3484 Relativism
I’ve updated this strip because I made a couple of errors. One of them was the title. The other was in Carruthers’ dialogue.
Sorry about the mistakes.
-Rich “BK” Morris
Pick up your copies of YAFGC Volumes 1 - 5 at our online store. Multi-book bundles and sketch editions available.
I’ve updated this strip because I made a couple of errors. One of them was the title. The other was in Carruthers’ dialogue.
Sorry about the mistakes.
-Rich “BK” Morris
Shared family history? Now that’s something Lucas deserved to learn directly from Maula.
How do you figure?
It’s not like she knew, at any point prior to this week, she was going to be arrested for murder.
t!
I think people are reading Carruthers’ words in two different ways. My assumption was that there is old hostility between Taurenil’s family and the Bloodhands, but others seem to be reading it as "Maula and Taurenil are related".
In which case, yes, Lucas might wonder why he never knew that.
(I’m guessing from the strip title, though, that my version is closer to true on this occasion.)
Ah!
Thanks for the clarification.
As we shall soon see, it is the former.
t!
Continuing to observe, and smile, in reverent silence. This is quite the symphony you two have orchestrated.
That, but also Lucas deserved to know about family enemies, too.
I feel a story coming up.
Even if they aren’t directly related and it’s just their families that have a history, blood is still thicker than prattroot juice…
Interesting point. ‘Blood is thicker than water’ originally meant that blood spilt together (i.e. with those you fought besides) was more important than the ‘water’ of the womb (i.e) you’re actual family
Not utterly relevent but I just love how the meaning of that phrase ahs changed over the ages
The full saying is actually "The Blood of the Covenant is thicker than the Water of the Womb" where the "Covenant" can be the gathering of either warriors or cultists that share a common goal and they will sacrifice themselves and their family for their fellow brethren so long as it means success and/or victory. The bastardized saying became "Blood is thicker than Water" meaning that a blood relation is more important than those that were simply married into the family.
Wikipedia disagrees. There’s no documentation for this reading.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_is_thicker_than_water
I know wikipedia is far from definitive, but I see no reason to disagree. Using the term ‘blood’ to refer to blood relations has a long and storied history, other readings not so much.
I quote from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Blood_is_thicker_than_water
{{{
There’s a meme going around saying that the original and complete version of the idiom is "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb."
As is explained in this article, there’s no support for this assertion.
There’s documentation supporting "Blood is thicker than water" going back to 12th century.
There’s documentation supporting "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb" as early as October 1, 1994 by R. Richard Pustelniak citing no earlier sources.
}}}
In other news, this comic seems to misspell "Taurenil".
Oh crap. Thanks Orjan. Yeah, this strip has a few issues I’ve got to clear up.
Several etymology sites disagree with "The Blood of the Covenant is thicker than the water of the Womb" being the original proverb.
While "Blood is thicker than water" appears in German, and Gaelic as early as the 12th Century, both of which are considered the earliest appearances of the proverb.
The misunderstanding comes from people assuming that the following passage said by Henry Clay Trumbull explains the ORIGIN of the proverb, while it was just explaining the original MEANING of the proverb.
"The phrase “Blood is thicker than water” did not mean that blood-related family members were to be considered as more important than anyone else—the original meaning was, “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” This is reflected in “… there is a friend [the Covenant-related word used in II Chronicles 20:7, ‘Are You not our God, … Abraham Your friend forever?’] that sticks closer than a brother.” [Proverbs 18:24].
— Trumbull"
It’s been fun researching this, and turning up other phrases we use that are actually horribly misquoted or cut short.
Also from Henry Clay Trumbull on Blood is thicker than water.
"We, in the West, are accustomed to say that "blood is thicker than water" ; but the Arabs have the idea that blood is thicker than milk, than a mother’s milk. With them, any two children nourished at the same breast are called "milk-brothers," or "sucking brothers"; and the tie between such is very strong. [..] But the Arabs hold that brothers in the covenant of blood are closer than brothers at a common breast; that those who have tasted each other’s blood are in a surer covenant than those who have tasted the same milk together ; that "blood-lickers," as the blood-brothers are sometimes called, are more truly one than "milk-brothers," or "sucking brothers"; that, indeed, blood is thicker than milk, as well as thicker than water."
