Covenant, do you tell stories?"

"I did, once."

"Once? In three words as sad a tale as any I've heard. But tell me, how do you live without stories?"

"I live."

"In two words a tale more tragic than the first. Pray, Thomas Covenant, say no more. With one word you shall break my heart."

*sniff*

Post by **Lord Mhoram** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 6:26 pm

Foamfollower and his death always bring a tear to my eye....

Post by JD » Mon Dec 23, 2002 8:41 pm

I'm with you Duchess, Covenant releasing the Coerci Giants with the Caamora, was very emotional for me. You could clearly see the love that Covenant had for Foamfollower in this act.

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 9:50 pm

duchess of malfi wrote:I sobbed like a baby, I am not ashamed to admit, when TC gave the dead giants their release from damnation at the end of TWL.

Mother of God, Yes!! It's kinda funny to be talking with another guy (owner of a comic book store), both of us saying how we cry at that part. Couple of wimps!

That whole scene leading up to Covenant's white gold caamora is unbelievable!! (And just so you don't have to go get your books to read it

)

Foamfollower's voice went on in Covenant's mind, giving him words. "They put away their tools."

But a change had come over the night. The air grew taut. The sound of the waves was muffled by the concentration of the atmosphere. Strange forces roused themselves within the city.

"And banked their fires."

The ramparts teemed with shadows, and the shadows began to take form. Light as eldritch and elusive as sea phosphorescence cast rumors of movement up and down the ways of Coercri.

"And made ready their homes."

Glimpses which resembled something Covenant had seen beore flickered in the rooms and solidified, shedding a pale glow like warm pearls. Tall ghosts of nacre and dismay began to flow along the passages.

"As if in preperation for departure."

The Dead of The Grieve had come to haunt the night.

Leading up to:

Pitchwife led the way. With a sharp wail of aggrievement, he rushed to the bonfire and plunged his arms to the shoulders in among the blazing forewood. Flames slapped his face, bent his head back in a mute howl against the angle of his crippled chest.

Linden cried out. But the Haruchai understood, and did not move.

The First joined Pitchwife. Kneeling on the stone, she clamped her hands around a raging log and held it.

Seadreamer did not stop at the edge of the flames. Surging as if the Earth-Sight had deprived him of all restraint, he hurled his whole body into the fire, stood there with the blaze writhing about him like the utterance of his agony.

Absolutely chilling and heartwrenching!!

Post by **Nav** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 11:23 pm

I found the way the Seareach giants submitted to their deaths particularly moving, as was Lord Hyrim's stand against the raver (can't remember which one).

Post by **danlo** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 1:49 am

The knife that twisted in my back 4 a looong time was poor proud (and so cool!) Master Grimmand Honniscrave melded 2 the floor! That made me cry!

How could any such bastard do that 2 such a great Giant!!!??? GO NOM, GO NOM!!! Get Gibbon! Kill that SOB!!!!

Post by **Nav** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm

Agreed, Nom has to be one of the things I liked most about TCTC actually. There's no creature or character that's anything like the Sandgorgons anywhere else that I'm aware of. It's a shame that they didn't get more attention.

Post by **danlo** » Thu Dec 26, 2002 5:08 am

**It is my secret hope that we shall learn more about Sandgorgons in the 3rd Chrons!**

Post by **duchess of malfi** » Thu Dec 26, 2002 5:48 am

I hope so, too, Danlo!

And MORE GIANTS, please!

Post by **Skyweir** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 12:11 am

definately Giants should play a part in the 3rd chrons .. I cant see any reason why they wouldnt ..

and Nom too!!

Zahir I love that part you quoted

"So, Thomas Covenant, do you tell stories?"

"I did, once."

"Once? In three words as sad a tale as any I've heard. But tell me, how do you live without stories?"

"I live."

"In two words a tale more tragic than the first. Pray, Thomas Covenant, say no more. With one word you shall break my heart."

truly profound!!!

thanks for reminding me of it!!

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 2:22 pm

bumped for the "favorite bits" thread

Post by **Furls Fire** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 3:26 pm

There is also this:

Chapter 20: The Unbeliever, The Power That Preserves:

"Foamfollower?" he wept. "My friend?" With his voice, he begged the Giant to understand him; he lacked the strength to articulate what he had to do.

"Do not fear for me", Foamfollower replied. He sounded strangely proud, as if Covenant had honored him in some rare way. "Thomas Covenant, Ur-Lord and Unbeliever, brave white gold wielder--I desire no other end. Do whatever you must, my friend. I am at Peace. I have beheld a marvelous story."

Joy is in the ears that hear. The Giants are a treasure.

Post by **Skyweir** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 5:25 pm

aye .. no truer words are there than them

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 3:19 pm

That stone surprised Linden. Instinctively, she had questioned the nature of the Giantship, believing that granite would be too brittle to withstand the stress of the seas. But as her vision sprang into the ship, she saw her error. This granite had the slight but necessary flexibility of bone. Its vitality went beyond the limitations of stone.

And that vitality shone through the dromond's crew. They were Giants; but on their ship they were more than that. They were the articulation and service of a brave and breathing organism, the hands and laughter of a life which exalted them. Together, the stone and the Giants gave Starfare's Gem the look of a vessel which contended against the powerful seas simply because no other test could match its native exultation

Post by **Skyweir** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 9:23 pm

mmm .. or them

Post by **Furls Fire** » Sat Aug 16, 2003 8:31 am

This brought a tear to my eye as well...

Chapter 9: March to Crisis, White Gold Wielder:

The Giants of the Search are gazing at Revelstone for the first time...

..."The Giants of the Land were taught much by their loss of Home. I am humbled before them."

For a moment, Covenant could not respond. But then a memory came back to him--a recollection of the formal salutation that the people of Revelstone had formerly given to the Giants. Hail and welcome, inheritor of the Land's loyalty. Welcome whole or hurt, in boon or bane--ask or give. To any requiring name we will not fail. In a husky voice, he breathed:

"Giant-troth Revelstone, ancient ward--
Heart and door of Earthfriend's main:
Preserve the true with Power's sword,
Thou ages-keeper, mountain-reign."

At that, the First turned toward him; and for an instant her face was concentrated with weeping as if he had touched her deep Giantish love of stone. Almost immediately she recovered her sterness--but not before he had seen how absolutely she was ready now to serve him. Gruffly, she said, "Thomas Covenant, I have titled you Giantfriend, but it is not enough. You are the Earthfriend. No other name suffices."

Then she went and put her arms around her husband.

sigh..there are just too many of these...I could do this for weeks...

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

For the Giants

For the Giants