The Bear & the Maiden fair

[Little Red Riding Hood]

And look at that, I realized something more!, thank you, :) Summer, Read the text : " piece of bacon=piece of comb":

"Sansa said, feeding a piece of bacon to Lady under the table. The direwolf took it from her hand, as delicate as a queen.

Septa Mordane sniffed in disapproval. “A noble lady does not feed dogs at her table,” she said, breaking off another piece of comb and letting the honey drip down onto her bread.

“She’s not a dog, she’s a direwolf,” Sansa pointed out as Lady licked her fingers with a rough tongue. “Anyway, Father said we could keep them with us if we want.”

[Makes No Sansa]

Jon licked the honey from Ygritte's hair. Pubic hair. LOL never meant to be that explicit, sorry.

[-Sansa-]

Sandor is the undertaken, and where is the dog in the scene of the honey?... Oh! I forgot!.. Is not a dog!.... :devil:

[StygianOni]

I agree with bgona's explanation there. I don't think the bear indicates Jorah, as it would be too obvious. But the song seem to bear meaning when applied in case of Sansa and the Hound!

At least Butterbump's singing it in Sansa POV indicated that much IMO.

And as Robert said,

"Get her a dog, she'll be happier for it."

*cough* :P

[The Angels' Prophet]

I think it more refers to Jaime and Brienne if it's not Jorah and Dany.

The three boys could be Pod, Cleos and someone yet to come. Or they could be the three men that tried to rape Brienne. The goat is obviously Vargo in this situation, and Jaime is the maid with honey in her hair, with Brienne being the bear.

I think it referring to Jorah and Dany is much more likely, even if it's obvious. At this point, Rhaegar and Lyanna being Jons parents is fairly obvious, yet many people still believe it.

I really cant see Sandor as the bear, personally, though I can see why people would.

[bgona]

How about this Frey line: "And her honey's all mine.... slurp."

Oh!! Yes!! That one from Walter Frey about his latest new wife (really young one). :ack:

The septa is eating the honey. Sansa is feeding Lady bacon.

“I’ve never seen an aurochs,” Sansa said, feeding a piece of bacon to Lady under the table. The direwolf took it from her hand, as delicate as a queen.

I don´t recall that quote correctly. I must do another reread!! Thanks for your help.

[bgona]

I think it more refers to Jaime and Brienne if it's not Jorah and Dany.

The three boys could be Pod, Cleos and someone yet to come. Or they could be the three men that tried to rape Brienne. The goat is obviously Vargo in this situation, and Jaime is the maid with honey in her hair, with Brienne being the bear.

I think it referring to Jorah and Dany is much more likely, even if it's obvious. At this point, Rhaegar and Lyanna being Jons parents is fairly obvious, yet many people still believe it.

I really cant see Sandor as the bear, personally, though I can see why people would.

Jaime is not a maid, the maiden is Brienne, Jaime and Brienne "dance" (fight) against a bear. Jaime is one hand, carries a beard, he seems to be turning into a beast. But again it is as if something is missing.

Anyway, I really believe that GRRM played with this song and idea with all the possible couples. Anyway at the only one that is sung completely it is at a Sansa POV.

I had read a romance book (yes, sometimes also I read this kind of books jajaja). Well this novel it was at Scotland and the main male character was one tall (6 feet and 6) with black hair and gruffy. It is being compared with a bear a lot of times, as it was a normal comparison.

The North seems me to Scotland and Sandor is that tall with black hair and gruffy. So I believe that is not the first time that a man with that physical appearance is compare with a bear. Anyway, I am not Scottish neither English so I can be at a big mistake.

[Peras]

Am I the only one who wishes to watch this song on screen?? I think it a very funny song, when someone sings it in the book i always giggle and I'm sure I would laugh really hard if they ever put in on screen. Especially the scene when Abel sings it and everyone is thumping their feet on the ground and singing aloud xD

[Quiet Isle]

Not Jorah specifically. It is more symbolic, referring to Sansa having to everntually marry someone a bit more monstrous than the Dashing Blond Prince she fantasized about.

First Willas the Cripple filled this role.

Then it was Tyrion

Then Dontos, briefly.

Eventually, I think she will end up with the Hound as the love of her life.

Her bear.

Amen.

[Quiet Isle]

Am I the only one who wishes to watch this song on screen?? I think it a very funny song, when someone sings it in the book i always giggle and I'm sure I would laugh really hard if they ever put in on screen. Especially the scene when Abel sings it and everyone is thumping their feet on the ground and singing aloud xD

Go to Youtube. it's there, along with the Dornishman's Wife.

[Trident full of Dogs]

Please TV people, do include this song in the show!!!!!!!! Rains of Castamere was great, let's keep it up...

[Sour Billy Tipton]

Sounds like you'll get your wish. It was reported today that the extras sang it during the bear pit scene.

