"'... - lost memories rise before me like merrows from the sea - ...'"
-Poul Anderson, The Avatar, XLIV, p. 368.
What are we to make of such a statement? I have never encountered the word "merrow" anywhere else. My computer does not recognize it. It is not in my edition of Chambers Dictionary. On previous readings, I might not had a dictionary to hand or might not yet have learned that it was advisable to keep a dictionary nearby when reading Poul Anderson. I would have guessed a (completely wrong) meaning from the context, then would have instantly forgotten the word while continuing to follow the narrative. I have no memory of reading this word before although this is at least my third reading of the novel. Now I google it. See here.
The appearance of the Others as gods and Caitlin's reference to merpeople remind us of Anderson's fantasies and of Clarke's third law. Anderson's most comprehensive fantasy-sf interface is the Time Patrol story, "Star of the Sea," where successive sections are mythological writing, historical fiction and science fiction with a contemporary setting and the concluding section is a prayer.
Today begins a new working week except for those of us who are unemployed or retired. I will gym and swim, visit Ketlan for lunch, attend meditation group this evening and hopefully also blog more. I have yet to reread The Avatar, XLIX and L.
Merrow (from Irish murúch, Middle Irish murdúchann or murdúchu) is a mermaid or merman in Irish folklore.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Wikipedia. :-)
Whoops. I see you beat me to it.
ReplyDeleteIn a depressing coincidence, I just yesterday learned that Christopher Stasheff, in one of whose books I first encountered the term "merrow," died on 10 June of this year.
ReplyDeleteDavid,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that.
You are as well read as ever.
Paul.
Gentlemen,
ReplyDeleteBefore I read the comments, I did wonder if "merrows" might have been a misprint for "minnows." After all, "...-lost memories rise before me like MINNOWS from the sea-" almost makes sense.
Sean