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Tormund, Husband to Bears.


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Amongst Tormund’s many, many titles there is one that is more interesting "Husband to Bears", which comes with a tale when Jon prompts Tormund:

I was in me Ruddy Hall, with only a cask o’ mead to keep me company and nothing to do but drink it. The more I drank, the more I got thinking about this woman lived close by, a fine strong woman with the biggest pair of teats you ever saw. She had a temper on her that one, but oh, she could we warm too, and in the deep of winter a man needs his warmth.

The more I drank, the more I thought about her, and the more I thought the harder me member got, till I couldn’t suffer it no more. Fool that I was I bundled meself up in furs from head to heels, wrapped a winding wool aroud me face, and set off to find her. The snow was coming down so hard I got turned around once or twice, and the wind blew right through me and froze me bones, but finally I come on her, all bundled up like I was.

“The woman had a terrible temper, and she put up quite the fight when I laid hands on her. It was all I could do to carry her home and get her out o’ them furs, but when I did, oh, she was hotter than even I remembered, and we had a fine old time, and then I went to sleep. Next morning when I woke the snow had stopped and the sun was shining, but I was in no fit state to enjoy it. All ripped and torn I was, and had me member bit right off, and there on me floor was a she-bear’s pelt. And soon enough the free folk were telling tales of this bald bear seen in the woods, with the queerest pair o’ cubs behind her. Har!” He slapped his meaty thigh. “Would that I could find her again. She was fine to lay with, that bear. Never was a woman give me such a fight, nor such strong sons neither.

On first inspection, we see this as a whimsical tale about Tormund raping a bear, from the Tall-Talker himself. However, as one member stated in the “Wow, I never noticed that!” v.2 thread, mayhaps this is an exaggerated story for Tormund sleeping with Mormont women. This led me onto a search, for which I have found an answer. Let us begin.

Now Tormund is a wildling of some repute, and at one point was competing with Mance for the King-beyond-the-Wall title. He is the man the wildlings look to when Mance ‘dies’. Like any wildling, therefore, it can be assumed that he did a fair bit of raiding in his day. Now, how far afield may a young Tormund raided. The Gift? Skagos? Or perhaps even to Bear Island, home of the bears?

Shall we look at the ‘bear’ again. From his story, Tormund says he set out to find a woman he had once slept with, perhaps on more than one occasion. The description given by Tormund bears a striking resemblance to the description given by Jeor Mormont of his sister Maege earlier, and from what we know the father of Maege’s five daughters is yet to discovered.

“Maege is a hoary old snark, stubborn, short-tempered, and willful”

Allow me artistic license, when I suggest that perhaps on one particularly audacious raid of Bear Island, a young Tormund comes across a young Maege and like any wildling would – he has his way with her, leaving her with child. Maybe it was a particularly harsh winter (as in the story) and the two are trapped together for days too. Now, would Maege be forced to give up this child? Well, even the Starks have had to put up with a wildling bastard as shown by the story of Bael the Bard. From what we know about the Mormont line, is pretty lean with only Jorah and Jeor - and Jorah seems 'infertile'. Lets say for arguments sake she keeps it.

From the story, we see Tormund is particularly keen on this woman. Perhaps he returns and maybe they ‘secretly’ marry (making Tormund the Husband of Bears) – maybe something happened the first time round and this ‘warmth’ Tormund mentions was love. Several visits by a besotted Tormund leaves Maege with five children, whose ages range from around thirty (Dacey) to ten (Lyanna). Quite the gap compared to the Starks, Tyrells or Tullys, perhaps representing the gap between raids. Five she-bears all capable of fighting and being awesome (Lyanna’s letter for instance).

Now, from Tormund’s children we see that Munda is quite the fighter, breaking Ryk’s lip and biting his ear half off. Tormund also mentions “strong sons” that the She-bear left him, Toregg, Torwynd, Dryn and Dormund. Now I’m not saying they are all Maege’s, perhaps one or two (and maybe Munda?).

I officially knight this relationship Maegmund, and declare that Maege and Tormund are wife and husband and lovers.

Thanks for reading my purely speculative theory. It was fun to write!

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Well, it does fit, seeing that Maege is clearly not all that forthcoming about who the father of her daughters is... and considering the scandalous implications of Wildling Raider Tormund Giantsbane being married south of the Wall, to a highborn lady to boot - I wouldn't tell anything in Maege's place either.

