aul and Aram
by Shadow Bane: 2003-06-12 | Not yet rated
The Tuathan and Aeil are two peoples who came from the original Aeil this I would hope everyone agrees is FACT. Currently traveling with Perrin are Gaul, a Stonedog and Aram a former Tuathan. The Tinkers have been traveling since the breaking searching for the "song". Although I dont know why yet I beleive I may know what the song is.
Now the tinkers although not generally liked among all people (kind of like gypsys huh?)are generally allowed to travel through just about anywhere, even the waste. As far as I can tell they associate with all most every kind of people, and many people join the Tinkers from every place they go. This leads me to beleive that the song is NOT in a place the tinkers are generally allowed to go. This would leave a few possibilites like Seanchan, the blight, even Shara, but I think these are probably incorrect. Rand, who has NEVER met the Tuathan and therefore knows nothing of the song, once heard the Aeil sing the mourning song for their dead. I think it is possible that in the coming struggle to free Faile, Chiad may be killed. When Gaul finds her, along with Perrin who is of course followed by Perrin he will sing the song of mourning which Aram will know to be THE song.
I say this because of three reasons-
1)The Tuathan NEVER associate with the Aeil
2)The obvious connection between the Tinkers and Aeil, both were Jenn Aeil
3) All other sources, including Ogier are not likely because tinkers would have likely heard the song by now as they are allowed to travel almost anywhere unprohibited.
Please feel free to pick this apart, I will try to find where Rand hears the Aeil sing ( I believe he describes it as unearthly, another sign it is a unique sound). One last thought. Does Anyone know why Aeil call fighting the dance? I think a song-dance connection would make sense. Please respond!
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1
Tamyrlin: 2003-06-21
Actually, I believe the Tinkers have been to shara. What you won't get from me are any positive comments towards the idea that the "song" is an actual "song" that somehow the Tinkers will know when they hear it. First of all, none of them know what the song was; they don't remember, and as it is pointed out in the books, to ask about the song is a ritual, its meaning long lost. The mourning song itself is of the spear fighting Aiel. The song the Tinkers are looking for is of the peace loving servants of the Aes Sedai.
2
Mairashda: 2003-06-23
there's more to the Song than just a specific song... the Song is a symbol for everything the da'shain Aiel were in the Age of Legends. it was what they were best known for, so it became the essence of what the tinkers long for: peace, tranquility and happiness.
"My greatfather used to tell me stories he heard as a boy, stories of when we lived in safety and people came to hear us sing. We mean to find a place where we can be safe and sing again.(...) We mean to find that safe place. And the songs too. We will!"
(FoH, Ch.26 p.424)
3
Mairashda: 2003-06-23
oh and:
neither Tinkers nor Aiel ever were Jenn. the Jenn were those of the da'shain who stayed true to their mission, those who went to live and die out in Rhuidean. ok, so maybe the Aiel adopted the name Jenn Aiel after the first breaking- but the Tinkers predecessors never called themselves Jenn.
4
Dorindha: 2003-06-23
The Tinkers and what are now Aiel may never have called themselves Jenn Aiel, as you are completely right to say, but the point is that they came out of the same roots, so they do have that historic link.
5
Kileas: 2003-06-24
The song is what the Jenn aiel had sung while they were destroyed wave after wave standing there singing. It is what displayed the true way of the leaf. Remember when Rand goes to Rhudien, and he knows of the Last of the jenn aiel destroyed sat there singing for one hour alone before he was killed..
That is the song
The "Wash the Spears" tune i dont think would go too well with the tuathan... its the old Jenn Aiel song i bet ;)
6
rubbernilly: 2003-06-24
kileas, that wasn't the last of the Jenn Aiel that died in that fashion, that was just some da'shain aiel that were in the area when that male channeler went mad. That was before the aiel set out on their long sojourn.
7
Demon: 2003-06-24
I am a little rusty on my general knowledge (I am currently rereading), but I just wanted to respond the the dance question.
In the "real world," Spanish fencing is sometimes called the "Dance of Death." I think this is sort of what the Aeil mean. Just think: A battle, to an outside observer, could appear to be a carefully orchestrated dance, thrust-parry-riposte, and all. Also, I think it just gives more evidence to just how unconcerned(?) with death the Aeil are.
8
moose: 2003-06-24
Up until now i've been of the opinion that no one currently alive knows "the song" the Tinkers are searching for a faintly remembered life that s represented by a song.
However as I was lurking way today reading this string something struck me.
RJ loves to foreshadow big events right? Well all thru the series (mainly from Mat's POV) we are shown how songs from one area are sung in other places to the same tune with different vocals.
Is RJ foreshadowing with this? I don't personally think so, as i said i dont think there actually is a particular "song". Just thought i'd throw this idea out.
