(urth) toug's muteness

[aramini1 at cox.net]

I know that we have dwelled at length upon Able's dream visions of the dying and the sick, some of which seem to be from "our" earth, and have in most cases attributed it to the singing of Parka's string.

There is a peculiar scene at the very end of The Knight where Able falls asleep right before confronting Grengarm, after he has met the mysteriously mute Toug.  He dreams that he is a boy who chokes to death on a bit of rabbit, whose dog goes off to join the "wild hunt".  

Does this choking experience have something to do with Toug's lack of ability to communicate?  Is Toug's counterpart on Earth (or some other realm) choking to death at this time, as Arthur Ornsby had a "real life" existence which was supplanted by his experience of Mythgarth as Able?  Is the dog who joins the wild hunt in some way related to Gylph?

I believe so.  It seems at this point that Able sets up Toug to be his agent as he goes to the Valfather's castle, and the narrative of the Wizard picks up with Toug instead of Able.  Has Disiri changed Toug, too?

Marc Aramini