UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI

FILOZOFSKA FAKULTETA
ODDELEK ZA ANGLISTIKO IN AMERIKANISTIKO
ODDELEK ZA PRIMERJALNO KNJIEVNOST IN LITERARNO
TEORIJO

TOBIJA SITER

Motiv mitskega varljivca v delih Neila Gaimana

The Mythical Trickster in the Works of Neil Gaiman
Diplomsko delo

Ljubljana, 2014

UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI
FILOZOFSKA FAKULTETA
ODDELEK ZA ANGLISTIKO IN AMERIKANISTIKO
ODDELEK ZA PRIMERJALNO KNJIEVNOST IN LITERARNO
TEORIJO

TOBIJA SITER

Motiv mitskega varljivca v delih Neila Gaimana

The Mythical Trickster in the Works of Neil Gaiman
Diplomsko delo

Mentor:
Izr. prof. dr. Mojca Krevel
Mentor:
Red. prof. dr. Vid Snoj

tudijski program:
Angleki jezik in knjievnost
tudijski program:
Primerjalna knjievnost in literarna teorija
Ljubljana, 2014

ZAHVALA
Najprej bi se rad zahvalil svoji eni Marti Siter za njeno brezpogojno podporo med
pisanjem diplomskega dela. Skupaj z najino herko Lucijo sta mi pomagali ustvarit pogoje,
ki so za takno delo potrebni in za to vama bom obema vedno hvaleen.
Diplomsko delo v takni obliki sta mi s svojo pomojo, potrpeljivostjo in aurnim
odgovarjanjem na vpraanje omogoila tudi moja mentorja, izr. prof. dr. Mojca Krevel in
red. prof. dr. Vid Snoj, za kar se jima e posebej zahvaljujem.
Hvala tudi mojim starem, bratoma, sestri, njihovim druinam in druini moje ene za vso
pomo pri nastajanju diplome. Hvala Alja, Ana, Anka, Benjamin, Katarina, Lovro, Maja,
Matej, Peter, Rok, Sanja, Timotej, Tom in vsi ostali neimenovani, ki ste vekrat
potrpeljivo prisluhniti mojim idejam glede raznih varljivcev in Gaimanovih likov. e
zlasti hvala za vse ideje, ki ste jih prispevali. Hvala Mateju Horzelenbergu za odlinim
jezikovnim pregledom slovenskega dela diplome.
Hvala tudi vsem ostalim, ki vas tukaj nisem omenil in ste kakorkoli prispevali k nastanku
mojega diplomskega dela.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I would like to thank my wife, Marta Siter, for her unwavering support while writing
my thesis. Together with our daughter Lucija, they managed to create the conditions I
needed for my research and for that, I will always be grateful.
I give thanks to my mentors, izr. prof. dr. Mojca Krevel and red. prof. dr. Vid Snoj,
because this thesis would not have been possible without their help, guidance, patience and
quick responses.
I also thank my parents, my brothers and my sister, their families and my wifes family for
helping me get this thesis finished. Thanks to Alja, Anka, Benjamin, Katarina, Lovro,
Maja, Matej, Peter, Rok, Sanja, Tom and all my other friends, who had to listen to my
ideas about various tricksters and Gaiman's characters. I appreciate all the ideas that you
might have contributed. I give thanks to Matej Horzelenberg for his skillful copy-editing of
this thesis.
I would also like to thank everyone who remains unnamed, but has in one way or another
helped me through college and contributed to the making of my thesis.
I

POVZETEK
V skoraj vsaki mitologiji se pojavlja lik, ki v ustaljeni red prinaa del kaosa. Taken lik se
navadno imenuje varljivec in je skoraj vedno mokega spola. Najbolj znani varljivci
prihajajo iz mitologije amerikih staroselcev: Kojot, Vran, Wadjunkaga, Wisakedjak in
Iktomi, za to obravnavo v diplomskem delu pa so pomembni e Hermes iz grke
mitologije, Loki iz nordijske ter Eshu, Elegba in Anansi iz afrike. V prvi polovici
diplomskega dela poskuam opredeliti, kako se ti liki pojavljajo v razlinih mitologijah.
Nato na podlagi teh mitskih oseb opredelim splone lastnosti varljivca, ki so v veini
primerov skupne vsem varljivcem. Njegova dejanja niso ne moralna ne nemoralna. Skoraj
vsa dejanja varljivca so posledica njegovega hrepenenja po hrani, moi ali spolnosti.
Vekrat spremeni spol. Varljivec nima stalnega bivalia, temve je vedno na poti. Lahko
bi rekli, da ivi na pragu in ima sposobnost prestopanja meje, kar pogosto tudi pomeni, da
je psihopomp. Vekrat deluje kot kulturni heroj, eprav je obenem tudi zelo spreten tat in
lanivec.
V drugem delu diplome se osredotoim na nekaj del pisatelja Neila Gaimana in poskuam
v njih poiskati motiv varljivca. V ospredju so predvsem dela Ameriki bogovi, Anansi Boys
in Sandman, saj v njih nastopa ve pomembnih varljivcev, kot so Loki, Anansi,
Wisakedjak, Puck in podobni. Veliko pozornosti sem namenil tudi Odinu, ki ima v
Amerikih bogovih vlogo varljivca, ter neimenovanemu bogu iz istega romana.
KLJUNE BESEDE
varljivec, Hermes, Wadjunkaga, Anansi, Loki, Odin, fantazijska literatura, Neil Gaiman,
Ameriki bogovi, Sandman, Anansi Boys

II

ABSTRACT
In almost every mythology there is a being that brings chaos into order. This being is
called a trickster and is almost exclusively male. The most famous tricksters come from the
various mythologies of Native Americans and known as Coyote, Raven, Wadjunkaga,
Wisakejdak and Iktomi. Other important tricksters are Hermes from the Greek mythology,
Loki from Norse mythology and Eshu, Elegba and Anansi from the African mythology. In
the first half of my thesis, I will focus on these characters from different mythologies, and
on the basis of the characters show different characteristics that are almost synonymous in
all mythologies. I intend to show that almost everything that a trickster does, comes from
his gluttony for food, sex or power. He often changes sex. He does not have a home, but
wanders around and is mostly on the road. He lives on the threshold and has the ability to
cross boundaries, which often makes him the Psychopomp. He often plays the role of a
culture hero, although he is a very skilled thief and a liar.
In the second part of my thesis I will focus on some works by Neil Gaiman and search for
the motif of the trickster in them. I intend to mostly centre on American Gods, Anansy
Boys and The sandman, since these works are full of tricksters, like Loki, Anansi,
Wisakedjack, Puck and others. I will put a grat deal of emphasis on Odin, whom I intend to
define as the main trickster in American Gods, and on the unnamed god from the same
novel.
KEY WORDS
Trickster, Hermes, Wadjunkaga, Anansi, Loki, Odin, fantasy literature, Neil Gaiman,
American Gods, Sandman, Anansi Boys

III

KAZALO

UVOD........................................................................................................................1

TRICKSTER ..............................................................................................................3

2.1

Trickster in Mythology ........................................................................................3

2.2

Native American Mythology ................................................................................7

2.3

Greek Mythology ...............................................................................................11

2.4

Norse Mythology ...............................................................................................14

2.5

African Mythology ............................................................................................18

2.6

Tricksters Appetite ...........................................................................................21

2.7

Sex and Gender ..................................................................................................23

2.8

On the Road .......................................................................................................27

2.9

Making and Crossing the Boundaries .................................................................29

2.10

Culture Hero...................................................................................................33

2.11

Prince Of Thieves ...........................................................................................36

2.12

Trickster in Real Life .....................................................................................38

VARLJIVEC IN NEIL GAIMAN ............................................................................40

3.1

Med svetovi .......................................................................................................40

3.2

Neil Gaiman ......................................................................................................43

3.3

Ameriki bogovi .................................................................................................46

3.3.1

Shadow .......................................................................................................48

3.3.2

Loki ............................................................................................................52

3.3.3

Gospod Nancy ............................................................................................55

3.3.4

Whiskey Jack ..............................................................................................58

3.3.5

Odin ...........................................................................................................61

3.3.6

Neimenovani bog ........................................................................................71

3.4

Anansi Boys .......................................................................................................79

IV

3.4.1

Gospod Nancy ............................................................................................81

3.4.2

Mitska dvojka ...........................................................................................84

3.5

Sandman ............................................................................................................88

3.5.1
3.6

Sreanje varljivcev......................................................................................91

Druga Gaimanova dela.......................................................................................94

ZAKLJUEK ..........................................................................................................97

BIBLIOGRAFIJA ....................................................................................................99

PRILOGA .................................................................................................................. i
6.1

Trickster stories ................................................................................................... i

6.1.1

Trickster ....................................................................................................... i

6.1.2

Native American Mythology 1 ...................................................................... i

6.1.3

Native American Mythology 2 ..................................................................... ii

6.1.4

Greek Mythology........................................................................................ iii

6.1.5

Norse Mythology ........................................................................................ iv

6.1.6

African Mythology .......................................................................................v

6.1.7

Tricksters Appetite .................................................................................... vi

6.1.8

Culture Hero .............................................................................................. vii

6.2

Obnova nekaterih Gaimanovih del ................................................................... viii

6.2.1

Ameriki bogovi ........................................................................................ viii

6.2.2

Anansi Boys .............................................................................................. xiii

6.2.3

Sandman ................................................................................................. xviii

1 UVOD
I was brought up as a Roman Catholic. Now, one of the great advantages of being brought
up a Roman Catholic is that you're taught to take myth seriously and to let it operate on
your life and to live in terms of these mythic motifs (Campbell 1991: 12). I have always
been interested in mythology and fascinated by all the different stories and legends that the
primal peoples fabricated around different notions of nature and the world around them.
All the different gods and their characteristics of the classic ages, all the spirits and their
various notions of the Native Americans, the anthropomorphised suns and moons from all
over the world they have all captivated my imagination since my childhood. So it comes
as no surprise that ever since I read my first Tolkien novel, the fantasy fiction genre held a
certain appeal for me. Sooner or later I was bound to come across an author who
concentrated on bringing the myths of old to life in the modern age. After I read my first
Neil Gaiman novel I knew that my thesis will concentrate on his works.
I started out with the idea to define the different subgenres that his books might fall into,
but soon realized that I could not write a good paper about Neil Gaiman while neglecting
the aspects of mythology in his work. After realising that I have to discover some
mythological motifs in Gaiman's works, the decision for trickster was an obvious one.
I intend to divide my thesis into two major parts each of which would in turn be
fragmented according to the theme it will encompass. In the first part I will try to define
the different aspects of the trickster as it is seen in various mythologies. The trickster as a
character is at least to some extent present in most mythologies known to man and in
almost all of them he plays an identical role. For an easier definition of his characteristics I
primarily intend to introduce some characters from different mythologies, such as Hermes
from the classical Greek mythology, Coyote and Wadjunkaga from the Native American
mythology, Loki from the Norse mythology and a few more.
In the second part of my thesis I intend to focus on Neil Gaiman and his works. After an
overview of his works and life achievements I will concentrate on some of his novels, short
stories and comic books, and show how the characteristics of the mythical trickster are
presented in the different characters of these books. Apart from the more typical trickster
characters like Loki, Anansi and Puck, I intend to show the role of Odin as the main

trickster in American Gods. I will also try to give a definition of the unnamed god in
American Gods, since he is the character that beleaguered most readers.
I also intend to include an appendix, where I will collect different stories about tricksters
from various mythologies these stories are crucial if we want to understand this complex
mythical character. For all the readers who have not yet had the chance to read the major
works that I intend to examine in the second part of my thesis and are nonetheless
interested in the role of trickster in them, I have also added to the appendix my own
synopsis of the latter.

2 TRICKSTER

2.1

TRICKSTER IN MYTHOLOGY

Almost every cosmogony is a story about the deities of order conquering the forces of
chaos. For the most part, the victorious gods try to protect their cosmic order of things so
vehemently, that nothing can ever disrupt or change it. Various mythologies attest to this
fact by the great god eating his children, while Odin's wife Frigg elicits a promise from
every single being on earth not to harm her beloved son Baldr, the symbol of prosperity
and order. But if this were ever to happen, the cosmos would undoubtedly slip into a sterile
stasis and consequentially die in the process. If there is no friction, no opposition in the
absolute, if someone controls something in such a way that nothing can ever change it, can
we still call it living? In his Brave New World Aldous Huxley wrote: civilization is
sterilization (Huxley 2006: 114). Is life without risk life at all or is it just stagnation?
Oxford (Splet 1) defines stagnation as: a failure to develop, progress, or advance,
whereas the medical dictionary says: The retardation or cessation of the flow of blood in
the blood vessels, as in passive congestion (Splet 2). Consequently, if any system
becomes too rigid, it will eventually cease to exist altogether. The absolute cannot exist in
order alone; it needs a bit of chaos. The cosmological order needs disorder. But whereas all
mythological deities try to maintain this order with all their might, order cannot function
properly without its opposite. In his commentary to Radin's book, Kernyi pointed out that
nothing demonstrates the meaning of the all-controlling social order more impressively
than the religious recognition of that which evades this order. [...] Disorder belongs to the
totality of life, and the spirit of this disorder is the trickster (Kernyi 1988: 185).
A trickster is a god, a spirit or an anthropomorphic being that is ubiquitous in several
different mythologies, but always an extremely enigmatic figure. Let me start with a
definition of trickster figure by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortis:
Of all the characters in myths and legends told around the world through the
centuries [...] it's the Trickster who provides the real spark in the action always
hungry for another meal swiped from someone else's kitchen, always ready to lure
some else's wife into bed, always trying to get something for nothing, shifting shapes
(and even sex), getting caught in the act, ever scheming, never remorseful. (Erdoes,
Ortiz 1999: xiii)
3

This is a fairly good definition of trickster in general, although it does not explain the
depths of this character. If we look only at the scheming and the vicious side of the
trickster, we could say that he has the same characteristics as a psychopath: he lies, cheats,
steals, commits forgery, adultery, fraud, he is antisocial, foolish, but at the same time smart
and finally he lacks remorse for anything he does. Trickster is nowadays presented as a
malicious character, responsible for all the foul deeds, death or the end of the world. He is
usually associated with the Christian Devil or some other demon from various mythologies
and religions. But trickster is much more than that. There can be no doubt that most of the
features typical for a psychopath are common for trickster as well, but we cannot say the
same for the other way around. Trickster possesses many other traits that we could never
ascribe to a psychopath or the devil. He is a walking paradox, the symbol of dualism and
contradiction, the epitome of ambiguity and ambivalence. He is the creative idiot, the
wise fool, the grey-haired baby, the cross-dresser, the speaker of sacred profanities (Hyde
2010: 7). He is often tripped up by his own schemes; he is humiliated, hurt and sometimes
even killed, but never for long. He is made the idiot or a clown of his own stories. A
trickster can change shapes and sometimes even sex, is almost always male, usually wise
to the point when he can outthink any god or creature, but is always in danger of
overreaching himself and winding up in disgrace probably due to his gluttony and lack of
self-control. And yet he is also a culture hero, who participates in the creation of the
cosmos or at least helps to arrange it. He brings water to the world, steals the sun from the
gods, introduces crops and other food to people, kills monsters, regulates the course of the
sun etc. However, he also introduces death or disease into the world and sometimes makes
life harder for humans.
Trickster does not act out of pure evil when he does something harmful, but neither does
he create culture for people out of altruistic impulses. For him there is no distinction
between right or wrong, moral or immoral. He is not the agent of evil like Satan, but
neither is he the ultimate benefactor like God; he is the creator and destroyer at the same
time Brahma and Shiva in one person. He does most of what he does from mere
impulses, over which he has very little control. Paul Radin, who in his book The Trickster:
a Study in American Indian Mythology, gathered different trickster tales of the Winnebago
tribe and weaved them into a story, or rather a cycle of tales, has this to say about the
trickster:

