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The Bear and the Maiden


LilyFlower

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I'm in the middle of the first Sam chapter and was wondering what's the point of having everyone know "The Bear and the Maiden" song? By the Sam chapter, I believe this is the third or fourth time someone has sung the song. Is there any symbolism or hidden meaning that I'm missing?

As usual, if it has anything to do with future chapters or plot lines, just let me know and don't tell.

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I've kind of wondered that myself. And is it supposed to be kind of bawdy (even though it was performed in front of Margaery and her ladies at Sansa's banquet?)?...because I can't seem to find any innuendo. Well...a big, hairy bear steals a fair maiden who doesn't want someone so rough and hairy...er...or am I just on the wrong track altogether? :laugh:

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  • 3 months later...

Yes I have noticed it.

In the first scene (Sansa and the banquet) it served a double purpose, for once, to drown out the conversation between Sansa and the lady of thornes and to distract the people, but also in an metaphoric sense, because

Sansa thought she would be wed to the handsome Ser Loras while in truth she was about to be sold to a "crippled old man" - Sansa's view, not mine

. So it doubled as a metaphor of a maiden who didn't want to wed a hairy and unattractive bear.

The reason why it occurs repeatedly is, IMO, to show how everyone is in such a different situation (Sansa/Arya/Samwell) yet still has something in common. Everyone in Westeros knows this song and it's like a theme, a tune, both silly and melancholic at the same time because it's the soundtrack for very contrasting sorts of tragedy. In a way, it even connects the Stark children.

It's like one of those scenes where people who love each other are far apart and both are looking at the sky at the same time or watching the same show on TV. Something harmless and trivial that happens to connect people, even when they are unaware of the connection. Struggling for words here, but I hope you get my drift.

EDIT: Much like the comet in ACoK.

Greetings,

Steph

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Everyone in Westeros knows this song and it's like a theme, a tune, both silly and melancholic at the same time because it's the soundtrack for very contrasting sorts of tragedy.

I kind of really love this thought.

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Yes I have noticed it.

In the first scene (Sansa and the banquet) it served a double purpose, for once, to drown out the conversation between Sansa and the lady of thornes and to distract the people, but also in an metaphoric sense, because

Sansa thought she would be wed to the handsome Ser Loras while in truth she was about to be sold to a "crippled old man" - Sansa's view, not mine

. So it doubled as a metaphor of a maiden who didn't want to wed a hairy and unattractive bear.

The reason why it occurs repeatedly is, IMO, to show how everyone is in such a different situation (Sansa/Arya/Samwell) yet still has something in common. Everyone in Westeros knows this song and it's like a theme, a tune, both silly and melancholic at the same time because it's the soundtrack for very contrasting sorts of tragedy. In a way, it even connects the Stark children.

It's like one of those scenes where people who love each other are far apart and both are looking at the sky at the same time or watching the same show on TV. Something harmless and trivial that happens to connect people, even when they are unaware of the connection. Struggling for words here, but I hope you get my drift.

EDIT: Much like the comet in ACoK.

Greetings,

Steph

That's an interesting notion, I never noticed this

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  • 2 months later...

The song is the story of jorah mormont. And I think the point is that a singer made a catchy song about it and all the seven kingdoms now know the story of jorah mormont and his gold digging wife, whether they realize it or not. The same thing happened in the first book when a singer made a song about Robert baratheon dying and accusing cercei of killing him. That song never became famous because Joffrey cut the singers tongue off.

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While the story is indeed the story of Jorah in some sense, it is way older than that, as it's featured in the Dunk and Egg stories already, IIRC.

I thought so too. It does fit for Jorah though.

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  • 1 month later...
I thought so too. It does fit for Jorah though.

He's the only living Mormont male at this point, and the prevalence of this song throughout the books makes me think he might survive. And/or end up with Dany, or some other blond woman. But that's probably just wishful thinking.

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