have found THE SONG
by OROBOROS: 2002-12-16 | Not yet rated
In the Shadow Rising, Rand goes into the ter'angreal to become a clan chief (duh.) While he is an Aiel in the age of legends, he witnesses a sort of growthdance, involving green men, ogier, and Aiel. the Aiel are singing a song (the ogier are too, but i think a different sort.) The Song and the green man's dance make the crops grow. I think this song is THE SONG of the tu'athaan. There might be more than one song actually, different songs would probably be needed for different plants. Tell me what you think.
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1
Tamyrlin: 2002-12-17
This is the most common response to "what is the song?" After we all read that part we instantly thought that we had the answer. But how would the Tinkers of today know the song? Don't the Ogiers still sing similar songs? Is there only one song? In the end, that Tinkers are looking for the peace associated with their callings as servants in those days. They are looking for a resting place, where they can serve once again. Possibly, they need to go to Rhuidean, walk through the columns and learn what their history is and how it applies to them today. But I doubt that the Tinkers are literally looking for a real song. It is a figure of speech that is culturally part of their ritual heritage and none of them would know it if they heard it. Go to Rhuidean. :)
2
OROBOROS: 2002-12-17
I am glad to see that i wasn't the first to have my interpretation. But why reject the obvious? We see the history of the tinkers more than three thousand years ago singing a song. That whole chapter is more about the roots of the Aiel and tinkers more than anything else. You are certainly correct that they would have trouble recognizing it though. However, i'm sure if a tu'atha'an did go to rhuidean he/she would happen to have an ancestor with a much bigger story about the singing and the song. It really seems that RJ made a big point of showing that song and explaining the importance of it to the Aiel and the desire to be old enough to take part. Many coincidences surround the Car'a'carn, as Sorilea says in The Taking (LOC), but this seems bigger than Min and Rand disappearing on the same day.
3
Anubis: 2002-12-18
Somthing has always been curious to me. The chora trees used to be everywhere in the aol, they used to line the sidewalks of every city. The tree of life is the last one and while under it our heroes feel peace and contentment. I also recall some AOLers thinking that a city with out chora trees would be unconcievable. I'm thinking that the chora trees at least helped to maintain the peace of the AOL and that maybe they are the song that the tinkers are seeking, only the tinkers dont realize. Course the song could be more of an abstract desire for the peace and security of the AOL but i think that the trees are at least part of it.
4
SkullOne: 2003-01-08
I do not know how, yet, but it will be Perrin that finds the song. I believe this because of Min's viewing of Perrin in the first novel, "...and trees flowering around him."
5
Darren: 2003-01-11
Isn't there also a mention of the Jenn gathering around LTT singing a song "to remind him"? and how he listens to them for a long time before killing them? I always figured that had to be it.
6
Daishan: 2003-01-12
No not around Lews. When Rand goes through the ter'angreal in Rhuidean, in one of the lives he's talking to an Aes Sedai (can't remember the names, but the Green Man is there too!). The Aes Sedai tells him that another male Aes Sedai (don't remember the exact name, but definitely not Lews) killed tens of thousands of Aiel before killing himself. The Aiel had gathered around him, thinking if they would sing to him he would remember. They kept on singing while the insane Aes Sedai kept zapping entire groups of them. It was also mentioned that he listend to the last one for over an hour before killing him. After that he killed himself, by that also giving proof he's not Lews since we all know how he died.
7
solomonrex: 2003-02-24
I think there are two different ways for RJ to handle the song discovery of the Tu-athaan. First, they literally learn to sing the song(s) again, discover the trees of life and learn how to re-establish the Ogier groves. Perrin will definitely take part in this, according to the prophesy and his place in the triumvirate of RJ's heroes as the builder. Or second, if this is only the Tu-athaan belief and not a prophecy that will come true, they, the song and Ogier will fade away. The Last Battle will probably break the world again and then the Ogier will likely have no place in it, like the Green man they may finally die off. Jordan's writing make me believe that they finding the song will happen. They are too large a part of the story to simply die.
8
nowhere man: 2003-05-06
I like to think the Song was what we saw in the Rhuidean flachbacks. However, it required three races to be singing: humans, ogier, and the Green Man's race (I forget what that is). The Green Man claimed to be the last of his race, and while that may not be precicely true, I don't see them making a comeback as a species. Unfortunately, this seems to defeat any possible rediscovery of the song.
9
perlchild: 2003-05-29
just to clear a few questions in this thread: the Green Mans race are the Nyms
and Jaric Mondoran is the Male Channeler in question (which of the forsaken is that, Ive read that name before...)
10
Particleman: 2003-08-27
TSR pg. 415 "The Road To The Spear"
"The Trees of Life." When he looked at her blankly, she shook her head. "Three little trees planted in barrels. They care for them almost as much as they do for themselves. When they find a place of safety, they mean to plant them; they say the old days will return, then."
TSR pg. 423 "The Dedicated"
Sulwin stepped back, then held his ground with his companions. "No, Adan. We are supposed to find a place of safety, and some of us mean to do that. 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 man to find a place where we can be safe, and sing again"
Rhuidean doesn't hold the song, Rhuidean IS the song. As I remeber it the Aeil do not go near Tinkers or let Tinkers come near them. I doubt any Tinker has ever been to Rhuidean.
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Mairashda: 2003-08-27
I agree entirely with your theory. the aiel song is not one single song, but an entire manner/style of singing, a collection of songs for every occasion...
12
Darren: 2004-03-28
No one seems to give much thought to how the Ogier songs are a form of Power, a system of "magic" quite apart from Said/ar/in and the Toilet Paper.... There's been a lot of talk about OP/Creator and TP/DO, but I'm thinking that's too easy. The Creator left numerous ways to manipulate the pattern and the world.
Consider the Finns, and what they do... Is it through channelling? I know that Singing is weak in the Ogier, now, but you have to wonder whether it might rise to a new prominence.
13
Joar Addam Nessosin: 2005-10-06
There is a reference in the prophecy at the start of TEOTW "Let the Lord of the morning sing to the land so green things grw and the valleys give forth lambs". Sort of implies that Rand wil be able to treesing, and that his ong, combined with that of the (surviving) Aiel and Ogier is the song the Tinkers are looking for, 'coz that'll make the world a nice place to live again if not the AoL.