He wills nothing consciously. At all times he is constrained to behave as he does

from impulses over which he has no control. He knows neither good nor evil yet he
is responsible for both. He possesses no values, moral or social [...] yet through his
actions all values come into being. (Radin 1988: xxii)
In Trickster Makes this World, a complete and broad survey of tricksters from all around
the world, Lewis Hyde adds to this definition a very clear description, when he writes that
the trickster is neither moral nor immoral, but amoral (Hyde 2010: 10). Or as Byock says
in an introduction to Prose Edda: Often tricksters live at the margins of society and are
neither completely good nor thoroughly bad (Byock 2005: 17).
Tricksters are usually the ones who cause a mass or stir up trouble either in the physical or
spiritual world. They are, however, also the ones who then solve the problems that their
misconduct has brought forth. When Loki, the trickster from Scandinavian mythology,
lured Idunn out of Asgard and into the hands of the giant Thazi, he introduced time and
aging into Asgard. But he was also the one who went and brought her back, establishing
the order of things once again, without any irremediable damage.
Hermes, the most prominent trickster figure in the Greek mythology, the emissary and
messenger of the gods, the luck-bringer, the conductor of souls, is the patron of merchants,
but he is at the same time the protector of thieves. He is the god of commerce his only
concern is that money flows from one person to another, and he does not care by what
means it was acquired moral or immoral. Like Eshu from the tale in the appendix, he
steals the valuables from the villagers and gives them to the next person that comes by. He
does not keep anything for himself, but rather ensures the circulation of the items.
Whether trickster is an emissary of the gods, a merchant, a thief, a culture hero, the
conductor of souls, or just a Coyote looking for food, trickster is always on the move.
Sometimes he is delivering messages, at other times he is searching for food, but he is
always wandering. Trickster does not have a home and does not live in a temple, on a
mountain or on some other axis mundi, but lives on the road, the crossroad, the threshold,
the boundary. He creates boundaries or crosses them, but always disrupts them in one way
or another. Lewis Hyde says: We constantly distinguish right from wrong, sacred and
profane, clean and dirty, male and female, young and old, living and dead and in every
case trickster will cross the line and confuse the distinction (Hyde 2010: 7).

Many of the trickster's traits were perpetuated in the figure of the medieval jester, a clown.
Often he is the protector of the oppressed. Stories about a small and virtually unimportant,
weak and poor lowly figure, playing pranks on the rich and the mighty were always a
delight of the destitute. When African slaves were brought to America, they told each other
the stories of Anansi the Spider, playing tricks on creatures who thought they were better
than he was. In European literature, the best known tricksters are Reynard the fox in
France or Reinecke Fuchs in Germany.
Harold Scheub gives a very holistic description of trickster in his book Trickster and Hero:
An agent of chaos, he disrupts harmony; when he establishes harmony, it is
according to his own whim, his own sense of order. Trickster combines horror and
glee: his is the comedy of the grotesque. With his enormous penis, his diminutive
size, his love of dance, his amorality, his clownishness, he is a grotesque, a rootless,
unattached individual who must secure his own survival and psychological wellbeing
in a society that espouses traditional values while actually sanctioning dehumanizing
modes of behavior. Trickster inherits no place he can call home; he is an outsider.
(Scheub 2013: 6)

2.2

NATIVE AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY

In the appendix I included a typical trickster tale about Iktomi. 1 This tale is present in all
American indigenous mythologies and has remained - as far as the general plot is
concerned - relatively unchanged. A very similar tale can be found in the collection of
trickster tales by Richard Erdoes and Alfonzo Ortiz, where the trick is played out by
Coyote, as well as in Radin's cycle of trickster tales, where the main character is
Wadjunkaga. In the other version, the trickster does not get stuck in a tree, but rather goes
to sleep and instructs his anus to guard his feast. When some foxes come to eat the
trickster's food, the anus expels air, but does not succeed in driving them away. After the
Coyote wakes up, his ducks have all been eaten and he burns his anus, because it did not
wake him up, only to realize that he is burning himself.
Before continuing, one must understand what the mythological world of the indigenous
Americans was like. Native Americans are closely related to the natural world. They
believe in the potential forces of nature, respect the spirits of animals and regard their
language as a powerful instrument. One Sioux medicine man said: Our modern Sioux
language has been white-manized. There's no power in it (Erdoes, Ortiz 1984: xiii). Their
stories originate from plants, herbs, animals and are invariably consistent with the flow of
the natural world. For this reason their gods and spirits are very commonly depicted in the
shape of an animal. The indigenous peoples of the Americas believed in a large number of
spirits, who were either clearly or vaguely defined. These spirits could usually take on any
form they desired; sometimes they were animals, sometimes humans; they could turn into
animate or even inanimate objects.
To those used to the patterns of European fairy tales and folktales, Indian legends
often seem chaotic, inconsistent or incomplete. Plots seem to travel at their own
speed, defying convention and at times doing away completely with recognizable
beginnings and endings. Coyote is a powerful creator one moment, a sniveling
coward the next. (Erdoes, Ortiz 1984: xii)
Unlike the trickster from European literature, who was depicted in the form of a fox, the
Native American trickster is most commonly a Coyote. His escapades are told throughout

See appendix page i.

America, from Alaska all the way down to the southern deserts. Besides coyote, there are
also other animals that represent a trickster, most common of them being the raven; others
are mink, hare, blue jay and others. Sometimes the trickster is human, like the Wadjunkaga
from the Winnebago cycle, or a creature that is either human or an animal, like the Spider
Man Iktomi. Coyote is usually present in other trickster stories as well, where he appears
as their friend and fellow prankster. One of the Iktomi tales begins like this:
Iktome, the wicked Spider Man, and Shunk-Manitou, Coyote, are two no-good
loafers. They lie, they steal, they are greedy, they are always after women. Maybe
because they are so very much alike, they are friends, except when they try to trick
each other. (Erdoes, Ortiz 1984: 339)
Like the Egyptians who chose the animals that will represent the non-human part of their
gods with fine and deliberate care, Native Americans also chose the animals for their
tricksters with great attention to detail. The animal had to have certain features that would
perfectly represent Coyote; the animal was usually carnivorous, although it did not hunt in
order to eat, but rather ate meals provided by some other creature. It had to be cunning or
fast, and most importantly, a solitary figure. 2 Wolves, crows and rabbits all travel and hunt
in packs or groups, whereas coyote, raven and hare usually travel alone or in pairs. A
spider, with notable exceptions, always weaves his webs alone and only meets other
spiders for mating; otherwise they are seen as lunch.
The coyote as a scavenger animal is best known for its cunning. Lewis Hyde and several
other researchers explain how farmers, in order to protect themselves, used to put out baits
poisoned with strychnine or some other traps for coyotes and wolves. As a result, the grey
wolves became an endangered species, whereas in spite of being hunted and trapped for
more than two centuries, coyotes now make their habitats in all of USA, except in Hawaii,
and there are more of them now than there were before. Coyotes rarely get caught in a trap;
they are rather well known to dig the trap out, eat the good part of the bait, and sometimes
even defecate or urinate on the device.
Despite some differences in the trickster tales, most of them agree that whether the
trickster is human or his features are zoomorphized, he is represented either as the creator

For a story about how Coyote got his cunning see appendix page ii.

of the world or at least the creator of culture. At the simplest level these tales are meant to
delight or amuse the listener and help pass the time. But they are also told in order to teach
the people how and how not to behave. In almost all trickster tales, lust is the tricksters
primary characteristic and all his endeavours reek of sex. He is almost always hungry and
endlessly wandering around. If we look at the whole cycle, the trickster figure has to
undergo a series of trials and has to face various troublesome situations that he himself is
usually responsible for.
If we look at the Winnebago cycle of tales, gathered by Paul Radin and first published in
1956, we encounter Wadjunkaga, whose name roughly translates into the-tricky-one. A
cycle of trickster tales is a group of independent narratives, woven together to make a
coherent story. In this cycle, the trickster breaks many of the Winnebago traditions and
taboos, starting from the first story onwards, where the chief of the tribe intends to go on a
warpath. Their chiefs never went on a warpath as a rule. He then cohabits with a woman,
which is an even greater offense, for someone who intends to go to war and to top it all off,
he destroys their most sacred possession, the war bundle. All his followers leave him and
he continues to wander around by himself. His hunger and lust are illustrated in how his
body is arranged in the beginning of the cycle. His intestines are outside of his body and he
has an enormous penis, which he carries around in a box on his back. He can use his penis
as a tool and once even sends it across a lake to copulate with a chiefs daughter, who is
taking a bath with some friends. One time Wadjunkaga sends his penis into a hole after a
squirrel that is making fun of him. The squirrel then chews of his member, piece by piece,
until its reduced to normal human size. It is explained that because of this folly mens
penis is the size it is now. At another occasion, Wadjunkaga eats his own intestines and
only then realizes that he is eating a part of himself. Radin says that by losing his penis and
making his intestines smaller, he finally learns how to control his voracious appetite and
lust, which enables him to become more like the hero that he was intended to be. By the
end of the cycle Wadjunkaga namely realizes that the Earthmaker sent him down to earth
in order to rid the world of monsters that are molesting humans in one way or another.
After he accomplishes his mission, he goes to the underworld and becomes the ruler of it.
The Raven, who is the trickster of the tribes from the southern Vancouver region and
north, is also the culture hero who brings water and the light to the people. In the process
of stealing the water from an old men Petrol, he has to go through a chimney and from that
time on, his feathers are black. Before that he was white, not unlike the raven and the crow
9

in Ovids Metamorphosis. Not unlike Wadjunkaga the Raven also realizes that he has to go
around the world and ask all things if they intend to hurt human beings. If they say No,
he lets them live, but if they say Yes, he destroys them.

10

2.3

GREEK MYTHOLOGY

When I talked with a certain acquaintance of mine about the trickster figures in different
mythologies and folklores, he immediately pointed out that Prometheus is the sole trickster
in classical mythology and said that Hermes is not a trickster at all. This is a very common
misconception about the Greek mythology. Besides the obvious inclination of the modern
world towards the more pugnacious deities and the indifference towards the less belligerent
heroes, the problem also lies in the neglected knowledge of the Homeric hymns, where
Hermess role as a trickster is well supported. Homeric hymns are a collection of 33
ancient Greek poems, composed in the Homeric style by an anonymous writer. One of
these poems is dedicated to Hermes and explains how he gained the status of the Olympian
gods. I included a synopsis of this tale in the appendix. 3 Scheub describes Hermes as: He
is the raw human, newly born, filled with the excitement of his own strength and wit. He
moves into the world like a child newly born, trying out his considerable powers on
everyone and everything he meets (Scheub 2013: 13).
It might be true that by becoming a god Hermes loses some of his trickster freedom, since
to be a god means to be the creator of a world, and a world means order (Radin 1988:
190). But even though he loses some of his chaotic freedom, he gains all the other trickster
traits. Hermes in Greek mythology is the god that occupies that ambiguous position
between the world of gods and the world of men. He is the liminal character that lives
inside and outside, somewhere between here and there, always on the road and between
things. He is the god of thresholds or doorways, the guide of travellers and the god of the
road itself, although he often guides travellers astray in the night. As I already pointed out,
he is also the god of commerce, protector of merchants and the guardian of thieves. He is
the god of an unexpected bonus, some unanticipated prize that one might find on the road.
The Greeks have a special name for this and it is hermaion, which roughly translates into
the lucky find. Of course, he is also responsible for the catastrophic loss. He is presented as
a dark god, when he leads souls to the underworld, but he also leads Persephone out of it,
making him the saviour of the world. He puts Argos to sleep and then kills him, but he also
puts the guards around Achilless camp to sleep, so Priam can go in and ask Hector for his
son's body.

See appendix page iii.

11

Lewis Hyde had this to say about Hermes:

The old Greek wisdom says that Hermes leads the way or leads astray. If I suffer
an accidental loss, that is Hermes the thief, and if there is an accidental gain, that is
Hermes the luck-bringer. But, gain or loss, what is constant with Hermes and with
Eshu is the presence of accidents (Hyde 2010: 121).
So Hermes is the one who often endows people or other gods with prosperity, but it is the
presence of accidents that makes him a trickster. His depiction in the Homeric hymn as a
baby is perfectly legitimate, for he is as amoral as a baby and that is what makes him a
trickster. When he helps humans, he does not do it because he is altruistic like Prometheus,
but rather because of some impulse and because he needs things to be on the move he
needs change. Prometheus and Hermes both tried to trick the gods and their tricks were
related to thieving and sacrifice, like tricksters deeds often are. Hermes and Prometheus
both try to change the way the cosmos had been apportioned, but with differing results
(Hyde 2010: 236). Prometheus hoped to change the human portion, but failed; Hermes
hoped to change his own portion and succeeded (Hyde 2010: 256).
When comparing the Winnebago trickster to Hermes, Kernyi writes:
Winnebago stories about the trickster, if one approaches him from the side of Greek
mythology, is almost that one is encountering an easily outwitted and womanchasing, gluttonous Heracles, rather than a double of the divine trickster of Greek
mythology, Hermes! (Radin 1988: 176)
Two different mythologies have a very similar motif about a son of the sun god, visiting
his father. In the Navajo myth, two twins go through and overcome a series of trials and
tribulations before coming to their father, and are later on accepted by the Sun and elevated
together with their mother. The Greek mythology tells a different story about Phaeton, who
goes to his father Apollo and asks him to drive the sun chariot, which gets him killed. The
difference between Prometheus and Hermes is quite similar to the one that divides the
children of the sun. Prometheus, who tries to trick Zeus into apportioning the best part of
the meat for humans and him, and keep the bones for the gods, is severely punished when
discovered. Furthermore, every good deed that Prometheus does for humans backfires, and
humans have to live henceforth in a worse condition than they did before. When he tries to
trick Zeus with the offerings, Zeus takes the fire away and when Prometheus steals the fire,
12

