Riddle, snakes

[marcbreault]

In book 8 Rand accidentally mutters something about cleansing the taint and being given a riddle.  Do you think Rand speaks metaphorically here or did the snakes give him a riddle when he asked his questions?  Since the snakes freaked out with all those people in their realm at the same time, we don't really know whether Rand got three questions, but I guess his questions were:  How do I win the last battle and survive, How can I cleanse the tain on saidin, and one other question.

 

Does anyone recall whether we are every told the riddle, if it is a literal riddle.  We are told the answer to the winning the last battle and surviving question but I don't recall the riddle and it would be kind of neat, just for the record, if we knew what the riddle was.

 

Finally, in case I am not remembering Rand's third question, what would you ask?  The two mentioned above are logical ones to ask, but what do you think the third was, if he asked it?

[Guest cw]

There is nothing to indicate that Rand didn't ask all three questions and that he didn't get answers to all three.  Indications are that you can't leave until you have completed your business.  That is why Mat was able to get too many answers.  Being Ta'veren combined with the desire to conclude business and get rid of him before they ran into real troubles.

 

We know what the riddle concerning winning and surviving Tar'mon Gaidon is.  That I know of, we were never told the actual answer to how to cleanse saidin.  The fact that he received one, and with the help of Fel figured out what it meant, is enough to indicate that he did get one.

 

For his third question, we really don't have much to go on besides speculation.  I have read theory postings that claim he asked if he should go to the Two Rivers to stop Fain, but I don't agree with that.  Rand wanted to go there, but he also knew he add to act rather than react.

 

As a guess, I think something to do with Rhuidean.  For a place that was completely closed to non Aiel, and all but closed to Aiel, he knew too much about it.  Like the old form of asking for admitance he used.  I find it hard to believe he could find that in a book written by someone who had to walk out of the waste in nothing but his skin simply for having been close enough to see the place.

[Guest leebarr]

I thought the riddle came from The old guy at the shcool

[Majsju]

As a guess, I think something to do with Rhuidean.  For a place that was completely closed to non Aiel, and all but closed to Aiel, he knew too much about it.  Like the old form of asking for admitance he used.  I find it hard to believe he could find that in a book written by someone who had to walk out of the waste in nothing but his skin simply for having been close enough to see the place.

 

Rand does flat out tell Mat that the finns did not tell him to go to Rhuidean.

 

I thought the riddle came from The old guy at the shcool

 

As I recall (too lazy to grab the book for such a small issue), Rand asked Fel to figure out what the finns riddle meant.

[aussie_ashaman123]

heres a question, why do the Finns hate the shadow? We know they kill Lanny, but theyve kept Moraine alive for 7 books now

[wvlr]

heres a question, why do the Finns hate the shadow? We know they kill Lanny, but theyve kept Moraine alive for 7 books now

 

My feeling is that they know that if the DO escapes in our world, then he will be free in their world as well.  They are not exactly nice creatures, but maybe they are working for the Light more than we know, in their own strange way.

 

The human skins that they wear could all be from Darkfriends that were foolish enough to travel to their lands.    A couple could now be sporting new Lanfear Duds now. 

[aussie_ashaman123]

The human skins that they wear could all be from Darkfriends that were foolish enough to travel to their lands.    A couple could now be sporting new Lanfear Duds now. 

 

I can just imagine it. A catwalk set up somewhere in Finnland "And this seasons fashions.... Lanfear!!"

 

 

maybe they hate the shadow because their worlds have been consumed by the shadow  already. the place they reside is not natural.