Kevin's Watch

Hi all. Back after a week or do moving house.

I am currently re-reading The One Tree. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to how Berek was able to secure a branch off The One Tree when TC could not. When TC asked Findail about it, he replied that it was 'not won by combat', nor was there a guardian at the time. I don't want to say too much for the people who have not read FR yet but the question still remains.

Cheers

TC couldn't because White Gold would have woken up the WoTWE. Berek didn't have white gold and there was no guardian. So for him it was find that tree, get there, cut off a branch and
Bob's your uncle ... he had the SoL.

Vader wrote:TC couldn't because White Gold would have woken up the WoTWE. Berek didn't have white gold and there was no guardian. So for him it was find that tree, get there, cut off a branch and
Bob's your uncle ... he had the SoL.

I'm thinking this about sums it up

And then there is Findail's answer, when this very question was asked of him.

In [u]White Gold Weilder[/u] was wrote:[Covenant asks] "We couldn't get a branch of the One Tree. There was no way. But it's been done before. How did Berek do it?"

Findail paused at the wall, answered over his shoulder. "The Worm was not made restive by his approach, for he did not win his way with combat.

Spirit of the Knight wrote:Hi all. Back after a week or do moving house.

I am currently re-reading The One Tree. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to how Berek was able to secure a branch off The One Tree when TC could not. When TC asked Findail about it, he replied that it was 'not won by combat', nor was there a guardian at the time. I don't want to say too much for the people who have not read FR yet but the question still remains.

Cheers

UPS delivers EVERYWHERE.

Seriously, Berek got the WOOD, but he didn't get the STAFF.
Had to have made the staff.
Also, he certainly cut the staff off, because Covenant observes a long shaft that look as if it had been cut once before, does he not?

I am amazed, by the way, for you people who can C&P passages so easily.

SGuilfoyle1966 wrote:I am amazed, by the way, for you people who can C&P passages so easily.

Some of us do not have e-versions of the Chrons and have to rekey any passages we quote.

Does anyone find it interesting that someone who must've had a very strong healthsense would actually *cut* a branch off the Tree? (To anyone living in the time of the First Chrons, that would have been the same as cutting someone's arm off.)

What power could he have used that would not have violated the Tree?

SGuilfoyle1966 wrote:Seriously, Berek got the WOOD, but he didn't get the STAFF.
Had to have made the staff.
Also, he certainly cut the staff off, because Covenant observes a long shaft that look as if it had been cut once before, does he not?

I always thought that the Lomilliar (sp?) rods or pieces of High Wood were in fact the branches that were cut from the bough Berek cut from the One Tree.
But because they lacked the size and runes of the Staff they lacked the Staff's potential or power.

SGuilfoyle1966 wrote:I am amazed, by the way, for you people who can C&P passages so easily.

We are thieves actually.
We rationalize or forgive our theft by claiming that we have the actual physical copies of the books and only illegally acquired the online text versions for the ease of passage searching and copying and pasting on forums like this.

High Lord Tolkien wrote:We are thieves actually.

Well, maybe you are.

I memorized the entire series. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Relayer wrote:Does anyone find it interesting that someone who must've had a very strong healthsense would actually *cut* a branch off the Tree? (To anyone living in the time of the First Chrons, that would have been the same as cutting someone's arm off.)

What power could he have used that would not have violated the Tree?

I think *only* a person with health-sense could have done it. They would be able to see exactly where and how the task needed to be done. (As health-sense helped Linden see exactly how to reset broken bones, where to put pressure to stop internal bleeding, etc.)

And is it actually harming a Tree to take one branch? Some trees are healthier if they are kept pruned. If you think of it more as "harvesting" rather than "maiming", I think it's not out of line with the spirit of the old Lords.

Besides, the Creator "guided" Berek in the creation of the Staff. Whatever that means, it certainly means the effort has the Creator's support.

And is it actually harming a Tree to take one branch? Some trees are healthier if they are kept pruned. If you think of it more as "harvesting" rather than "maiming", I think it's not out of line with the spirit of the old Lords.

A good point. Plus, if it's the One Tree, could it not be vaguely sentient? Maybe Berek simply asked it for a branch. That would add some meaning to his taking the wood "without conflict".

Berek could have plied it with liquor and promises of cuddling afterwards.

DukkhaWaynhim wrote:Berek could have plied it with liquor and promises of cuddling afterwards.

Always worked on me.

DukkhaWaynhim wrote:Berek could have plied it with liquor and promises of cuddling afterwards.

... and jokes about Berek's high wood ensued...

wayfriend wrote:I memorized the entire series. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

AND the Gradual Interview!

wayfriend wrote:

Relayer wrote:Does anyone find it interesting that someone who must've had a very strong healthsense would actually *cut* a branch off the Tree? (To anyone living in the time of the First Chrons, that would have been the same as cutting someone's arm off.)

What power could he have used that would not have violated the Tree?

I think *only* a person with health-sense could have done it. They would be able to see exactly where and how the task needed to be done. (As health-sense helped Linden see exactly how to reset broken bones, where to put pressure to stop internal bleeding, etc.)

And is it actually harming a Tree to take one branch? Some trees are healthier if they are kept pruned. If you think of it more as "harvesting" rather than "maiming", I think it's not out of line with the spirit of the old Lords.

Besides, the Creator "guided" Berek in the creation of the Staff. Whatever that means, it certainly means the effort has the Creator's support.

Good points about pruning. Except that, 6000 years later, the Tree apparently looks exactly the same in that spot where the branch was removed. (I'm not a gardener and have no idea what it should look like).

As to the Creator's guidance,

Spoiler

should we assume that the Creator also guided the Theomach? (or that the Creator IS the Theomach? )

High Lord Tolkien wrote:We are thieves actually.

wayfriend wrote:Well, maybe you are. I memorized the entire series. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

I have two complete sets of TC books..the sweet covers and the newer Fabio Foamfollower versions. I have an eidetic memory so I just pull it from the junk-bins of my mind Labled TCTC do not delete...

Relayer wrote:Does anyone find it interesting that someone who must've had a very strong healthsense would actually *cut* a branch off the Tree? (To anyone living in the time of the First Chrons, that would have been the same as cutting someone's arm off.)

What power could he have used that would not have violated the Tree?

I wondered that also... the earth power must have coaxed the tree into dropping a branch for Berek as part of their arrangement, then gave Berek the sacred words of earthpower, alakazam alakazaw, turn this wood into a staff of law.

I believe you've discovered the Eighth Word!

Relayer wrote:As to the Creator's guidance,

Spoiler

should we assume that the Creator also guided the Theomach? (or that the Creator IS the Theomach? )

As to the

Spoiler

Theomach

and the Creator, a Creator is

Spoiler

God

and

Spoiler

Theo

is the Greek root for

Spoiler

God

.

Never used the spoiler tags ever before. Ever.
Fun.
I could get to liking that.

SGuilfoyle1966 wrote:

Relayer wrote:As to the Creator's guidance,

Spoiler

should we assume that the Creator also guided the Theomach? (or that the Creator IS the Theomach? )

As to the

Spoiler

Theomach

and the Creator, a Creator is

Spoiler

God

and

Spoiler

Theo

is the Greek root for

Spoiler

God

.

And more:

Spoiler

"mach" is similar to German "machen" (to make). Theomach could be "the making God" = CREATOR.

But still:

Spoiler

I don't really believe the Theomach is the Creator.

But yes:

Spoiler

Spoiler tags are fun.