9
Jiana: 2003-06-28
"The song," I think, is both something real and something figurative. There was an actual song, back in the age of legends, when the Da'shain Aiel and the Ogier would join hands and sing, and the Green Man would come forth and dance to the song, making things grow. Rand saw this in the heart of Rhuidean, as well as all clan chiefs and Wise Ones who went there. It could be that a Tinker (maybe Aram, maybe not) will go through those same arches and learn the history of how the Aiel began, and thus find out what the meaning of "song" is, if not what the actual song is. To my knowlege, no Tinker has ever learned this history, and so it would be a life changing moment, maybe a Pattern altering moment. RJ could also be foreshadowing, but my question is, which part is the foreshadowing? Is it that Mat always talks about songs being sung differently in different lands, or is it that everyone always says that the Tinkers' asking after the song is just a custom, and therefore no one ever thinks about it twice? I know I have been long winded, but I think that if the Tinkers, Ogier, and Aiel all get it together, that they will find out what the song is.
10
Shadow Bane: 2003-06-28
Exactly and three of the people that often travel with Perrin are Gaul, Aram and Loial!
11
Rhodric: 2003-06-30
i'm going to try to poke some holes here...
1) Is Aram of Aiel blood? he could be descended from many of the other people who have joined the Tua'tha'an over the last 3000 years. which means if he stepped through the rings and saw the lives of his ancestors, there would be no treesongs in them.
which brings me to my next question:
2) would the crystal columns ter'angreal work for anyone not of Aiel blood? since it was built in Rhuidean for the Aiel to remember being Jenn, being Da'shain, would it work for others?
lastly:
3) how and why would Perrin and co end up in Rhuidean? yes, if Gaul were to be a clan chief, but wouldn't it be more of a fellow Stone Dog or Shaarad event, than Perrin. basically, why would Aram be there.
yum yum yum yum
12
Jiana: 2003-06-30
If I am not mistaken, the columns were moved out of Rhuidean with the rest of the angreal, and ter'angreal. So Perrin and his colleagues don't have to go to Rhuidean if that is the case. :)
13
Weird Harold: 2003-06-30
Jianna says, "If I am not mistaken, the columns were moved out of Rhuidean with the rest of the angreal, and ter'angreal. "
I don't think the Crystal Columns could be moved from Rhuidiean on Kadere's wagons -- it's way too big.
I think the Crystal Columns are an integral part of Rhuidean and can't be moved and still function evenif they *are* small enough to put on a wagon.
I don't think Moiraine would evenattempt to take the Crystal Columns or the Three Arches the Wise Ones use for preliminary testing. They're and integral part of the Aiel Culture and I think she was smart enough to avoid the kind of confrontation that any attempt to take them would cause.
Aram, Gaul and Perrin could easily wind up in Rhuidean at some point looking for Rand. One of Perrin's current problemsis he doesn't know where Rand is to let him know what is delaying him in bringing Masema promptly.
14
Shadow Bane: 2003-06-30
If you read TSR there is a bit of foreshadowing about Perrin EVENTUALLY(not in the near future) going to Rhuiden with Gaul. Perrin says something like 'it would be nice to visit the waste with you Gaul, someday we will go there' but thats beside the point. Tinkers are supposed to know the song, they have a collective memory of it like the Two Rivers people have a collective memory of Manetheran. Aram could just hear the song and know it was THE song.
15
Particleman: 2003-08-09
ShadowBane....
I hate to be the one to say this but, the Aiel Death Dirge is not the song.
EOTW ch.25 , The Traveling People pg. 374
Partial quote from Raen to Perrin and Elyas
"From the time an Aiel becomes a man he will not sing anything but the battle chants, or their dirge for the slain. I have heard them singing over their dead, and over those they have killed. That song is one to make the stones weep"
16
Dragonsworn: 2004-02-09
There is no song, The Tinkers are Aiel who ran away to find how to live before the breaking. It says this in Shadow Rising. There is no particular song, just abuch of lost people searching for ways to live the way they did 3000 some od years has a way of changing customs, legends and myths within societies
17
ambrosjb: 2004-08-18
There are a couple of theories that you guys are throwing out here but not combining. I agree that the song would not be a present day Aiel song and most likely it comes from the Jenn. The possible way to learn the song then would be to hear it from the Jenn and the only way to do this is through the ter angreal in Rhuidean. There are MANY that have passed through those rings to relive their heritage as the Jenn (All the Wise Ones and all of the clan chiefs). Therefore, any wise one or clan chief may have heard "the song" when they went to Rhuidean. This would discredit Gaul as being the provider of "the song." Besides that, the other option is the Someshta tree people. Granted he was supposed to be the last of them and died in Eye, but there may be more or he may be reborn from the tree that he sprouted. Most likely RJ won't even give us a solution.
18
Andycapp: 2009-11-16
I believe when Rand does finally meet the Tinkers and is asked if he knows the Song he will put it all together and tell the Tinkers what the Song is AND where to find it, ultimately singing it himself as per the the prophesy after the prologue of EOTW.
Although we now Know about Aram, this is a great theory, well stated.
19
sagadest1ny: 2009-12-26
Book 12 destroys this theory...
20
cantstandnynaeve: 2010-01-03
I think there is an actual song, and Rand will spill it when he has a lapse an old LTT blurts it out. More than likely, I think it will be the grow song with the green man. That seemed to be a very important event to the dai'shan Aiel.
