(urth) Ash

[Andrew Mason]

> I've long wondered about the significance of the name of Master Ash and
> his cryptic reference to Vine.
>
> I've found one likely reference in Norse mythology, in which the first
> man and woman were named Ask and Embla, which translate in English to
> ash tree and elm tree, but alternatively Embla can be vine or liana.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ask_and_Embla
>
> Given Ash's association with Ragnarok, Norse seems like a likely source.
>
> But I just bumped into a tantalizing alternative. One of the most ancient
> Egyptian gods was named Ash, and as god of the desert oases, he was also
> the
> god of the vine. As a desert god he was also associated (sometimes
> sexually)
> with Typhon Set, the god of desert storms.
>
> I guess I still think the Norse inspiration is mostly likely the primary
> one. But it is hard to dismiss a nominative clue which relates to both
> Typhon and The Outsider/Dionysus.
>
>
Wolfe has actually said in _Castle of the Otter_ that he intended the Norse
reference, though of course this does not rule out other references as
well.
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