Zeus sends Pandora to the people. Prometheus gives in to his impulses and does not go
through an initiation process like Hermes does. Prometheus, the benefactor of mankind,
lacks self-interest and playfulness. Hermes has both when he discovers fire and sacrifice
before Prometheus did without, however, bothering about mankind (Radin 1988: 181).
What sets Hermes apart from some other tricksters like Prometheus or Coyote and makes
him a trickster par excellence is the fact that he does not give into his craving for meat, but
rather resists the urge to eat. In so doing, he elevates himself to the position of a god. He
changes the factual food for the spiritual offerings that he will receive as a god. Before
him, the Greek pantheon consisted of only eleven gods and the cosmos was complete. Zeus
had no intentions of presenting his offspring to the other gods or making him one of them,
because he wanted his escapade with Maia to remain hidden. But he nonetheless makes his
son his most trusted emissary. Apollo, of whom Eliade says that his main traits are not the
ones that later on became known under the term apollonic, but is rather often blinded by
madness and especially revenge, nevertheless forgives his younger brother and befriends
him. Even Hera likes Hermes, although her usual inclination towards her husbands
illegitimate children is not a very positive one.
Looking at all his characteristics, one cannot blame the Scandinavians for taking Hermes
as the model for their all-father Odin and neither can one be surprised that Hermes was the
only god from the Greek pantheon to survive until the seventeenth century. In Roman
Mythology, Hermes was known as Mercury, and Carl Gustav Jung said that:
A curious combination of typical trickster motifs can be found in the alchemical
figure of Mercurius; for instance, his fondness for sly jokes and malicious pranks, his
powers as a shape-shifter, his dual nature, half animal, half divine, his exposure to all
kinds of tortures, and last but not least his approximation of the figure of a
saviour. (Jung 1988: 195)

13

2.4

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

In the appendix I included a story about how Loki cuts off Sifs hair. 4 My version of the
story is a combination of two of the more modern interpretations of this old myth. It is a
combination of the book Loki: Nine Naughty Tales of the Trickster by Mike Vasich and a
brilliantly entertaining novel by the incredible Joanne Harris, The Gospel of Loki. In the
older versions of the myth, Lokis cutting of Sifs hair has nothing to do with her infidelity,
although Loki does imply their relationship in Lokasenna, the poem of Lokis flyting.
Most of what we know about the Norse or Scandinavian mythology comes from two Eddas
the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda. Poetic Edda, also known as the Elder Edda, is a
collection of Old Norse poems composed by various unknown authors and was compiled
in Iceland around the thirteenth century. Prose Edda was also written at the same time in
Iceland, but was the work of an Icelandic scholar and historian Snorri Sturluson. The
obscurity and difficulty [of the text] is such that only the devoted labour of many
philologists has made them available (Tolkien 2009: 16). A major part in the myths is
played by Loki, who is introduced in the poem Lokasenna as the stirrer-up of mischief
among the gods (Davidson 1984: 100). Lokasenna is the poem in Poetic Edda where Loki
taunts all the assembled gods, calling them names and talking such filth about them that
Thor has to end it by threatening him: I will thy head from thy neck strike; then will thy
life be ended (Splet 3).
Like all other tricksters, Loki is a liminal being, living between two worlds. Although he
sits among the gods of the Asgard and loves to fight with them against the giants of
Jotunheim, he is bound to other creatures as well. He is the offspring of a giant and often
does everything in his power to hurt the gods. His council to the gods is as often good as it
is bad. Although he is mentioned as one of the Aesir, the gods of the Norse mythology, we
cannot say for certain whether he was counted as one of the gods or not, since there are no
cults connected with him and no temples were erected in his honour. As a true trickster, his
appetites are prodigious and on one journey, he consumes vast quantities of food in an
eating contest. He is swift of feet like Iktomi and wears shoes that can take him across air
and water, just like Hermes.

See appendix page iv.

14

Loki always stirs up trouble in Asgard, but is usually the one who repairs the damage that
is done. More than others, he has the kind of wisdom known as cunning, and is
treacherous in all matters. He constantly places the gods in difficulties and often solves
their problems with guile (Sturluson 2005: 66). He is the one who lures Thor into the
Giantland without his hammer and kidnaps Idunn, but is also the one who helps Thor
recover his hammer on another occasion and brings Idunn back to Asgard. In most cases he
makes atonement for his wicked deeds, e.g. when he cuts off Sifs hair and in return brings
back gifts not only for Sif, but for some other major gods as well.
In a book about the Norse mythology the author Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson says about
Loki: The main characteristic of Loki in these stories is not only his ability as a thief,
thought by some scholars to be a very early feature of Northern mythology, but also the
strange ambiguity of his attitude towards the gods (Davidson 1984: 101).
His ambiguity is also at the heart of the introduction to Prose Edda, where the
commentator Jesse L. Byock states: Lokis position is ambiguous. He is frequently an
antagonist of the gods, but he is also one of the gods main helpers and strangely connected
to Odin (Byock 2005: 18).
At first we have to understand that the Scandinavian gods Aesir were not like the Greek or
Roman gods, in that they rarely quarrelled among themselves over control of humans or
heroes. Another distinction is that they are constantly in danger of being thrown back into
chaos. Unlike the classical mythologies, the Scandinavian mythology is eschatological, in
constant anticipation of the end of the world, called Ragnarok. On the judgment day,
flames of Surt the fire giant will consume all the nine worlds and Loki will play a major
part in this, just like he does in most of the other myths; the Scandinavian myths in fact
mostly know only three major catalysts Odin, the All-father, Thor and Loki.
Loki is the trickster-like figure, who represents chaos and disorder, whereas the other gods
represent the orderly cosmos. In the aforementioned book by Joanne Harris, the Paradise
Lost of Norse mythology, where the trickster is made the hero and all his deeds are shown
through his point of view, the author makes him an offspring and the personification of
chaos. He is of course also the one that will in the end be responsible for the coming of
chaos, but as I already pointed out in the introduction to the trickster myth, Loki does not
really have a choice in the matter. If order is to exist it has to have some kind of chaos to
balance it and this disorder is the trickster. Loki was always the one who disrupted the
15

order of the gods in some way or another and crossed the boundaries of propriety, but he
was also always the one who somehow repaired the damage he has done. But when Baldr,
the beautiful son of Odin and Frigg, the god of purity and light, starts having bad dreams,
Frigg wants to protect him, by eliciting a promise from every element, animate or
inanimate, not to hurt her son. In other words, she wants to close the boundary between the
gods and death banish all chaos out of order. So Loki disguises himself into an old
woman and gets Frigg to admit to him that she did not make the mistletoe, a plant so young
that it could not harm anybody, swear not to hurt Baldr. Loki collected this plant and made
an arrow out of it. When all the gods were sure that nothing could hurt Baldr they
experimented by throwing different things at him. Hodr, Baldrs blind brother was the only
one who did not participate in this exercise, until Loki came to him, gave him an arrow and
pointed him to where Baldr was standing. What Hodr did not realize was that Loki had
given him an arrow made of mistletoe and so he shot his brother dead. Later on Loki also
made sure that Baldr stayed dead through another ruse.
Lewis Hyde explains that Baldr is the irremediable mediocrity of the present age, and
must be killed if there is to be any change for the better (Hyde 2010: 107). When
anthropologists and other scientists or historians tell of this tale, they often say that Loki
made Hodr kill Baldr just for fun or because he did not like to hear of someone elses
fortune. But if we look at it from the chaos versus order point of view, Loki had no other
chance but to try to stop Frigg. The gods soon found out that Loki was responsible for what
had occurred and after another incident, described in Lokasenna Loki had to flee Asgard
and tried to escape his pursuers by going through a series of transformations. Before the
gods catch him, Loki lives alone in a hut in the mountains, where he invents a fish trap,
completing his role as a trickster by becoming a culture hero as well. Thor later uses this
fish trap in order to catch Loki. The Aesir and Vanir bind Loki to a rock, using his sons
entrails and put a snake above his head, to drip venom on his face for eternity. When the
Aesir imprison Loki, they completely disrupt the all-important balance between order and
disorder. In fact, the tale about gods binding Loki is always followed by the prophecy of
Ragnarok, the doom of the gods. There is no one left to challenge the cosmos of the gods
no one to disrupt the order of the Aesir, and this makes the world a sterile place. The
fruitful world slowly goes into decay and it must wait for Loki to return and bring with him
the end of the universe the Ragnarok. With Ragnarok, however, when all is consumed by
fire, the world gets to be reborn and as Eliade points out, the new world will be better and
16

devoid of all grief (Eliade 1996b: 105). So it is that Trickster recreates our world, but he
must first destroy it. He is constantly in the process of taking us back to our origins,
destroying what we have, than rebuilding it. We are ever involved in the ritualistic process,
the creative moment, because of Trickster (Scheub 2013: 38).

17

2.5

AFRICAN MYTHOLOGY
Anansi the Spider is the trickster figure of the Ashanti and other tribes of the Akan
cultural group. He has a knack for finding the weaknesses of other creatures and
using them to his own advantage. He generally used this talent to create mischief and
mayhem. But in one story, he uses it to bring a wonderful gift to mankind. (Jacobs
Altman 2011: 79)

The story in question is summarized in the appendix and tells how Anansi the trickster got
all the stories from the Sky God.5 African mythology is more like the Native American
tales than the classical or Scandinavian mythologies in that the spirits or gods are often
represented by animals. Fables about the cunning and deceitful feats of Hare or Spider
were told all across Africa, called by various names according to the language of the
people. These anecdotes were taken by the slaves to the new world and became known as
the stories of the Brer Rabbit in the Uncle Remus cycle, or the tales about Aunt Nancy. In
the tropical regions of Africa there are no rabbits, so the cunning creature was the hare,
which had to rely on its speed and cleverness in order to survive, whereas in the forest
region this cunning trickster character was attributed to the spider.
In West Africa this spider is called Anansi and is the cleverest of all animals and
sometimes the chief official of the god. A spider is a weak and frail animal, but
nevertheless plays the role of a creature that overcomes the more powerful beasts.
Whenever, on the other hand, he goes beyond his abilities, he gets caught and is severely
punished for his folly. Anansi the spider is one of the more important characters in the
West African folklore. His stories are made up of exclusively oral tradition and probably
originate from the Ashanti region of Ghana. From there the stories travelled to other
regions and even came to the new world in the form of tales about Aunt Nancy. Anansi is
mostly seen in the shape of a spider, but he can also take the form of a man. He is wise and
cunning and often plays tricks on the other gods or humans. Besides Iktomi the Spider, he
is probably most similar to the Hare tales in Native American folklore, since a spider is
very frail, but fast and resourceful. Like Hermes, Coyote and Loki, he acts out the will of
the chief god, who is sometimes also his father. In this role Anansi often helps people by

See appendix page v.

18

sending rain and putting out fires. In some myths, he is also the creator of the sun and the
moon, making him even more like other tricksters.
But Anansi is not the sole trickster in African mythology. Like most races on our planet,
Africans have numerous religious beliefs. With the philosophical beliefs they try to
understand the perpetual questions of origin and purpose of life. These questions are
usually associated with mythology, parables and folklore. African mythologies express joy
in life and are affirming in its belief that life on earth can be good, sex is to be enjoyed and
children are the gift of gods.
First there was the creator, whose name differs from region to region, but is in most
resources called Mawu. To each of the other gods Mawu gave a special language and these
languages are used by the priests, oracles and mediums of the gods in their songs and
between rituals. There was only one god who gained the knowledge of all the different
languages that are spoken by other gods, and his name is Eshu. The Fon have a similar
belief for the trickster god named Legba. Eshu or Legba is the most prominent trickster
figure in all African mythology and has due to its language skills become the intermediary
between the gods themselves and also between humans and other divinities. Clyde W. Ford
says that Eshu is a complex figure, whose principal association is as a messenger between
the gods and humanity (Ford 2010: 155).
Eshu is both a messenger and a guardian of human beings. [...] But he has an
unpredictable character, and is often violent or crafty, and he may express the anger
of the gods at human wrongdoing. Eshu is very powerful and only the Supreme Deity
can curb his might. (Parrinder 1984: 87)
Like all great tricksters, Eshu is the contradictor and the mediator between the opposing
forces of life. As I shall explain in one of the later chapters, he was responsible for pushing
the gods away from the earth and thus created the boundary between the humans and the
gods. He consequentially became the mediator between them and by negotiating between
these opposing forces he creates the necessary balance between order and chaos. We can
therefore understand the complexity of this character as the deliverer of wisdom from the
great divinities to the people, but also as the humans response with certain offerings. Like
Hermes and Prometheus, Eshu is the inventor of sacrifice, since he was the one who told
humans that they should make offerings to the gods in order to please them. Furthermore,
he is the bringer of luck and commerce; the one who bestows good fortune in trade and
19

elsewhere. Paying attention to Eshu can significantly affect ones luck. For the wisdom of
the gods is an esoteric elixir, and the seeker of such knowledge must have a guide to its
source; Eshu is that guide (Ford 2010: 156).

20

2.6

TRICKSTERS APPETITE

As I already mentioned on several occasions, tricksters are mostly driven by their

appetites. The trickster is always hungry and always wants to steal somebodys food. The
most notable examples of the tricksters gluttony are recorded in the tales about Coyote or
in some other folktales of Native American tricksters, like the Raven in the story about
tricksters appetite that I included in the appendix. One time Wadjunkaga told some animal
women that he would take care of their children while they go and pick some fruits. When
the women went out of sight, he killed the children and ate them. In one of the previous
chapters I told the tale of how Iktomi caught a bunch of ducks through his cunning and in
one of the following chapters I shall discuss a story about Wadjunkaga, who became a
woman in order to keep himself fed through the winter. Actually most of the Native
American folktales are about how a trickster acquires something or is given something
valuable on a specific condition and how he always loses this asset because he does not
abide to the rules due to his gluttony. The object usually becomes invaluable or dies. The
Raven, once told the Native American people that they would be able to catch a lot of
game if they promised to leave the guts for him. We have to understand that ravens and
coyotes are both scavengers and therefore eat the guts of the carcasses. By eating the
organs of appetite they become the instruments of it. I included a story about how the
Raven acquired his insatiable hunger in the appendix. 6 The Coyote however changes his
fate. As mentioned before, by the end of the Winnebago trickster cycle, Wadjunkaga by
mistake ate his own intestines, and according to Paul Radins interpretation of the story,
thus achieved control over his hunger. By eating his own organs of appetite he got to
control it.
In almost every mythology that involves a trickster, we have at least one precedent of how
tricksters hunger drives him to cunning and sometimes mischievous acts. When Krishna,
the eight incarnation of Vishnu, was still just a baby, he stole some butter from his
mothers jar, although she told him he is not to touch it. After she chided him, he told her
that there were ants in the butter and he had to get the ants out. In Norse mythology Loki,
Thor and two of their companions came to the court of a giant king, who tricked them into
a competition against forces they had no chance of overcoming. Thor tried to prevail
against his opponents with his brute strength and one of the companions wanted to win in

See appendix page vi.