I see. Wikipedia also referred to Trumbull. But as is pointed out there, no one is actually giving a proof that this was ever the original meaning of the (12th century) proverb.
It seems to me that Trumbull is trying to apply Biblical scripture and Arab customs to shoehorn the interpretation of a proverb that was never from the Bible or the Middle East in the first place.
Admittedly my reverse prejudices are now firing to the point where I’m not even trusting that Trumbull refers to genuine Arab customs.
Oh, you giving his full name allowed me to find his Wikipedia biography. I guess he *did* know something about Arab customs, but was also inclined to unusual interpretations:
{{{
In 1881 he travelled to Egypt and Palestine to visit Biblical sites. While in Egypt he discovered what he believed to be Kadesh Barnea, which was the location of the camp of the children of Israel prior to their entry into the promised land.
}}}
Also I should stop now, I’ve fallen into https://xkcd.com/386/ territory.
"…misquoted or cut short…" that would be most of them 😉 and leaving the context out to chaage the meaning counts as ‘cutting them short’
attribution is a little murky too, with shakespeare et al quoting others who slip into obscurity from then on because their musings are now attributed to the better known names…oh well…such is the way of life as we know it.
Dun Dun DUUUUUNNNN…!!!
‘most’ humans aren’t aware of prattroot…
only the ones who have pesky elf infestations to clear up 😉
don’t forget, Elfbegone, ask for it by name, accept no imitations
available at any of our one convenient location
I could use some, if you can ship so i receive it by next thursday… Dratted elves have been leaving sooty footprints all over my living room! Your marketing campaign has me convinced to go for the best!
expect some shipping delays due to the plandemic, your order should arrive in February…2037
Also, expect coal in your stocking. Lots and lots and lots of coal!
We all know Maula isn’t stupid enough to poison someone and just leave the evidence in plain view, even if she tried to cover it up by smashing someone with a harpsichord. Also it’s just not her style, she’s more hands-on than this.
I’m sensing a frame job, as someone could have walked in, picked up Maula’s nightcap, used it on Taurenil’s book and then put it back on the nightstand while Maula and the others were busy at the tournament.
Frankly, Maura would have killed Taurenil with the harpsichord, using it as a brawling weapon.
or a suppository…
Belated kudos for your guess:
"Maybe we’ll find that orcs like prattroot and can survive amounts that are toxic to other races?"
t!
It isn’t hard to believe that pre-YAFG telling Taurenil and the Bloodhands were sworn enemies, what with how well orcs and elves got along. All it took was a Bloodhand killing one of Taurenil’s clan, then in the next raid an elven hero slaying the Bloodhand lord, and Bob’s your uncle.
No, Bob, I didn’t mean you. Hey, is Gren looking at that drow funny? *ducks, runs*
Also the page title is Feudalism, it’s obviously a pun on feud. Because there’s nothing in this page the specifically addresses the non-pun interpretation of the title.
Gather round young’uns! Captain Carruthers is gonna spin a yarn about a feud between the orcs and elves from back in the holler. Weeeee doggy, it’s gonna be a gooder than a pile of boiled kobold tails!
I’m intrigued by the statement by the Captain that "_everyone else_ was under the impression…", as it could be implying that Maula specifically was not (in addition to the actual murderer (yes, I am of the opinion Maula didn’t murder her)), or does she mean everyone except Captain Carruthers herself, including Maula in those who weren’t aware, and excluding the actual murderer (assuming for the moment that the Captain is not the murderer)?
Was she already focusing on Maula, and if so, why? Or did she know about the prattroot, and happen across it in Maula’s room, and go from there? Her timeline of thinking based on what evidence she found when is making me wonder. (Of course, if I am totally blanking on what is already known, my apologies.)
also, has it been determined what prattroot is a reference to yet? All I recall is that it is not a reference to pterry.
By "everyone else" the Captain intends "everyone not the murderer," which would include herself, however fleetingly.
The timeline of investigation has not been presented. Your ideas about it are intriguing!
And… nope. Nobody has yet solved the mystery of prattroot!
t!
hmmm ‘prat’ can refer to the buttocks in medieval slang, perhaps Maula takes it for a ‘constitutional’ ?
It’s being fatal to elves conjures up a vision of a rather undignified death…
perhaps that was why the harpsichord was needed…to disguise the telltale ‘splash’ 😉