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I'd given some thought to this, but if it is true, I doubt that it would have happened more than one time. If I had to pick one of the daughters to maybe be his, it would have to be Alysane. She seems similar in build to him and has similar flashes of humor mixed in with her fierceness. Just speculation though of course.

Also, Alysane mentions the Mormont women taking the shape of bears and taking other bears for lovers, for whatever that's worth :).

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We've discussed this theory on previous threads, but it's still one I love.. I'm guessing that because Tormund mentions no daughters ,specifically, from the Bear woman ( but sons , pl.) ,and because Maege has no sons , that Tormund raised the boys ( Torwynd , the weak , sickly one, was probably not Maege's ) ... and Maege raised the girls :D ..this way, Maege's sons could win prestige beyond the wall , whereas , south of the wall, they'd probably be considered bastards... And I wonder if feisty young Dryn and feisty young Lyanna are actually twins.

I'm wondering also , who fathered Alysanne's daughter and son ? ( other than Tormund, who could be her father, I mean )

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I'd given some thought to this, but if it is true, I doubt that it would have happened more than one time. If I had to pick one of the daughters to maybe be his, it would have to be Alysane. She seems similar in build to him and has similar flashes of humor mixed in with her fierceness. Just speculation though of course.

Well Dacey is the complete opposite of Maege and Alysane and the other three daughters are yet to be seen. I guess it was a romantic idea I conjured for Maegmund to be a semi-permanent thing.

I know Tormund's 'other' wildling children are unlikely Maege's, and that that part is the most crackpotted but I couldn't help myself. :blushing:

I'm wondering also , who fathered Alysanne's daughter and son ? ( other than Tormund, who could be her father, I mean )

I don't think it would be Tormund if the theory is true, but it is likely a wildling. What happens on Bear Island, stays on Bear Island.

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This explains the long gaps between Maege's five daughters! They have four brothers and a sister north of the Wall. It's a very fair and balanced solution. Maege's sons are sent to live with their father so none of the male Mormonts can complain about their unorthodox family structure. You have presented enough textual evidence that I see no reason to not board this ship :)

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If I'm not mistaken, I think that Alysane is present with King Stannis's host. She's the one we meet in Asha's POVs yes?

What I meant is Dacey is 6 foot and elegant whereas Alysane is short and muscular like Maege who is 'stout'. Alysane seems ever bit like Maege as she does Tormund. And yeah she's the she-bear with Asha.

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That's my second-favorite theory on Tormund's love life. My favorite is Tormund Giantsbane and Ms Umber:

- Ms Umber was stolen thirty years ago. Fits a young Tormund to a T.

- Stealing an important Lord's granddaughter/niece/cousin would make any raider famous. It's just like Bael the Bard and the Blue Rose of Winterfell.

- Giantsbane could very well refer to the Umber sigil.

- Tall Toregg has a vastly different build from his father, but rather similar to the Umbers.

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Yes, Alysane has a Tormundish look to her :). But I doubt this was a frequent pairing. It's not that easy to pass south of the Wall. I do think that Maege Mormont has/had a husband, otherwise I don't know if she would be accepted so easily in the North... she would have 5 illegitimate children. Even if that is accepted on Bear Island, it would still be a stigma in the mind of other great lords.

Anyway, I like a lot more the other theory, that Tormund's children are actually Umbers :)

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I love Maegmund, possibly my favourite who's the father theory! I want a loving reunion between Maege and Tormund when she comes to crown Jon!

Oh goody, that would be something, wouldn't it? Meage comes to deliver Robb's will and finds Tormund... love the idea... I can just see him staring at her, gaping, lost for words... so cute...

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That's my second-favorite theory on Tormund's love life. My favorite is Tormund Giantsbane and Ms Umber:

- Ms Umber was stolen thirty years ago. Fits a young Tormund to a T.

- Stealing an important Lord's granddaughter/niece/cousin would make any raider famous. It's just like Bael the Bard and the Blue Rose of Winterfell.

- Giantsbane could very well refer to the Umber sigil.

- Tall Toregg has a vastly different build from his father, but rather similar to the Umbers.

I've never heard of this!

I prefer the mormont women, but this is pretty cool. :smug:

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When I read Tormund's story the first thing I thought about was the women of Bear Island. Boning a bear = Mormont just like making love to a lion = Lannister, just like fucking a fish = Tully. At least that was my take.

Nice job digging into this OP.

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