21

an athletic endeavour, whereas Loki went up against his foe in an eating contest. The story
tells how Loki ate all the meat that was placed before him and only left the bones, but it
was not enough, for he did not know that his opponent was wildfire. He was very hungry
and he ate quickly. But the one called Logi was wildfire itself, and he burned the bone
trough no less quickly than the meat (Sturluson 2005: 89). The Greek titan Prometheus
tried to acquire the best parts of animals for humans and for himself by tricking Zeus, only
to realize later on that his plan backfired.
Lewis Hyde says: The stories we've seen have a hierarchy: at the lower levels, trickster is
bound by appetite [...] at the higher levels, he is either freed from appetite or given an
appetite for more ethereal foods. Moreover, trickster walks the path between high and low
(Hyde 2010: 6).
Tricksters at the lower level are the ones who do not achieve the control over their hunger
and the best examples are Raven or Prometheus, whereas Coyote and Hermes represent the
other side of the coin. The Homeric Hymn to Hermes says that when Hermes made the
lyre, he went to look for Apollos cattle, because he was craving for meat (Hesiod 2005:
iv). Hermes, however, did not act as the other trickster's might. He did not devour all of the
Apollo's cattle, as Coyote probably would have, but only slaughtered two. Furthermore, he
did not eat these two cows, but made an offering to the twelve gods of Olympus. The
writer of the Hymn knew how important this moment was for Hermes, for he elaborates on
his hankering for the sacrifice on one more occasion and tells how he was not swayed by
its smell.
Hermes does not give in to his hunger, but instead controls his glutinous impulses and by
denying himself the food, he obtains for himself a position among the great gods of
Olympus. This sacrifice is mostly made possible through his ambition. As I said in the
chapter about Greek mythology, his mother chided Hermes for stealing Apollos cattle, but
he responded to her rebuke by telling her that he has no intention of spending the rest of his
life in a cave, far away from his rightful place among the gods. Lewis Hyde proposes that
like Coyote, who discovers a trap and digs it up, Hermes also slips the trap of appetite and
is exalted for it. Hermes is still a trickster and does not give up eating food altogether, but
just postpones it in hope of a much greater food of sacrifices that he will receive as a god.

22

2.7

SEX AND GENDER

On one of his endless wanderings Wadjunkaga woke up without a blanket and when he
looked up, high above him noticed a flag floating in the air. He thought that the tribe from
a nearby village unfurled their banner and that there is going to be a feast somewhere soon.
A few moments later he realized that it was not a banner, but his blanket that was floating
on his erect penis. During the night his penis had become stiff and his blanket was forced
up. He did not know why this happened, but he told his penis: My younger brother, you
will lose the blanket, so bring it back (Radin 1988: 18). Then Wadjunkaga took care of
the problem, coiled his penis up and put it in a box. After this incident the trickster came to
a lake and noticed the chiefs daughter bathing there with some of her friends. He told his
penis to go across the water and have intercourse with the chiefs daughter, but soon
realized that if it floats on water, the women might notice it, so he called it back. He then
attached some rocks to it and sent it across the water again, only to call it back, because it
was too heavy. After a few more attempts he managed to weight it down with just the right
weight and sent it across the water again. When the other women noticed that something
was happening to their friend, they went to get an old woman, who told them that the
chiefs daughter is having intercourse with the trickster, the First-born. She then took an
awl and while singing a song, hit the penis a number of times with it, until it was jerked
out. The trickster laughed at her from across the lake and accused her of spoiling all the
pleasure.
Tricksters lust or his appetite for sex is sometimes even greater than his yearning for food.
This condition is best shown by his overly emphasized sexual organ. As I already
elaborated on a few occasions, Coyote or Wadjunkaga carried his coiled penis in a box on
his back, because it was too big to have it attached to his body. The sexual exploits of
Iktomi and the Raven are well known in the Native American folklore, as are the cunning
lusty deeds of Eshu and Legba in Africa. Eshu is known as the god of messages, sex and
deceit. Legba is especially known for his iron erection. Another example is Hermes, who
was often depicted as phallus alone, or by an ithyphallic herm, the erect phallus as a pillar
bearing his head. We can also read about the statues of Hermes with an erect phallus in
the Histories of Herodotus (Herodotus 2014: 101). In The Gods of the Greeks, his portrayal
of Greek mythology, Kroly Kernyi has this to say about the herms:

23

The religious images erected to him were either in the Cyllenian style, in which
the image was a phallus of wood or stone, or else in that related sly in which the
image was a rectangular pillar with a head and an erect phallus an image which in
our language is called a herma. (Radin 1989: 51)
In the light of all the tricksters sexual exploits we have to understand that tricksters are
almost always male. This might be due to the fact that these myths belonged
predominantly to patriarchal mythologies; but even in matriarchal settings this character
would be acted out mostly by a male figure. Undoubtedly there are certain female trickster
figures that confirm the rule, but can hardly be called tricksters per se. They are trickster
figures, who have pulled off a gimmick, a fraud or a ruse in order to achieve something,
but most of them have only an episode or two in the tricking business and not an
elaborated career of trickery like the male tricksters do. We have Inana, the ancient
Sumerian goddess, Baubo, the servant who makes Demeter laugh in spite of her grief,
Aunt Nancy of American Folklore, who is a mere female transformation of Anansi, etc.
Many speculations have been made about why the tricksters are mostly male, but the most
probable one revolves around the lustful life of the tricksters. Before the elaborate birth
control, a woman could not live the opportunistic sexual life of a trickster without
conceiving a child sooner or later, so such life had to be ascribed to the male gender.
It is often said that tricksters are not entirely male, but androgynous creatures, or at least
have undetermined sexuality. Lewis Hyde argues that the tricksters themselves are not
androgynous beings, but nevertheless sometimes briefly take on the female form. In either
case, tricksters are undeniably at least in part associated with the opposite sex as well. The
great mythologist Mircea Eliade claims that the very first beings that emerged from chaos
were often androgynous (prim. Eliade 1996). As I argued in the introductory chapter, the
trickster is some kind of residue from the primal chaos and its agent in maintaining the
balance of order and disorder. It is therefore almost inevitable for him not to obtain some
of these androgynous characteristics. With the condition of his inordinate phallicism the
trickster cannot limit himself to one sex alone and must accordingly maintain both gender
tendencies at least to some extent.
The Native American trickster once makes a vulva for himself out of an elks liver, just so
he can marry a chief's son and become a part of a village, where he knows they have food
in abundance. He even bears his new husband three children and lives among the villagers
24

as a woman until his vulva falls off and he has to escape. Coyote only discovers his proper
sexuality when his penis is chewed off by a squirrel and he attaches what is left of it on the
appropriate place.
Loki is also quite renowned for his extramarital exploits, which would not be very
uncommon for a pagan deity, if it were not for the episode where Loki changes himself
into a mare so as to distract a big stallion. The stallion was helping a giant build Valhalla,
the hall of Odin, and since Loki does not quite manage to escape the stallion after he
diverts his attention, he comes back to Asgard sometime later with an eight-legged colt
named Sleipnir.
We cannot say the same about Hermes. According to the information I found he never
changed his sex or was confused about his sexuality. He was mostly depicted as a young
man of athletic built or was portrayed as a phallus alone. But the fact that Hermaphrodite,
the offspring of Aphrodite and Hermes is androgynous cannot be a mere coincidence.
Neither is Hermess other son Pan the greatly sexed phallic god, who was the constant
companion of the nymphs. Besides the Homeric Hymn to Hermes, Kroly Kernyi in The
Gods of the Greeks presents another myth about the birth of this divine messenger. He
asserts that in one of the myths there existed a certain phallic god, who was both son and
father to Hermes. Kernyi states: When Hermes was regarded as the father, then this other
was the son, and vice versa. This relation between the two exactly corresponded the
relation between the Great Mother and her male partner, whom she bore, took to husband
and bore again (Kernyi 1989: 175).
The author proposes this god might as well be Priapos, for whom it was claimed that he
was none other than the Hermaphroditus.
Inanna, the great Sumerian goddess of fertility, love and warfare descended to the
underworld in order to challenge her sister Ereshkigal. She knew that for those who went
to the underworld there was to be no return and so she ordered her loyal servant Ninshubur
to plead with the other gods to help her if anything went amiss. When she came to the
underworld, she was stripped of her clothes and all her powers and seemingly killed.
Ninshubur pleaded with the gods to help her mistress, but none of them dared to go against
the goddess of the underworld. At last Ninshubur went to Enki, the god that helped
Utnapishtin survive the flood. Enki was known among the gods for his wisdom and
cunning, and although he was not a trickster per se, since he was too much involved in the
25

pantheon, he had most of the trickster's characteristics. Enki at once came up with a
cunning plan, made two beings of no gender and gave them the food and water of life.
These two saved Inanna from the underworld and brought her back to life, not unlike
Hermes, who went to Hades in order to rescue Persephone. Male-female gods are not
uncommon in the world of myth. They emerge always with a certain mystery; for they
conduct the mind beyond objective experience into a symbolic realm where duality is left
behind (Campbell 2008: 176).
So it cannot be a mere by-product of accidents that tricksters in all mythologies are at least
in one way associated with the underworld. Underworld or the land of the dead was always
closed to everyone even to the gods. In order to access this land or even steal something
from it, the gods needed someone of immense power and great cunning; someone who
lives on the borders and knows how to cross and disrupt the boundaries that no one else
can. They needed a trickster. In a study about the trickster in West Africa, Robert D. Pelton
writes about the importance of the tricksters phallus in these words:
It is Legbas penis which symbolizes, both ordinarily and most ceremoniously, the
bond between the divine and the human worlds. He is a living copula, and his phallus
symbolizes his being, the limen marking the real distinction between outside and
inside, the wild and the ordered, even as it ensures safe passage between them.
(Pelton 1989: 108)
But before we talk about the tricksters role as a boundary crosser, we have to understand
him as the character that lives at the crossroads and is always on the road.

26

2.8

ON THE ROAD

People used to have a special place where they could worship the gods and some of these
places still exist, while some have been transformed to offer a home to another god or they
were reconstructed to serve some other purpose. Mircea Eliade calls the holiest of places
an axis mundi a centre of any microcosm or even the centre of macrocosm. Axis mundi
for Mircea Eliade is the connection point between heaven and earth. It can be a mountain, a
tree, a church, a temple an obelisk or some other sanctuary. Temples all around the world
were usually associated with a special deity and every god had his or her own home to
which they could return to. Unlike the other gods tricksters are usually not identified with
any certain place, except for a road, a crossroad or a threshold. Some tricksters do have a
wife and a home to return to, but most tricksters are endless wanderers or messengers
living perpetually on the road. Nearly every story about Wadjunkaga starts with he
wandered aimlessly about the world (Radin 1988: 13), as he continued his aimless
wandering (Radin 1988: 38) or some similar expression. Trickster is a traveller and in
some cases the protector of other travellers. In West Africa, especially with Yaruba tribes,
all sacrifices that are left outside or at the roadside belong to Eshu, the intermediary
between the high and the low. Similarly, the sacrifices for Hermes, the Greek messenger of
the gods were left at the crossroads. Another way to seek protection of Hermes was to pile
a cairn of stones by the road or erect a herma, a stone pillar with a head on top, at a
crossroad. In The Gift, Lewis Hyde says that Hermes is the God of the Roads, identified
not with any home or hearth or mountain but with the traveller on the highway [...] [He]
wants everything to be on the road: travellers, money, and merchandise (Hyde 2006: 602).
The way of the road is in his nature. In the Iliad Hermes is often referred to as the guide
and when Zeus needs someone to escort Priamus to Achiless camp, he calls Hermes and
tells him, for it is you who are the most disposed to escort men on their way (Splet 4).
The swiftness of Hermes is acknowledged in numerous other sources as well. In Odyssey
Homer says that Hermes forthwith he bound on his glittering golden sandals with which
he could fly like the wind over land and sea (Splet 5). In the Aeneid Vergil writes that
Mercury with golden pinions binds his flying feet, and mounts the western winds (Splet
6).
His alacrity is also one of the reasons why Hermes becomes the messenger of the gods.
Eshu and Hermes are both messengers and live on the road, so their food has to be left for
them on the road. An emissary has to be swift on his feet and what feet are quicker than the
27

ones with wings on their sandals. Loki, the Norse trickster was not a messenger per se, but
he did have to go on various errands for Odin and like Hermes, he had special shoes that
helped him on the way. Loki is also known as a lightfooted (Tolkien 2009: 66) or
Lightshod Loki (Tolkien 2009: 68) and is always seen travelling at the left side of Odin
on his endless wanderings. Loki is also the one who accompanies Thor on most of his
journeys and although he lives in Asgard, he is rarely there.
The next extract from Trickster Makes this World by Lewis Hyde is a good representation
of the tricksters road and an appropriate envoi for the following chapter:
The road that trickster travels is a spirit road as well as a road in fact. He is the adept
who can move between heaven and earth, and between the living and dead. As such,
he is sometimes a messenger of the gods and sometimes the guide of souls, carrying
the dead into the underworld or opening the tomb to release them when they must
walk among us. Sometimes it happens that the road between heaven and earth is not
open, whereupon trickster travels not as a messenger but as a thief, the one who
steals from the gods the good things that humans need if they are to survive in this
world. (Hyde 2010: 6)

28

2.9

MAKING AND CROSSING THE BOUNDARIES

Few if any African peoples have been without belief in the supreme creator (Parrinder
1984: 13). This creator lived on earth with a spirit called Legba, who only acted according
to the orders of the creator. Very often Legba had to do harmful deeds for this god, but
people only blamed Legba for them and very soon they started hating him. He never
received credit for the good things that he had done, because those deeds were attributed to
the creator. Legba grew tired of this encumbering relationship and brought his problem
before the creator, who only replied that it is as it should be, since the ruler should be
complimented for the good deeds and his servants accused of the bad ones.
This creator had a beautiful garden full of very fine yams. One day Legba came up with a
cunning plan and told the god that he has heard rumours of thieves who were planning to
steal these vegetables. God called everyone together and told them that a death penalty
awaits anyone who tries to steal the yams. During that same night Legba took the creators
sandals and went into the gardens with them. He took away all the yams and did his best to
leave as many footprints as possible. The creator was furious. He called another meeting,
intending to find the thief from the footprint. But no shoe matched. Legba finally suggested
that the god should try his sandal against the footprint as well; surprisingly it matched.
Everyone laughed at the god, who stole yams from himself. The god was so embarrassed
that he left the world and went to live in the sky. In those times the sky was very close to
the earth and Legba did not like the creator living this close to him, because he was
constantly being reprimanded for his mischief. So he persuaded an old woman to throw
dirty water into the sky every time after washing. The creator was so annoyed by this that
he decided to move even further away from the earth; gradually the sky and the god moved
away to his present distance and Legba became the spirit who dwells on the earth and
constantly travels into the sky and back as an emissary.
The cosmogonies, stories about the creation of cosmos, are in various mythologies
understood as the pushing of the sky away from the earth in order to create room enough to
live and breathe. It is mostly the story of how the boundary between the world and the
heavens or the sky was created. In our story Legba does not create this boundary because
he wants to make this world a better place for the gods or the humans, but rather pushes the
creator away for purely self-centered purposes. When Legba or even Eshu in a similar
story separates the world from heaven, he also becomes the messenger of the gods the
29

liminal being that belongs to both worlds and can consequently travel from one world to
the other and has the ability to cross the boundary between them. So trickster is not only a
boundary crosser, as is the usual line, but the one who creates the boundary as well.
In the chapter about Norse mythology, I mentioned that Loki lives among the gods,
although he does not completely belong there. Loki is not one of the Aesir or the Vanir, but
an offspring of a giant. Giants were usually depicted as the nemesis of the gods and the
peoples that Thor always fought against on his travels to Jotunheim. But in Poetic Edda
and in Prose Edda we can read about Lokis several affiliations with giants. Usually we
see him in the form of a man or some animal, but when the gods bind Loki and he is
twisting in pain, he is depicted as the giant that causes earthquakes with his writhing. With
the giantess Angrboda Loki sires three children, who will all play a major part in the
Ragnarok. When Loki steals Idunn and her apples of immortality from Asgard, he erases
the distinction between the gods and the giants, by introducing time and death to the Aesir
and immortality to the giants. But as I have already mentioned, he is also the one who
brings Idunn back and puts the boundary back in place.
In a case like that boundary creation and boundary crossing are related to one another
and the best way to describe trickster is to say simply that the boundary is where he
will be found-sometimes drawing the line, sometimes crossing it, sometimes erasing
or moving it, but always there, the god of the threshold in all its forms. (Hyde 2010:
7)
In the previous chapter I talked about trickster as a traveller, the one who resides at
crossroads and is the messenger of gods, making him also the most appropriate character
for crossing the boundaries. When Hermes wormed himself into the Greek pantheon he
permeated a circle of gods that had already been established and seemed impenetrable. He
was an outsider, who became an insider. Loki always remained an outsider among the
Aesir, but Hermes was accepted and trusted by everyone; even Hera, who utterly despised
most of Zeuss bastard children, loved Hermes. As I already mentioned, Hermes was also
the god who escorted the souls of the dead to the underworld, a psychopomp. In An
Encyclopedia of Gods and Legends from Ancient Greece and Rome, the Celts and the
Norselands, the author Arthur Cotterell explains: Hermes was the god who most easily
crossed the line between the living and the dead, for the Greeks believed that he guided the
dead to the realm of HADES, the underworld (Cotterell 2000: 49).
30

