Worm of the World's End and the Nicor

[DavidDel]

After re-reading TOT (and realising what a great book it is), I thought about the Worm of the World's End and the story behind it. Did SRD ever discuss whether this was a myth (like the ones we have) or the truth? I was siding more with the myth idea, but then Findail (who would know the truth) talked about "waking the worm" and such. I found it confusing and maybe it was meant to be so - and to add to the confusion was the Nicor which were supposed to be the offspring of the Worm which added credence to the story of the REAL worm curling up and sleeping (the earth). What was the general consensus of readers?

[peter]

I agree. This was a scource of confusion to me as well. It seems to me that we have two 'creation myths' running side by side ie the creator and his children and lord foul looking over his shoulder as one, and the worm of the worlds end/nicor story as the other, and both at different points in the story, are demonstrated to be true. This, to me, needs explaining.

[SGuilfoyle1966]

As with the Big Bang and creation, are they so really mutually exclusive?
Genesis says God made the universe. Didn't say how.
Perhaps the Creator made the Arch, then found the Worm in it and used it as his "clay."
My wonder is that somehow, the Wraiths of Andelain might turn out to be connected to the stars consumed by the worm.
Remember that the stars were a key component in both creation myths.
The stars going down into the arch in the original, and the worm consuming the stars in the second.

[Thorhammerhand]

To the best of my knlowledge, at least in the second chronicles, it remaind a creation myth, most proberbly influenced by the elohim who fear the waking of the worm as their personal world's end.

Personally I beleve that at the end of the FC it will be decided one way or the other.

[Vader]

kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=687153&highlight=mundane+offspring#687153

[Blackhawk]

this always confused me a bit, they mention a Worm but pronounced it Würd as if it were not an actual Worm. the story mentions the worm sleeping and the earth growing around its sleeping body. the Creator didnt mention how he/she actually made the world but is it possible the Worm was the Creators way of creating? as well as cleaning up the worktable? probably just a misinterpretation as most religions have a way of doing... stories passed down through tens of thousands of years have a way of becoming muddled. could that be the point SRD was making with two stories of creation? Just a guess, I read the thread link above me and it didnt mention the two creation stories though it did mention a connection between the Elohims Würd the Worm and the Nicor and Earth. soooo..I'm back where i started.

Wündering aboüt the Würm and the Würlds end.

[peter]

Carrying on from the Worm/Wurm/Wurd thing that Blackhawk refers to above, In Anglo Saxon mythology I believe that Word/Wurd aso has connections to Wyrd, the web of connectedness that passes through all space and time, enmeshing past, present and future in its web. Wyrd is the final Rune in the 'futharc' (seriously), the anglo saxon runic alphabet, and to draw this rune in a casting is as much as to say 'It doesn't matter what we say to you here - fate will have its way and thats an end to it.' Even the Gods are subject to Wyrd and it is simply defined as Chance, Destiny, irresisable, unmoveable all-powerful Fate. Donaldson uses elements of Hindu, Jewish and Christian mythology in his stories, and here I believe, he also adds a bit of Anglo-Saxon.

[Blackhawk]

Carrying on from the Worm/Wurm/Wurd thing that Blackhawk refers to above, In Anglo Saxon mythology I believe that Word/Wurd aso has connections to Wyrd, the web of connectedness that passes through all space and time, enmeshing past, present and future in its web. Wyrd is the final Rune in the 'futharc' (seriously), the anglo saxon runic alphabet, and to draw this rune in a casting is as much as to say 'It doesn't matter what we say to you here - fate will have its way and thats an end to it.' Even the Gods are subject to Wyrd and it is simply defined as Chance, Destiny, irresisable, unmoveable all-powerful Fate. Donaldson uses elements of Hindu, Jewish and Christian mythology in his stories, and here I believe, he also adds a bit of Anglo-Saxon.

Excellent.. I learn something new almost every day.... now its meaning will be a little clearer when i re read it...which should be in a few days since im almost done with TWL.

thx Peter