“Farmer Giles had a dog. [E-I-E-I-O] The dog’s name was Garm. Dogs had to be
content with short names in the vernacular: the Book-latin was reserved for
their betters.”
So why does the cow rate a name like Galathea? “Goddess of milk” indeed!
The dog, not to put too fine a point on it, talks. We don’t know if the cow
did, since she’s squashed so soon in the story, but the mare doesn’t, and no
other animals do (correct me if I’m wrong). Dragons are a different matter, of
course.
Why have a talking dog among the dumb animals?
“Garm” exists as a name in Norse mythology (as Garmr), and as a word in
Welsh/Cornish. Do you think both contributed to this particular Garm?
“There was one giant in particular, larger and more stupid than his fellows. I
find no mention of his name in the histories, but it does not matter.”
Is there any significance in the lack of a recorded name for this giant? Is
there an implication that giants tend to be stupid as well as
large?
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Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