Not only does he guide the souls of the dead to the underworld, but he also rescues
Persephone from Hades. The underworld has always had only one way and that way is in.
Hades has sealed the gates of his realm and no soul may ever escape. But when Hades
kidnaps Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and the harvest goddess Demeter, the mother,
overcome with grief, starts to search for her daughter so endlessly and with such passion,
that the seasons halt entirely. The world starts to wither and the gods need Persephone back
in order to restore balance of nature, so they send Hermes, the prince of thieves, to bring
her back.
A trickster has always had this special connection with the underworld and death. Claude
Levi-Straus, the father of anthropology, implies that the Native American trickster is a
mediator between life and death. In his opinion, the opposition between life and death can
be presented in the opposition between agriculture and war or hunting. Furthermore, the
herbivorous animals are concerned with agriculture, while beasts of pray are concerned
with hunting. But Raven and Coyote, the two most popular tricksters in Native American
literature, are neither herbivorous nor beasts of prey; they are the carrion eaters. Like
beasts of prey they eat meat, but like herbivorous animals they do not catch it (Straus 1974:
224). Trickster Eshu is, like Hermes, a psychopomp and even a personification of death. In
Norse mythology, the underworld is presided over by one of Lokis scions, Hel, who shall
at Ragnarok join him in the battle against the gods with her portion of the dead. There is a
story about Coyote who was bereaved of his wife and decided to go to the land of the
shadow people to retrieve her. Like Orpheus, he was instructed not to touch his wife for
three days, which was indeed too big a task for someone as lascivious as Coyote. But
Coyote did cross the line between the dead and the living and at the end of the Winnebago
cycle Wadjunkaga becomes the lord of the underworld. When Inana was kept in the
underworld, it was the ruse of Enki, the god that has the most trickster qualities in the
Summerian mythology that rescued her from her sisters grasp.
In addition, in Greek mythology, Hypnos (sleep) and Thanatos (death) are half-brothers.
The distinction between these two has always beleaguered people from around the world,
most notably poets. It is therefore no great surprise that Hermes is the god of whom Homer
writes in his hand he held the fair golden wand with which he seals men's eyes in sleep or
wakes them just as he pleases (Splet 5). When Zeus had an affair with Io, Hera was
furious; she changed Io into a cow and set the hundred-eyed giant Argos to watch over her.

31

Although Argos never closed all his eyes at once, Hermes succeeded to lull him to sleep
with his stories and caduceus and then kill him.
In spite of all these facts, the boundary that the trickster most often crosses is that of
propriety. Trickster constantly walks on the brink of profanity and is perpetually without
shame. In the collection of stories gathered by Richard Erdoes and Alfonzo Ortiz, they
state that the trickster is a rebel against authority and the breaker of all taboos (Erdoes,
Ortiz 1984: 335). But it is through this that the trickster fulfils his role of a catalyst and the
role of a culture hero.

32

2.10 CULTURE HERO

Maui was the legendary trickster and the hero in Oceanic mythology, whose stories were
told from New Zealand to Hawaii. The story I included in the appendix is only one of the
many variations of the same tale. 7 But Maui was not the only trickster who stole fire from
the heavens or some other abode of the gods. I already mentioned Prometheus, who stole
fire from Zeus, gave it to humans and suffered greatly for his insubordination. I also tried
to elaborate on why Prometheus as a culture hero was so severely punished for his
altruistic deeds. Maui was very similar to Prometheus in this regard. As we can read in the
Sea Songs: Readers Theatre from the South Pacific by James W. Barnes, Maui has done a
number of great deeds that brought some benefits for his people. He is credited with having
pulled up the land from the ocean for men to live on. He was the one who slowed down the
sun and made the day as long as it is now. Before that, the day only lasted for a few
moments, since by the time the sun had risen it was already almost across the sky.
Although Maui is undoubtedly a trickster, since he does all his deeds through cunning and
guile, he makes the mistake of being too altruistic. Unlike other tricksters, he does most of
his deeds because he wants to help humans and not from some selfish impulse. This is
probably what brought him to an early grave, when he decided to gain immortality for
humans and died in the attempt.
According to Campbell a hero whether god or goddess, man or woman, the figure in a
myth or the dreamer of a dream, discovers and assimilates his opposite (Campbell 2008:
89). A trickster as a hero should not only be moral and altruistic, but should also be
immoral and selfish.
When he lies and steals, it isnt so much to get away with something or get rich as to
disturb the established categories of truth and property and, by so doing, open the road to
possible new worlds (Hyde 2010: 13). That is what makes the difference between the
Navajo twins, who went to visit their father the Sun and were made immortal, and Phaeton,
who did not go through the initiation and was in a similar endeavour destroyed. A similar
connection can be seen between Prometheus and Hermes, as I already mentioned in the
chapter about trickster's appetite. Hermes goes through the necessary initiation by giving
up the meat in order to receive greater glory.

See appendix page vii.

33

The tricksters story rarely ends with him playing a trick or a gimmick on someone, but
rather continues to explain how these feats are beneficial to the world or at least to
mankind. The Raven, whom we mentioned in the chapter about the tricksters appetite, is
not merely the chief's son, but also an emissary from heaven a go-between, a mediator,
who becomes a boundary crosser and a culture hero. Not only does he bring food to our
world, but also steals fire from heaven, just like Maui or Prometheus. Raven finds a hole in
the boundary between heaven and earth and flies through it. Then he changes himself into
a leaf and is swallowed by the creators daughter. She gives birth to a baby, who only stops
crying when they give him the sun to play with. He turns himself back into the Raven, flies
through a chimney, where the ashes make his feathers black, and returns to earth with the
sun in his claws. Later on the same Raven steals water from an old man Petrol, who is
hoarding all the waters from the earth in his cabin. After a clever ruse, the Raven takes the
water into his beak and flies out. The water that falls out of his beak becomes the rivers
and streams.
After Wadjunkagas penis gets chewed off by the squirrel, the trickster throws the parts of
the penis on the ground and from these pieces people got potatoes, artichokes, turnips,
ground-beans, rice, etc. Later on, at the end of the cycle, when Wadjunkaga grows out of
his infantile impulses, he becomes the hero and destroys the monsters that were
endangering humans.
As we can read in the collection of American Indian Myths and Legends, in one tale the old
man Coyote takes on a mysterious role of the creator and completely abandons his buffoon
ways for the moment. Old man Coyote was alone and was surrounded by water and so he
decided to make the earth, animals and finally people. But he made them all male at first
and the world was boring, so he decided to make females as well. He then encountered
another Coyote, called Cirape and the younger Coyote told the old man Coyote that he
does not know where he came from, but that he always just existed. Later on the old man
Coyote invented a few new animals ex nihilo, by pronouncing their names. Cirape told his
older brother that he should make living more bearable for humans, by giving them some
tools and tipis and fire, but he also suggested that people should have bows and spears and
should constantly be engaged in war. In another story, Coyote is a very incompetent
animal, but brings moon and sun to the world through his curiosity and mischief, quite by
mistake.

34

Every trickster fulfils the role of a culture hero in one way or another. In some tales, for
example, trickster is credited with giving humans fire, language, hunting skills,
lovemaking, and the creative arts [...] but in others hes the one who brings us hunger,
disease, painful childbirth, and death (Datlow, Windling 2009: 7).
Sometimes he brings culture, sometimes food, sometimes light and sometimes rain; at
other times, he makes sure that people do not live forever and that the world is full of wars.
Sometimes the trickster plays a fool and a culture hero at the same time. A good example is
Loki, who is responsible for creating a fish trap and in the end gets caught in it, making
him the predator and the prey at the same time; a hero and a fool with the same invention.

35

2.11 PRINCE OF THIEVES

There used to live a famous Wasichu trader, who was known for his cunning and trickery.
This man boasted that he could best any living being in trickery. People told him that
Coyote was probably better than him and the man decided to look for this Coyote. He
found him and challenged him to a duel. Coyote informed him that he would love to
participate but has unfortunately left his cheating medicine at home. The trader told him
that he will wait while Coyote procures his medicine and Coyote replied that his home is
far away, but that he could get there and back again faster, if he had the traders horse. The
Wasichu agreed to give Coyote the horse. Coyote went on to argue that he is not a good
rider and that the horse does not know him, but that he could do the feat if the trader lent
him his clothes as well. The Wasichu reluctantly agreed and before he realized that he has
already lost, Coyote was far away with the mans horse and his clothes.
All of the tricksters abilities, his cunning, his amorality, his speed, his ability to cross
boundaries, his sexual endeavours, his duality, his infantile and psychopathic impulses etc.
point to his role as a thief. His thieving is not the tricksters most prominent feature;
neither is it the most important one when it comes to the life as we know it today. But it
does in a way encompass everything we told about him. In the appendix I included a story
about how Maui stole fire and brought it to his people. 8 Besides stealing fire, Maui is
known for his thieving among his brothers and that is why they do not want to go fishing
with him, since he is not a good fisherman and always secures his brothers catch for
himself. Prometheus is also a thief when he steals fire from Zeus and so is the Raven
when he steals the light and the water. Loki is undoubtedly a thief, since he kidnaps Idunn
from Asgard and later steals her from the giant. Eshu steals the valuables from people who
ask him to guard them and then gives them away.
When trickster is a thief, he is not some crook who steals and keeps the wealth for himself,
but is rather a generous Robin Hood-like character. As the protector of thieves, Hermes is
probably the most famous thief among all the tricksters. His legends are full of larceny; he
steals his brothers cattle with expert cunning, swipes his bow and arrows, takes
Persephone from Hades etc. As we already mentioned, people used to leave offerings for
Hermes on the crossroads and as Kroly Kernyi said, these offerings became windfalls

See appendix page vii.

36

for hungry travellers who stole them from the God in his own spirit, just as he would
have done (Kernyi 1996: 59). What other god would let his offerings be stolen by weary
travellers? Lewis Hyde says that the Greek version of It fell of a truck is I found it at
the crossroads.
But in order to be a good thief, a trickster has to have a great number of abilities. He has to
be fast and cunning, he has to be able to tell believable lies, cross boundaries and it does
not hurt if he is a shape shifter as well. Tricksters are well known for their ability to
transform their bodies into something else. Wadjunkaga became a woman, Loki changed
himself into a raven, a flea, a horse etc., the Raven became a leaf, Hermes constantly
disguised himself, Iktomi and Anansi could be a man or a spider, while Maui is a wellknown shape shifter.
Being amoral, a trickster can lie with ease and is sometimes even credited with the
invention of a lie, making it even easier to connect him with Satan. When the world was
created Coyote laughed although he was told not to. He immediately denied laughing and
in this way invented lying. But the deceptive language of a trickster often proves to be the
truth at the end. When Hermes said to Apollo that he did not steal his cattle, he was lying,
but by the end of the tale, Hermes became the shepherd of the cows and his lie turned into
truth. He spoke in a way that confused the distinction of lying and sincerity.

37

2.12 TRICKSTER IN REAL LIFE

With the rise of Christianity, the spirit of trickster as it exists in the pagan mythologies has
to be vanquished for the Christians absolutist theology to properly flourish. The role of the
trickster had to be altered in order for him to become the unconditional evil. Pagan world
had no problem picturing Apollo or Zeus in friendship with Hermes, whereas the
friendship of the Devil and Yahweh is unimaginable. The Yaruba clans of West Africa tell
how the missionaries taught them that Eshu is the devil and similar stories were told about
Legba and Wadjunkaga. Odysseus, who was full of cunning, a master of lying and deceit,
was one of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology, but is in the Divine Comedy placed
near the very bottom of hell.
The influence of Christianity on the trickster figure is probably most notable in Loki, who
is always portrayed as one of the most malicious of all the tricksters. This is due to the fact
that Prose Edda, the most reliable source of Norse mythology, was written in Iceland after
most of the country had already been converted to Christianity. Unlike the Norwegians,
who fought for their beliefs against Christianity, the Icelanders peacefully accepted the
new religion and although the old forms of worship faded within a few decades, the
Icelanders still valued the stories of the pagan tradition as cultural heritage. The author
Snorri Sturluson was undoubtedly a Christian, so he portrayed the gods of Asgard as
mostly benevolent and Loki as the the foe of the gods [] the author of woes, the sly god,
the one who slanders and betrays the gods (Sturluson 2005: 140).
Although all the roles of the trickster vanished in the half forgotten lore, the spirit of
trickster still presides all around us and especially in us. Even in the Catholic-dominated
middle ages there were some ecclesiastical customs that were based on the ancient
saturnalias and were in some regions called the Fools holiday. It was full of profanities,
and even the priests and clerics often joined in the madness. These pagan festivals
encompassed many of the trickster traits and it required considerable effort of the church to
free the world of them.
But tricksters spirit still lives in our everyday lives. Carl Gustav Jung says: The so-called
civilized man has forgotten the trickster. He remembers him only figuratively and
metaphorically, when, irritated by his own ineptitude, he speaks of fate playing tricks on
him or of things being bewitched (Jung 2011: 147).

38

Like war is the driving force of progress, sexuality is the great hidden motivator of men
and women, and Eshu is intent on uncovering and exposing our relationship to this
dynamic life force (Ford 2010: 159). Trickster is what the best-behaved and most
circumspect person may secretly wish to be (Erdoes, Ortiz 1984: 38).
He not only represents some primordial creativity from our earlier days, but he
reminds us that such celebration of life goes on today, and he calls us to join him in
the frenzy. In an ordered world of objects and labels, he represents the potency of
nothingness, of chaos, of freedom-a nothingness that makes something of itself.
(Erdoes, Ortiz 1984: 335)
The trickster lives in every one of us. He lives on the border between the sacred and the
profane. He lures us into braking taboos. He causes us to forget our laws of propriety and
seeks to plunge into indecency. But by doing this, he keeps us alive. The darkness and the
evil have not gone up in smoke, they have merely withdrawn into the unconscious owing
to loss of energy, where they remain unconscious so long as all is well with the conscious
(Radin 1988: 205). Trickster is a clear manifestation of human consciousness. And if we
try to get rid of him or consciously try to bind him in our subconscious, he will, like Loki,
one day get freed of his chains and wreak havoc in our mind.

