Sea And Sky

Ythrians soar and sing, in Planha:

"High is heaven and holy."
-Poul Anderson, Rise Of The Terran Empire (New York, 2011), p. 662.

Ysans worship the God of the Sea and a Goddess Who is the Star of the Sea. Thus, Dahut sings, in Ysan:

"'High, high is the evening sky,
"'Deep is the ocean swell.'"
-Poul and Karen Anderson, Gallicenae (London, 1988), p. 174.

Dahut's song is more comprehensive, looking both up and down, not just up. However, it is somewhat dirge-like. Continuing, she sings:

"Where foam is white in the changing light,
"The seal will always dwell." (ibid.)

Thus, she focuses on inhuman nature whereas the Ythrians, although they are not human, express an upward aspiration that human beings can share. Young Avalonian men and women wear gravbelts and join choths. The concluding three sentences of The People Of The Wind are:

"Snowpeaks flamed. The sun stood up in a shout of light.
"High is heaven and holy." (Rise Of The Terran Empire, p. 662)

We want to fly there, not submerge with the seals.