[TheThreeEyedCrow]

The Bear and the Maiden Fair is about Jorah and the tourney (the fair) he won and the maiden he married and that shamed him. The dance is the joust at the tourney and the girl with honey in her hair was the needy Lannister girl he married and carried away to bear island. The girl that he was exiled for.

The songs in ASOIAF are all about events that happened... Even though it applies to many situations.

[Theda Baratheon]

This song is so filthy. :P

Tyrion does have a connection with goats via Shagga son of Dolf. "Cut off his manhood and feed it to the goats."

:lol: It is really, isn't it. This might be my favourites of the songs of ASOIAF, I sing it sometimes. :blushing:

[Kasrith]

Daario is the goat. Look to the goatee for the symbolism

[Ihaveadognamedclegane]

Not Jorah specifically. It is more symbolic, referring to Sansa having to everntually marry someone a bit more monstrous than the Dashing Blond Prince she fantasized about.

First Willas the Cripple filled this role.
Then it was Tyrion
Then Dontos, briefly.

Eventually, I think she will end up with the Hound as the love of her life.

Her bear.

 

I don't think the song would be about anyone other than Sansa, since we learned the lyrics while she and the Tyrells were discussing who she was to marry. My impression was that the song directly concerned her and her eventual husband. The boys could be Joffrey, Loras, Willas (everyone she might have married) and the goat Tyrion? 

 

I agree with Free Northman on the above. "It is more symbolic, referring to Sansa having to eventually marry someone a bit more monstrous than the Dashing Blond Prince she fantasized about", ,and who would that really be besides Sandor Clegane? 

[sweetsunray]

 

I don't think the song would be about anyone other than Sansa, since we learned the lyrics while she and the Tyrells were discussing who she was to marry. My impression was that the song directly concerned her and her eventual husband. The boys could be Joffrey, Loras, Willas (everyone she might have married) and the goat Tyrion? 

 

I agree with Free Northman on the above. "It is more symbolic, referring to Sansa having to eventually marry someone a bit more monstrous than the Dashing Blond Prince she fantasized about", ,and who would that really be besides Sandor Clegane? 

 

The song is a codex: first half is a codex on how to hunt a bear with the proper and safe ritual, including a bear-maiden wedding; the second half about how to procure a bride (stealing). Here is my essay on it: the ritual and custom within the song

 

Bears and thus the song have power. Bears are highly sexually potent spirits. Sansa's sexuality is awakened while she hears the song being sung. She has already flowered, and while her dreams and fantasies were about who to marry and being a mother they were devoid of sexual thoughts. But she fantasises what it would be like to kiss Loras at the dinner, while the singer blares the song in her ears. The chapter afterwards she invents Sandor's unkiss. the song and sexuality

 

We see this sexual awakening 2 chapters after the song when Jorah kisses Dany. In Dany's chapter after Jorah's kiss we learn she has been having sexual dreams, woke up all hot and bothered, ends up masturbating, and her handmaiden helps a hand (pun intended), until she comes and Drogon shrieks along with her. She was a widow and didn't have any sexual feelings for a long while, until Jorah's kiss. In these parahgraphs twice she asks herself what Jorah's kiss has anything to do with this. She doesn't see Jorah though in her imagination. Not long afterwards, Daario becomes the object of her sexual desires.

 

The song is not solely for Sansa, as the entire song is actually re-enacted when Arya meet Tom & Co of the brotherhood, and later again at Acorn Hall (partially) when a certain someone sniffs her. Arya experiences the song except for the last two stanzas.

[sapphire_lion]

I think the song applies to multiple pairings, but the allusions made towards Jaime and Brienne are pretty on the nose.

 

Shagwell the Fool somersaulted to the foot of the steps in his grey and pink motley and began to sing. "There once was a lion who danced with a bear, oh my, oh my . . . "

-ASOS, Jaime IV

 

Red Ronnet raised his lantern. "I wished to see where the bear danced with the maiden not-so-fair." His beard shone in the light as if it were afire. Jaime could smell wine on his breath. "Is it true the wench fought naked?"

-AFFC, Jaime III

 

Jaime and Brienne doubling as both the Maiden and the Bear is meant to mirror how they both double as Beauty and the Beast. GRRM isn't even subtle when he alludes to the role/gender reversals that exist between Jaime and Brienne.

 

After the second time he fell from the saddle, they bound him tight to Brienne of Tarth and made them share a horse again. One day, instead of back to front, they bound them face-to-face. "The lovers," Shagwell sighed loudly, "and what a lovely sight they are. 'Twould be cruel to separate the good knight and his lady." Then he laughed that high shrill laugh of his, and said, "Ah, but which one is the knight and which one is the lady?"

-ASOS, Jaime IV

 

[pettes]

Its about Sansa.

 

Three boys: Joffrey, Willas and Harry

A gooat: Tyrion

And the bear: Sandor

[Clegane'sPup]

The song has been around since the Dunk and Egg novella's.