39

3 VARLJIVEC IN NEIL GAIMAN

3.1

MED SVETOVI

Nekega dne me je prijatelj vpraal, zakaj po mojem mnenju ljudje v dananjem asu tako
radi berejo fantazijske romane, in eprav nisem imel vnaprej pripravljenega odgovora, saj
moja strast do fantazijske literature ni bila nikoli pod vpraajem, sva skupaj kaj hitro prila
do sklepa, da je odgovor verjetno v pomanjkanju mitov v vsakdanjem ivljenju dananjega
loveka. Ljudje so e od nekdaj verovali v razline bogove, gojili raznolike obiaje in
iveli svoja ivljenja glede na to, kar so jim razodeli njihovi bogovi. Aristotel pravi, da so
ljudje tako sedaj kakor tudi sprva [] zaeli gojiti modrost po zaslugi udenja
(Aristoteles 1999: 9). Lahko bi rekli, da Armstrongova Aristotela dopolnjuje, ko zapie:
Domiljija je sposobnost, iz katere izvirata religija in mit (Armstrong 2005: 9). Kernyi
v komentarju h knjigi Paula Radina pravi, da je moral do dvajsetega stoletja vsak bog do
neke mere iztroiti, ne glede na to, kako moni in zvesti so njegovi privrenci, saj je
njihova religija in kultura e toliko asa v arhainem stanju (Kernyi 1988: 177). V
dananjem asu smo se torej ljudje zaradi napredka znanosti in filozofije nehali uditi
vsakdanjim zadevam, ki jih lahko brez teav razloimo s pomojo tehnologije. H. P.
Lovecraft, eden zaetnikov fantazijske literature in gotskega ter grozljivega romana, je v
eseju Supernatural Horror in Literature zapisal, da je za lovetvo najstareje in
najmoneje ustvo strah, najstareji in najmoneji strah pa je strah pred neznanim (Splet
7).
Meletinski v delu Poetika mita govori o tem, da je razvoj mitov tekel proti
demitologizaciji, nato pa smo ljudje po romantiki in e zlasti v dvajsetem stoletju zaeli
z novo remitologizacijo (Meletinski 2006). Prava remitologizacija se je zaela v drugem
desetletju dvajsetega stoletja in se razvila v buren proces, kljub temu da lahko opazimo
zametke fantazijske literature e v delih, kot je Boanska komedija ali The Faerie Queene,
in celo v antiki z Zlatim Oslom in podobnimi. Prek mnogih avtorjev, kot so E. A. Poe, H.
P. Lovecraft, Arthur Machen, George McDowel, Andrew Lang in tako naprej, je
fantazijska literatura prila do velike prelomnice, J. R. R. Tolkiena, ki je s svojim delom
poloil glavni temelj za visoko fantazijsko literaturo, kot jo poznamo danes. Tolkienov svet
vilincev, kratov, orkov in ostalih nadnaravnih bitij je navduil bralce po vsem svetu in
ponovno oivil utopini roman, saj je poleg strahu pred neznanim bralcem ponudil tudi
40

trenutke sree in resnice, ki so ju lahko deleni ob zrenju drugega sveta. Njegovemu slogu
ustvarjanja novega sveta so sledili mnogi pisci, kot so Ursula K. Le Guin, Robin Hobb,
George R. R. Martin, Robert Jordan, Raymond E. Feist, Terry Pratchett, in med novejimi
Joe Abercrombie, Patrick Rothfuss, Scott Lynch ter tevilni drugi. Swinfenova (1984) loi
pisce fantazijske literature predvsem na dve veji skupini, in sicer na tiste, ki ustvarjajo
nove svetove, in tiste, pri katerih drugi svet obstaja skupaj z naim.
Ideja, da obstajajo pred naimi omi nam skriti svetovi, je v literaturi prisotna e stoletja,
protagonist zgodbe pa mora za vstop v novi svet prestopiti nekaken prag in tako kot otroci
v Narniji odkorakati onkraj utemeljenih mej realnosti. Taken tip fantazijske literature se je
do precej zapletenih razsenosti razvil znotraj urbane fantazijske literature, in to s pomojo
avtorjev, med katerimi izstopajo predvsem Jim Butcher, Charles de Lint, Richard Kadrey,
Rick Riordan in seveda J. K. Rowling. Pogojno bi lahko v ta tip umestili tudi edalje bolj
popularno vampirsko literaturo, katere predstavniki so predvsem Laurell K. Hamilton,
Anne Rice, Stephenie Meyers in Charlain Harris.
Sndor Klapcsik govori o liminalni fantazijski literaturi, 9 katere opredelitev je razvil e
Farah Mendlesohn v teoriji o fantazijski literaturi, ki jo je razdelil na portal-quest fantasy,
immersive fantasy, intrusion fantasy, liminal fantasy in the irregulars. Liminalno
fantazijsko literaturo opie kot tisto, ki se v nekaknem uporu proti klasini fantazijski
literaturi posluuje ironije (Mendlesohn 2008: xxiv) in tako za bralca ustvarja ve nainov
branja. Klapcsik pie o tem, da smo v postmodernistini dobi ljudje in e zlasti avtorji
nagnjeni k branju, analiziranju in predelavi pravljic in fantastinih zgodb (prim. Klapscik
2008: 317).
Mojster takne predelave je Neil Gaiman, avtor, ki ga lahko brez slabe vesti umestimo v
sam vrh fantazijske literature, saj je v svojem obsenem opusu predelal e kar nekaj
pravljic, med drugim tudi Sneguljica in sedem palkov ter Zlatolaska in trije medvedi, v
njegovih delih pa se pojavljajo tudi bitja iz razlinih panteonov. Gaimanovi protagonisti se
morajo na zaetku romana ali zgodbe navaditi na idejo, da poleg sveta, ki ga poznajo,
obstaja e nekaken drugi svet, ki jim je bil dotlej skrit. Beseda liminalno predstavlja
vse, kar ni ne na eni ne na drugi strani neke meje oziroma praga, temve ivi na meji ali pa
lahko brez vejih teav potuje ez prag dveh entitet, ki ju ta meja louje. Lahko bi rekli, da

Ker v slovenini nisem nael primernega izraza za besedo liminal (ang.), sem se odloil za uporabo besede
v izvirniku.

41

mitski varljivec 10 z lastnostmi osebe, ki vedno ivi na meji ali ima sposobnost prestopanja
praga, pooseblja fantazijski stil pisanja, ki ga tako rad rabi Neil Gaiman, saj v enem izmed
intervjujev tudi sam pravi, da so mu bile zgodbe o varljivcih vedno ve (Splet 8).

Kar se tie slovenskega prevoda besede trickster (slepar, spletkar, vraikasti bog, varljivec), sem bil ob
pisanju diplome v veliki zagati, saj nobena beseda ne opie tega, kar to ime pomeni v originalu. Najblija
razliica izvirnemu pomenu besede je verjetno varljivec, za katerega sem se tudi odloil kljub bolj pogosti
rabi besede slepar.
10

42

3.2

NEIL GAIMAN

Neil Gaiman se je rodil v Hampshiru v Angliji, kjer je preivljal tudi svoje otrotvo.
Njegovi stari stari, ki so bili Judje iz vzhodnoevropskih drav, so se v Anglijo preselili na
zaetku dvajsetega stoletja. Stari so bili mono povezani s scientoloko cerkvijo, oe pa je
delal celo kot njen predstavnik za odnose z javnostjo. Neil pravi, da ne ve, ali Bog ostaja
ali ne, oziroma da je monost verjetno petdeset odstotna, vendar zanj to ni pomembno. Kot
otrok je veliko asa preivel v knjinicah, kjer je prebiral dela avtorjev, kot so J. R. R.
Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Edgar Alan Poe, Ursula K. Le Guin, Gene Wolf, James Branch
Cabell, G. K. Chesterton, Michael Moorcock in Lewis Carroll. Kasneje je bral tudi ostale
klasike znanstvene fantastike, kot so Alan Moore, Roger Zelazny in H. P. Lovecraft. Sam
pravi, da so ga vzgojile knjinice in da e vedno dolguje svojo ljubezen do knjig prav
knjinicam in njihovemu osebju.
V briljantnem nagovoru diplomantov leta 2012 z naslovom Make Good Art Gaiman
pravi, da ni imel narta za svojo kariero, temve da je imel spisek ciljev, ki si jih je zadal
nekje pri petnajstih letih. Rekel si je, da eli napisati roman za odrasle, otroko knjigo,
strip, scenarij za film in posneti avdio knjigo. Ti njegovi cilji so bili nekakna gora, proti
kateri je moral iti, in e se je kdaj oddaljil od te gore, je moral naravnati svojo smer in
nadaljevati pot. Za dosego teh ciljev se je bil vekrat pripravljen odpovedati tudi dobro
plaanim slubam, kar pa se mu je na dolgi rok obrestovalo.
Gaiman je svojo pisateljsko kariero zael kot novinar na zaetku osemdesetih, s tem da je
pisal intervjuje, lanke in literarne kritike. Njegova prva kratka zgodba je bila
Featherquest, fantazijska zgodba, objavljena leta 1984 v Imagination Magazine. Istega leta
je objavil tudi biografijo skupine Duran Duran, ki je bila zelo hitro razprodana, eprav je
bil sam preprian, da ni dovolj dobro napisana. Nato je napisal biografijo Douglasa
Adamsa z naslovom Don't Panic: The Official Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Companion, ki jo je zainil s klasinim anglekim humorjem.
Njegov pravi uspeh se je zgodil v svetu stripov, ko je po nekaj zaetnih stripih DC leta
1989 zael izdajati zgodbo o Sandmanu, antropomorfizirani personifikaciji sanj. Serija
stripov Sandman je izhajala do leta 1996 in je postala osnova modernih stripov. V
petinsedemdesetih izdajah je strip prejel veliko nagrad, med drugim tudi Will Eisner Comic
Industry Awards in tri Harvey Awards. Leta 1991 je Sandman postal prvi strip, ki je prejel
literarno nagrado World Fantasy Award za najboljo kratko zgodbo.
43

Leta 1991 je Gaiman v sodelovanju s Terryjem Pratchettom izdal prvi roman z naslovom
Good Omens, ki ga je v slovenino prevedel Botjan Gorenc in katerega prevod nosi
naslov Dobra znamenja: Verne in natanne prerokbe Agnes Nutter, coprnice. Terry
Pratchett, ki je eden najbolj branih in najbolj prevajanih avtorjev v svetu fantazijske
literature, je leta 2009 prejel angleki viteki naziv, obenem pa je tudi prejemnik mnogih
nagrad, med njimi World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement.
Leta 1996 je Gaiman za BBC napisal scenarij za televizijsko serijo, vendar s preslikavo
svojih idej na filmsko platno ni bil zadovoljen in je zato napisal svoj prvi samostojni roman
z naslovom Neverwhere. Roman, ki na izjemen nain prikazuje, kako neverjetno znamo
ljudje prezreti potrebe soloveka, je leta 2010 prevedel Marjan Ogrinc in v prevodu nosi
naslov Nikolikje. Leta 2013 ga je BBC Radio 4 priredil v radijsko dramo, vloge pa je
odigrala vrhunska zasedba zelo znanih igralcev, med katerimi so bili James McAvoy,
Natalie Dormer, Benedict Cumberbatch, Christopher Lee in drugi.
Leta 1999 je izla prva izdaja Gaimanovega romana Stardust, ki je bila leta 2007 predelana
v istoimenski film z odlino igralsko zasedbo in splonim odobravanjem javnosti ter
kritikov. Avtor je za roman istega leta prejel Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, ki jo
podeljuje Mythopoeic Society, nominiran pa je bil tudi za nagrado Locus.
American Gods, Gaimanovo najbolj obetavno in najdalje delo, je izlo leta 2001, avtor pa
je zanj prejel tevilne prestine nagrade, kot so Hugo, Nebula, Locus, SFX Magazine in
Bram Stoker. Roman je bil obenem nagrajen tudi z BSFA Award ter nagradami World
Fantasy, International Horror Guild, Mythopoeic in British Fantasy. Leta 2010 so bralci v
spletni anketi roman izbrali za online knjini klub One Book One Twitter, na lestvici pa so
mu drubo delali romani, kot so 1984, Krasni novi svet, 100 let samote, Kavelj 22 in drugi.
Leta 2013 je pri zalobi Sanje izel v prevodu Botjana Gorenca.
Anansi Boys, roman, ki je izel leta 2005 in e ni preveden v slovenino, je prejel nagrado
Locus in British Fantasy Society Award. Kljub temu, da roman pripoveduje zgodbo o
sinovih enega glavnih likov iz romana Ameriki bogovi, ga avtor ne teje za njegovo
nadaljevanje, saj pravi, da pravo nadaljevanje e aka na svoj as.
Gaiman je izdal tudi dve zbirki kratke proze, Smoke and Mirrors leta 1998 in Fragile
Things leta 2006. Za mlaje bralce je napisal e vrsto zbirk in slikanic, kot so M is for
Magic (2007), Interworld (2007), The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish (1997),
44

The Wolves in the Walls (2003), Crazy Hair (2009), The Dangerous Alphabet (2008),
Blueberry Girl (2009), Instructions (2010) in Odd and the Frost Giants (2009). Dale
najveji uspeh med njegovimi deli za mlaje bralce pa sta poela romana Coraline (2002)
in The Graveyard Book (2008). Oba romana so na zaetku kritizirali, saj naj bi bila preve
grozljiva in temana za otroke, vendar sta presegla vsa priakovanja kritikov. Roman
Coraline je prejel nagrade British Scienece Fiction Award, Hugo, Nebula, Bram Stoker in
American Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla. The Graveyard Book, ki jo je leta 2010 v slovenino
prevedla Maja Novak (Pokopalika knjiga), je prejela nagrade, kot so UKs Booktrust
Prize for Teenage Fiction, Newbery Medal, ki je najvije ameriko priznanje za otroko
literaturo, Locus Young Adult Award in Hugo za najbolji roman.
Leta 2013 je izel zadnji Gaimanov roman The Ocean at the End of the Lane, ki je bil pri
British National Book Awards izbran za najboljo knjigo leta.
Gaiman je sodeloval tudi pri izdelavi scenarijev za filme, kot je Beowulf, napisal je scenarij
za epizodo popularne serije Dr. Who in Babylon 5, sodeloval je pri pisanju scenarija za
film Stardust in animirani film Coraline itd. Trenutno naj bi bili v delu filmi oziroma
serije, narejene na podlagi ve njegovih del, kot so Ameriki bogovi, Anansi Boys,
Pokopalika knjiga in The Sandman.

