The Mythology of the Mystics

The Death Blanket of the urRu The death blanket of the urRu, laid over the bodies of the dying: Its blend of somber and vivid colors and the rigid geometrical patterns symbolize the end of life and constrained the wanderings of the departed soul. Alone among the urRu artifacts it bears no spirals, for its wearer's dreams were beyond further control. The Great conjunction symbol lies at its heart; three conjunctions guard the corners.

The urRu Coat A fully dispayed urRu coat: The majesty and complexity of the dream spirals are consistent with its being in possession of urSu the Master. The overly shows more clarly and safely than words the dependence of both these structures on teh master time spiral, that enigmatic system which is the finest dream etching yet produced.

The urRu Tail The tail, to the urRu, symbolizes balance and responsibility (rarely found in the tailess Gelfling). The tail covering, the most finely crafted portion of the coat, terminates in a symmetric knot that invokes and represents these qualities.

The Harp of urSol the Chanter The urRu have an almost Celtic veneration for the harp, since it incorporates the principles of both the traingle and the woven cords. Tuning is performed not by pegs, but by increasing or decreasing the number of weighted amulets attached to the cords. Teh attached prayer stick gives added resonance.

The urRu Prayer Sticks UrRu prayer sticks and walking staffs are invariably made of three different kinds of wood, carved and decorated with amulets of different kinds of stone. Oddly, many incorporate the Skeksis symbol of aggession, usually with its points bound or constrained in an attempt at pacification. Only the staff of urZah, the Ritual Master disdains this precaution. The apparent grain marks and weather grooves on these staffs are, in fact, the key to the Tree of Life. The urRu Amulets Weighted carved amulets of the urRu incorporating simplified spiral elements, the "curves of restoration." All the spiral structures of the urRu both express order and bring it about; these amulets are designed to assist in ceremonies of healing by imposing internal harmony on teh disease (or disorder, as the older generation of our physicians still call it). They also serve as weights in the favourite urRu treatment of minor ailments, which are cured by spending several days in the hot mineral springs that abound in the valley. The weights prevent the urRu from floating away as they sleep in the water. The urRu Cooking Implements A selection of the implements employed by urAmaj the Cook and urNol the Herbalist. UrRu cuisine relied entirely on teh stirring together and blending of ingredients, and on protracted simmering. The technique of grinding in great bowls was used for herbal preparations. Note the presence of spiral paths traced out by the spoons and pestles. Text from The World of the Dark Crystal by Brian Froud, Henson Organization Publishing/Alfred A. Knopf, New York 1982 OUT-OF-PRINT Back    Home