45

3.3

AMERIKI BOGOVI

Lukcs je v Teoriji romana zapisal, da je roman epopeja sveta, ki ga je bog zapustil

(Lukcs 2000: 66). V Amerikih bogovih pa bogovi sveta niso zapustili, ampak izginjajo.
ivijo v moderni Ameriki, ki bogovom nikakor ni naklonjena. Dandananji je civilizacija
izgubila vez z nadnaravnim in duhovnim svetom oziroma je bila ta vez pretrgana,
religiozni sistemi in verovanja pa so izgubila svojo veljavo. Zvrst, ki jo avtor uporablja za
to upodobitev, je udovita meanica fantazijskega, domiljijskega in mitskega
pripovednitva, ter potopisnega pisanja. Gaiman v sredie zgodbe postavi nekdanjega
kaznjenca po imenu Shadow, ki se po udnem spletu okoliin zaplete v vojno med starimi
in novejimi bogovi. Bizarni dogodki, ki ga akajo na njegovi dogodivini, vse temane
nadnaravnosti, ki se mu dogajajo, in mitska bitja, s katerimi se sreuje, postavijo pod
vpraaj njegovo dotlejnje preprianje o svetu. Njegov delodajalec Wednesday je amerika
razliica nordijskega boga Odina, nekdanji sokaznjenec je Loki, pridruijo pa se jim e
ostala mitska bitja, kot so slovanski Czernobog, afriki Anansi, kulturni heroj staroselskih
Amerianov Wisakedjak, egipanski bogovi Anubis, Toth, Horus in podobni. 11
Gaiman izhaja iz tega, da je s priseljevanjem raznih ljudstev v Ameriko ta deela postala
nekakno odlagalie ali odpad razlinih verstev, obiajev, ritualov in zato tudi bogov.
Vendar se je kmalu zatem podala na pot industrijske revolucije in tako onemogoila
popoln razcvet vseh razlinih verstev. Postala je deela tehnologije, kot takna pa je v
svojem bistvu oropana moralnih vrednot. V tej bogati in polni civilizaciji, ki je v svojem
bistvu prazna, je v kulturnem smislu vsa magija potisnjena v kot in mitoloko dojemanje
sveta pozabljeno. Bogastvo, ki ga je proizvedla industrija, in spoznanja, ki jih je prinesla
moderna znanost, pa se po drugi strani v sklopu amerike paradigme zdijo opraviljiv
razlog za mnoino zavraanje arobnosti in arobnih bitij, kot so vile, krati, kulturni
heroji in seveda bogovi.
Gaiman Ameriko popelje v mitski as in bralca spodbuja, da stopi v ponovno zaarani svet.
Z izjemo nekaterih krajih fragmentov v knjigi se verjetno zavestno izogiba najbolj znanim
mitologijam, kot so grka, rimska in hebrejsko-kranska, saj se je dananja doba
zahodnega sveta razvila iz njih. Raje se vraa k naravi in k danosti deele. Wisakedjak,
eden izmed varljivcev v mitologiji amerikih staroselcev, glavnemu junaku pove:

11

Podrobna obnova romana je vkljuena v prilogo (stran viii).

46

Ta deela ni dobra za bogove. Moje ljudstvo je to doumelo e zgodaj. Ima duhove

stvarnike, ki so nali zemljo ali jo naredili ali posrali, ampak pomisli malo: kdo bo
astil Kojota? Ljubil se je z Jeevko, pa mu je kurac prebodlo ve igel kot blazinico
za bucike. Prepiral se je s skalami in skale so ga premagale. (Gaiman 2013: 489)
Roman Ameriki bogovi s pomojo modernizacije mitskega asa in mitologizacije
dananjega zdruuje arobnost z znanostjo, boanske ideje z imanentnostjo loveka in
makrokozmos z mikrokozmosom. Bralcu na postmodernistien nain predstavi sintezo
modernega in antinega sveta, v katerem je mitologija podlaga literarnega ustvarjanja.
Bogovi so predstavljeni kot ideje, ki so, eprav jih je teje uniiti kot ljudi, vseeno
umrljive.

47

3.3.1 Shadow
Shadow, je protagonist romana Ameriki bogovi, in eprav nima vloge varljivca, je
obravnava tega lika pomembna za nadaljnjo razpravo. Na raznih forumih in klepetalnicah,
kjer razpravljajo o tem delu, je bilo o Shadowu reenega e veliko, veina razprav pa se
vrti okoli njegovega boanstva oziroma mesta v nordijskem panteonu in s tem tudi v
Gaimanovem pan-panteonu. Shadow ima v romanu vlogo liminalne osebe, ki ne spada
med bogove, vendar lahko obuje z njimi; zapolnjuje praznino med starodavnim mitskim
in modernim svetom.
Njegovo ime v slovenskem prevodu pomeni senca. Tako kot pri Odinu, o katerem bom
govoril v enem od naslednjih poglavij in ki ga avtor prikae kot arhetipskega dobrega
starca, lahko tudi Shadow na v zaetku bralcu zbudi nezaupljiv odnos. Kot sem e omenil,
Shadow ni varljivec, vendar njegovo ime pomeni enega od najosnovnejih in najbolj
ivalskih delov loveke psihe, ki ga Jung povezuje z varljivcem. Jung (prim. Jung 1988)
namre govori o kolektivni senci kot o temanem delu psihe, ki ga eli veina odraslih
posameznikov zatreti, saj ga sestavljata sram in strah. Glede na okoliino, da je Shadow
na zaetku romana kaznjenec, ki ga ravno izpustijo z zapora, dobi bralec napano
predstavo o njem, in lahko bi celo rekli, da avtor bralca nala zavede. Bralec ele sasoma
ugotovi, da je Shadow verjetno najbolj dobroduen lik v knjigi in obenem tako patoloko
iskren ter poten, da se na koncu romana vrne k Czernobogu, eprav misli, da ga tam aka
bolea smrt.
S svojo velikostjo, mojo, zaupljivostjo in eljo po ugajanju drugim je Shadow precej
natanna moderna interpretacija nordijskega boga Baldra. V romanu Ameriki bogovi Neil
Gaiman nikoli ne naredi izrecne povezave med tema dvema likoma, da pa kar nekaj
namigov v to smer. Obenem v eni od zgodbic v zbirki kratke proze Fragile Things
nadaljuje fabulo Amerikih bogov in ta lik poimenuje Balder Moon (Gaiman 2006b: 317).
Frazer o Baldru zapie naslednje: Boanstvo, za katero bi lahko rekli, da ni ivelo ne na
nebu ne na zemlji, ampak nekje vmes, je bil norveki Baldr, lepi in dobri bog, sin velikega
boga Odina in najmodreji, najblaji in najbolj ljubljen izmed vseh nesmrtnikov (Frazer
2001: 802). O Baldru sicer najve izvemo iz islandske Edde, kar sem omenil e v prvem
delu diplome. Tam je opisan kot najbolji, najlepi, najmodreji in najmileji med vsemi
bogovi, obenem pa je reeno, da njegove odloitve pogosto niso uinkovite (prim.
Sturluson 2005).
48

Kot sem e omenil, je tudi Shadow lik, ki ivi nekje med ljudmi in bogovi, torej nekje na
meji med nebesi in zemljo, obenem pa je lik, za katerega se zavzemajo vsi bogovi. Kar se
tie zunanjosti, Shadow ne ustreza ravno opisu Baldra, saj njegova koa ni nikoli opisana
kot svetla; nasprotno, vekrat ga vpraajo, ali ima morda v sebi kaj romske, rnske ali
amerike staroselske krvi. Obenem pa se tudi njegova lepota nikoli ne opeva tako kot
Baldrova, eprav ga nekajkrat oznaijo za ednega. Vendar zunanjost v tem primeru nima
posebno velike vloge, saj Shadow ni Baldr, temve njegova moderna razliica ali
reinkarnacija. V romanu ima vekrat udne sanje, v katerih se sreuje z raznimi duhovi,
bogovi in ptico gromovnico, ki je njegov magini pti. V enih od teh sanj pleza po kupu
lobanj in glas v glavi mu pove, da so vse te lobanje njegove (Gaiman 2013: 302). Gaiman
sicer teorije o lobanjah ne razvija naprej, bi pa te sanje utegnile kazati na Baldra kot
umirajoega boga in lobanje, po katerih pleza Shadow, na njegova prejnja ivljenja.
Proti koncu romana naredi avtor e eno zanimivo povezavo med Shadowom in Baldrom,
ko se med Lauro in Lokijem odvije naslednji pogovor:
'Dobro srce ima, ve to?'
'Da,' je rekel gospod World. 'Vem.'
[...]
'Ko bo vse to za nami, bom najbr oilil palico bele omele in se odpravil k jesenu ter
mu jo zaril skozi oko.' (Gaiman 2013: 501)
Tako kot e reeno, je Shadow, podobno kot Baldr, najbolj zaupljiv in naiven lik v
romanu. Vekrat ga oznaijo kot poasnega, eprav sasoma vedno pride do pravih
sklepov. Podobno se zgodi tudi ob konnem razpletu, ko se izkae, da je Shadow e vse
ivljenje lutka v rokah Odina in Lokija. Odin mu v nekem trenutku celo ree:
Potreboval sem tebe, fant moj. Da. Moj lastni fant. Vedel sem, da si bil spoet, toda
tvoja mati je odla iz drave. Dolgo smo potrebovali, da smo te nali. In ko smo te
nali, si bil v zaporu. Morali smo ugotoviti, kaj te ene. Katere gumbe moramo
pritisniti, da se zgane. Kdo sploh si. (Gaiman 2013: 508)
Odin je bil torej za svoj namen pripravljen rtvovati svojega sina, saj ve, kakna mo se
skriva v rtvovanju kraljevega oziroma bojega sina. Shadowu ree: v rtvovanju sina je
posebna mo dovolj moi in ve kot dovolj, da poene stvari v tek. Po pravici povedano,
sem ponosen nate (Gaiman 2013: 506). O rtvovanju kraljevega sina na dolgo razlaga
49

tudi Frazer (2001), o rtvovanju bojega sina in moi te rtve pa pria kranstvo. Glede na
to, da ima Shadow vlogo, podobno vlogi odreenika, ki je visel na lesu, bil preboden s
sulico, el v podzemlje in bil obujen od mrtvih, bi lahko potegnili vzporednico celo med
njim in Jezusom Kristusom, vendar to presega okvire tega dela.
Kozmino drevo, na kakrnem se rtvuje Shadow, je moderna manifestacija tega drevesa,
prisotnega po vsem svetu, od Skandinavije do Egipta, od Arkadije in Sumerije do Kitajske,
Pomembno vlogo ima e v nekem drugem izroilu v mitih o amanu. aman je prastar
religijski pojav, ki je razirjen po vsem svetu. Gre za loveka ali kakno drugo bitje, ki ima
mnogovrstne moi in duhovna spoznanja. aman lahko navee stik z raznimi duhovi,
bogovi, demoni, duami umrlih in ostalimi bitji, ki ivijo na vseh treh kozminih ravneh.
Eliade zapie: aman je dejansko teolog in demonolog hkrati, izvedenec za ekstazo in
vra, pomonik pri lovu, varuh skupnosti in red, psihopomp [vodnik, spremljevalec due]
in v nekaterih drubah tudi uenjak in pesnik (Eliade 1996c: 17). Navadno ivi ivljenje v
osami in se svojemu ljudstvu pridrui predvsem takrat, ko ga potrebuje. Njegova mo
zajema magijo, zdravljenje in delanje udeev, ki se hranijo z domiljijo, ruijo meje med
sanjami in realnostjo ter odpirajo okna v svet nadnaravnega. aman je torej edini v kakem
ljudstvu ali kulturi, ki se sooa oziroma obuje z nadnaravnim. Armstrongova (Armstrong
2005: 30) pie, da se mora sreati s smrtjo in vstajenjem.
Eliade zapie, da nekdo lahko postane aman zaradi: 1) spontane poklicanosti [...] 2)
dednosti amanskega poklica ali 3) osebne odloitve (Eliade 1996c: 15). V nordijski
mitologiji je prvi aman Odin (prim. Meletinski 2006: 158), vendar nameravam o tej
njegovi vlogi bolj podobno spregovoriti v enem od naslednjih poglavji. Za zdaj naj bo
dovolj to, da vemo, da je Shadow kot Wednesdayev sin to sposobnost verjetno podedoval
od svojega oeta, obenem pa se tudi sam odloi, da bo opravil iniciacijo. Moi, ki jih ima
aman, so navadno plod njegovih iniciacijskih izkustev aman se mora namre rtvovati,
torej prestati obredno smrt, se spustiti v podzemlje ali dvigniti v nebesa in se nato vrniti v
ivljenje. Navadno aman med takno iniciacijo razume vse jezike in prejme razne
odgovore, prav tako kot tudi Shadow med visenjem na drevesu in sestopom v smrt dojame
smisel bogov v Ameriki in njegovo lastno vlogo v bitki med starimi in novimi bogovi.
Ko avtorici lanka Sustaining the Imaginative Life govorijo o povezavi med Baldrom in
Shadowom, poudarijo, da so za amana pogosto znailne lucidne sanje (Slabbert, Viljoen
2006: 142), ki so v veliki meri prisotne tudi pri Shadowu. Kasneje opozori e, da se v zvezi
50

s amanom pojavljajo celo mitine ptice, ki jih Shadow srea vsaj dvakrat (Slabbert,
Viljoen 2006: 149).
Shadow torej s svojimi lucidnimi sanjami, iniciacijskim izkustvom, ivljenjem v osami,
interakcijo z bogovi in duhovi ter vlogo odreenika in mediatorja pooseblja nekaknega
prvotnega amana v metamitologiji amerikih bogov. Njegovo liminalno mesto v bitki je
torej mesto nekoga, ki ivi ivljenje na meji med dvema svetovoma.
V tej liminalnosti bi se Shadow lahko priblial liku varljivca, vendar se uveljavi ravno na
nasprotnem polu, in sicer kot heroj. Joseph Campbell, Jungov uenec in avtor mnogih
teorij o monomitu, v knjigi Junak tisoerih obrazov govori o potovanju heroja in njegovih
vmesnih postajah, ki se v veliki meri kaejo tudi v dogodivinah glavnega lika Amerikih
bogov. Vendar o neposrednem vplivu ne moremo govoriti, saj je Gaiman za razliko od
nekaterih znanih avtorjev, ki so priznali vpliv Campbellove knjige, v intervjuju za Wild
River Rivew dejal:
Mislim, da sem knjigo Junak tisoerih obrazov prebral priblino do polovice, ko sem
spoznal, da e je vse to res, potem tega noem vedeti. Teh stvari mi res ni treba
vedeti. Raje bi po nakljuju ustvaril nekaj, kar se s tem vzorcem sklada, kot pa da mi
nekdo pove, kaken ta vzorec je. (Splet 9)

51

3.3.2 Loki
Loki je verjetno eden najbolj znanih varljivcev, e zlasti v dananjem asu, ko se njegovo
ime v takni ali drugani vlogi edalje vekrat pojavlja v popularnih medijih, na primer v
filmu Dogma, v nekaterih knjigah Joanne Harris, stripih Thor in seveda v Gaimanovih
delih. O izvirnem Lokiju in njegovih lastnostih mitskega varljivca sem razpravljal e v
prvem delu diplomskega dela, zato bom tu zgolj povzel nekaj glavnih tok.
Loki je znan kot glavni pobudnik zlih dejanj, mojster vseh ukan. Znan je tudi po svoji
porenosti, spolnih dogodivinah, popotovanjih ter spreminjanju svoje oblike in spola.
Ima kljuno vlogo v nordijski eshatologiji, saj kot tudi e omenjeno njegovo
posredovanje pri umoru Baldra pripelje do ragnaroka. Obenem pa je tudi veni sopotnik
Odina in z njim v precej zanimivi navezi, o kateri bom govoril v enem od naslednjih
poglavij.
Loki v romanu Ameriki bogovi se skoraj ne razlikuje od Lokija v nordijski mitologiji.
Najprej se pojavi kot protagonistov sojetnik v zaporu pod imenom Low Key Lyesmith.
Igra besed pri poimenovanju tega lika kae na neko skrivnostno naravo, saj low-key v
prevodu pomeni nekaj nevpadljivega ali zadranega. V angleko anglekem slovarju se v
definiciji low-key pojavi tudi beseda restrained (Splet 1), ki v slovenini sicer lahko
pomeni zadrano, mestoma pa se uporablja tudi v povezavi z Lokijevo kaznijo. Njegov
priimek e bolj kae na njegovo naravo, saj bi Liesmith oziroma a smith of lies lahko
prevedli kova lai.
Lokija Gaiman torej omeni e na zaetku knjige in eprav lahko bralec e po imenu sklepa,
kdo bi Low-Key Liesmith, prevarant iz Minnesote, lahko v resnici bil, Shadow njegovo
identiteto ugotovi ele v drugi polovici romana: 'Low Key Lyesmith,' je rekel Shadow, in
ko je zaslial kaj govori, je razumel. 'Loki,' je rekel. 'Loki Lie-Smith, Kova Lai'
(Gaiman 2013: 424). Varljivec mu odgovori: 'Poasen si [...], ampak sasoma pogrunta'
(Gaiman 2013: 424). O brazgotini na ustnicah, o kateri govori ena od legend o tem
varljivcu, ga nekoliko pozneje povpraa tudi eden od drugih likov: 'Gospod World? Kaj
se je zgodilo z vaimi ustnicami?' World je zavzdihnil. 'Po resnici povedano,' je rekel, 'jih
je nekdo zail skupaj. e davno tega' (Gaiman 2013: 482).
Gospod World je Lokijevo drugo ime v romanu in vsaj na prvi pogled ima vlogo kljunega
antagonista. V bitki med starimi in novimi bogovi si nasproti stojita dve navidezno
52

nepovezani osebi, in sicer Wednesday in gospod Svet. Wednesday je poosebljenje

nordijskega boga Odina, medtem ko naj bi gospod Svet predstavljal hitro rastoo
globalizacijo, ki je posledica najnovejih tehnolokih odkritij. Ni presenetljivo, da avtor za
poosebljenje spreminjajoe se drube v asu globalizacije sveta, ki seveda pripelje do
spopada raznih kultur ter splone neubranosti, izbere ravno najbolj znanega varljivca. Loki
je torej nasprotnik Odina, ki do konca romana ne razkrije svoje prave identitete.
Ko Shadow vpraa Wednesdaya o njegovih preteklih prevarah, mu ta odgovori, da je
neko imel partnerja, vendar so ti dnevi e mimo (Gaiman 2013: 238). e pred tem mu
opie svojo najljubo prevaro, ki jo poimenuje kofova igra, in pravi, da je imela ta igra
prav vse: vzburljivost, ukano, prenosnost, preseneenje (Gaiman 2013: 234). To je igra,
ki naj v dananjih asih ne bi bila ve izvedljiva, na zaetku dvajsetega stoletja pa je bila
pravi uspeh.
Bralec tej zgodbi v danem trenutku ne posvea prevelike pozornosti, saj je navidezno
nepomembna, vendar se proti koncu romana izkae, da zelo podobno igro igrata Odin in
Loki z novimi bogovi. Dve stranki vodita nasprotujoi si entiteti, za kateri se po konani
igri izkae, da sta sodelovali. Loki pravzaprav celo poudari, da v tej bitki ni pomembno,
kdo je na kateri strani in kaken je njen izid, temve sam pokol in kaos (Gaiman 2013:
483). Bitka je torej za Lokija in Odina zgolj hrana in pot do moi, saj se Odin hrani s
smrtjo. Ko Shadow sprevidi ukano obeh bogov, ugotovi tudi, s im se hrani Loki: 'Se tudi
ti hrani s smrtjo?' je vpraal Shadow in pogledal Lokija. Loki je slabotno odkimal. 'Ne,
seveda ne,' je rekel Shadow. 'Ti se hrani s kaosom' (Gaiman 2013: 508).
Scheub (2013) zapie, da varljivec kot predstavnik oziroma agent kaosa nenehno kali red.
To je v knjigi Ameriki bogovi verjetno ena najbolj oitnih lastnosti varljivca, ki ga
predstavlja Loki, saj bi teko nali koga drugega, ki bi bolj poosebljal nered, kot je bog, ki
se s kaosom hrani. Temu hranjenje ustreza tudi nenehna varljiveva lakota, saj bi imel
verjetno Loki za preivetje dovolj e kaos, ki ga povzroamo ljudje sami, vendar sam
seveda hrepeni e po neem ve eli kaos med bogovi, saj bi mu ta prinesel neizmerno
mo.
Spola Low-Key v romanu oitno ne spreminja, spreminja pa svojo podobo, saj se veji del
romana izdaja za popolnoma drugo osebo, kot je v resnici. Sode po nordijskem panteonu
in kronolokosti mitov, bi moral Loki sodelovati s starimi bogovi, vendar se veino romana
izdaja ne le za pripadnika novih bogov, temve tudi za njihovega vodjo. S pomojo
53

svojega druabnika Odina ustvarja mejo med starimi in novimi bogovi torej mejo, ki
pred tem sploh ni obstajala. Seveda sta onadva tudi edina med bogovi, ki lahko ivita brez
te meje, saj se edina zavedata, da je zgolj navidezna.
O Lokiju kot kulturnem junaku tu ne moremo govoriti, vsekakor pa je oitna njegova vloga
tatu. V romanu ga vekrat imenujejo goljuf ali spletkar in tudi vsi zapleteni ropi, o katerih
govori Odin, so plod njegovega sodelovanja z Lokijem. Kot e reeno v prvem delu
diplome, pa mora biti dober tat tudi spreten lanivec in tkalec skrivnosti, kar Loki zagotovo
je, saj sam o skrivnostih pove, da zainijo svet. Kakor sol v golau (Gaiman 2013: 426).

54

3.3.3 Gospod Nancy

Tudi o Anansiju je bilo precej govora e v prvem delu diplome, vendar je za bolje
razumevanje tega Gaimanovega lika potrebno poudariti, da se s prihodom na ameriki
kontinent in e zlasti na Jamajko precej spremeni. Zobel Marshall v delu Liminal Anansi
zapie: Anansi se iz pajka edalje bolj spreminja v loveka, saj postane simbol sunjev, ki
so jih pripeljali iz Afrike (Marshall 2007: 14). Avtorica nato nadaljuje:
Anansi je bil prisiljen v metamorfozo iz mitinega pajka ljudstva Asante v
manifestacijo rnega sunja, ki je ujet v socialno ureditev, v kateri je kakrnokoli
pogajanje nemogoe. V svoji jamajki vlogi je prej postal lomilec kot preizkuevalce
meja. Postal je simbol kreativnega kaosa, ki v vsiljenem redu hrepeni po svobodi.
(Marshall 2007: 14)
Afriki bog v obliki pajka se je torej moral po spletu okoliin spremeniti v loveka, ki je
za jamajke sunje postal ljudski heroj. Na mesto boga Nyamija, ki sem ga omenjal v
prvem delu in ki je bil e pred Anansijem, pa stopi Tiger. O Anansiju in njegovem boju s
Tigrom govori predvsem knjiga Anansi Boys.
V delu Ameriki bogovi avtor opie gospoda Nancya takole: Bil je majhen mo, tiste vrste
stari moicelj, ki je bil videti, kot bi se z leti skril (Gaiman 2013: 129) Kasneje, ko
protagonist romana opazuje bogove v njihovi pravi podobi, o Anansiju pove naslednje:
Gledal je Gospoda Nancya, temnopoltega starca s tankimi bricami, v karirastem
portnem jopiu in limonovo rumenih rokavicah [...], istoasno pa je na istem mestu
videl draguljastega pajka, visokega kot konj, z omi kot smaragdne nebule, ki se je
opiril in zvika strmel nanj; hkrati je gledal v nenavadno visokega mokega s koo
barve tikovine in tremi pari rok, s plapolajoo perjanico iz nojevih peres, z obrazom,
poslikanim z rdeimi progami, ki je jezdil razdraenega leva in se z dvema od estih
rok dral njegove grive; prav tako je videl temnopoltega deka, obleenega v cape, z
oteklim levim stopalom, po katerem so gomazele rne muhe; nazadnje pa je za vsemi
temi podobami Shadow zrl v rjavega pajkca, ki se je skrival pod ovelim okrastim
listom. (Gaiman 2013: 135)

55

Proti koncu romana, ko Shadow preprei bitko med starimi in novimi bogovi, se Nancy
spet pojavi v obliki pajka: Pajek, velik kot rotvajler, je po sedmih nogah silovito
pridrobencljal k njemu; grozd oi mu je ibko arel (Gaiman 2013: 514).
Anansi je verjetno najbolj znan po tem, da je varuh vseh zgodb in da imajo zgodbe v
njegovih mitih na splono zelo veliko vlogo. Zato tudi ni udno, da sestanek bogov zane
ravno gospod Nancy z eno od svojih zgodbic (Gaiman 2013: 137). Na nekem drugem
mestu se Czernobog in Anansi pogovarjata o daritvah, ki jih prejmeta, in Anansi pove, da
njemu najve pomeni, e si ljudje pripovedujejo zgodbe o njegovi bistroumnosti. Tedaj
Czernobog tudi pravi, da bogovi s takno vnemo kadijo cigarete po vsej verjetnosti zato,
ker jih spominjajo na galne daritve. Anansi mu odgovori: 'Meni niso nikoli dali esa
takega,' je rekel Nancy. 'Najve, kar sem si lahko obetal, je bil kup sadja, mogoe kari s
kozlovino, kaj poasnega in mrzlega in visokega za pijao, in velika stara jokata babnica
za drubo' (Gaiman 2013: 130).
Tu e lahko opazimo eno glavnih lastnosti varljivca, ki jih v romanu e kako lepo
pooseblja gospod Nancy. Njegova spolna vnema in nepoteljivost sta ve kot oitni, saj
vekrat poudarja svoje veliko navduenje nad enskami in njihovim oprsjem. Na primer:
'No, jaz ne dobim niti priblino toliko sadja kot neko,' je s sijoimi omi rekel
gospod Nancy. 'Ampak v mojem svetu ni niesar, kar bi lahko prekosilo veliko staro
jokato babnico. Nekateri ti bodo rekli, da mora najprej preveriti ritko, jaz pa ti
povem, da na mrzlo jutro ni ne zakurbla moje maine tako kot joki.' (Gaiman 2013
130)
Gaiman, ki zna biti mestoma tudi vulgaren, to lastnost kaj s pridom uporablja, ko govori v
osebi gospoda Nancya: V enem popoldnevu lahko dobim ve pik kot ti v vsem letu
(Gaiman 2013: 407). Dodatni primeri njegove prostakosti bi bili na tem mestu odve, saj
bom o tem liku govoril e kasneje.
Vendar naj poudarim, da je Anansi kljub vulgarnosti eden od najbolj venih likov v
romanu in da je svoji bahavosti ter hudomunosti navkljub tudi eden bolj altruistinih.
Shadowa namre v nekem trenutku zapre erif mesteca Laketown in ez as ga pridejo
iskati policisti iz vejega zapora. Ko se odpeljejo s postaje, se izkae, da se je v policista
preoblekel ravno gospod Nancy. Glede na to, da govorim o varljivcu, pa je preoblekel
verjetno nekoliko preblag izraz, saj sem e vekrat omenil, da lahko varljivec svojo
56

podobo spreminja. Shadow svojega reitelja ne prepozna takoj, temve ele med vonjo,
ko se zane Nancy spreminjati nazaj v majhnega starega moica. Tedaj avtor zapie: V
lueh nasproti vozeega avtomobila se je njegov obraz e zdel stareji. Bil je tudi manji.
Ko ga je Shadow nazadnje videl, je nosil limonasto rumene rokavice in karirast suknji.
[...] Gospod Nancy si je bil vsak trenutek bolj podoben (Gaiman 2013: 394).
Vloga varljivca kot popotnika pri gospodu Nancyu ni poudarjena ni bolj kot pri ostalih
bogovih, prav tako kot tudi ni oitno, da bi prestopal ali ustvarjal meje. Ima pa gospod
Nancy e eno izrazito lastnost, ki pria o mitskosti tega lika, in sicer porenost. Tono ta
beseda sicer ni nikoli omenjena, je pa Nancyev apetit poudarjen na ve mestih, med
katerimi bom izpostavil dve. Ko Shadow prvi srea gospoda Nancya, mu Wednesday
ponudi hrano, vendar jo Shadow zavrne. Gospod Nancy ga nemudoma opomni, da hrane
ne sme nikoli zavrniti: 'Naj ti nekaj povem. [...] Med obedi zna miniti precej asa. e ti
kdo ponudi hrano, sprejmi. Nisem ve tako mlad, kot sem bil, ampak nikoli ne odkloni
prilonosti, da se spoije, naje ali zalee za pol ure' (Gaiman 2013: 130).
Gospod Nancy to trditev podpre nekoliko kasneje, ko njegovo druino nekdo vpraa, ali
bi kaj prigriznili in sam odgovori: Nikoli se ne branim esa za pod zob (Gaiman 2013:
413).
Lastnosti gospoda Nancya se torej skoraj ne razhajajo z lastnostmi mitskega lika, po
katerem je bil zasnovan in z lastnostmi varljivca. Gaiman njegovo vlogo izvajalca trikov e
zlasti poudari, ko ga ena izmed novejih boginj ogovori takole: In ti si Anansi, ki ima
vedno kaj za bregom, a? Ti pasni starek (Gaiman 2013: 413). Dovrenih trikov gospod
Nancy sicer ne izvaja, ima pa dobre namene v tej smeri, in to celo posthumno: Ko bom
umrl jaz, hoem samo, da me zagrebejo nekam na toplo. In ko bi po mojem grobu hodila
edna dekleta, bi jih grabil za glenje kot v tistem filmu (Gaiman 2013: 432). Ve o tej
ukani in e nekaterih drugih bom spregovoril v analizi dela Anansi Boys.

57

3.3.4 Whiskey Jack

eprav ga vsi naslavljajo z Whiskey Jack, se Shadow sprauje, ali res prav slii njegovo
ime: Toda tudi on ni rekel Whiskey Jack. Shadowovim uesom je zvenelo skorajda
enako, vendar ne docela; Visakedak, je pomislil. To pravijo. Sploh ne Whiskey Jack
(Gaiman 2013: 343).
Whiskey Jack je angleka razliica imena Wisakedjak, ta pa je eden od varljivcev iz
mitologije amerikih staroselcev. Wisakedjak ali Wisakketchak, kot je znan v nekaterih
plemenih, je zgolj drugo ime za bolj znanega kulturnega junaka in varljivca, ki se imenuje
Nanibozho (tudi Nanabozhu) (Chamberlain 1891). V mitih je odgovoren predvsem za
veliko poplavo, ki unii svet, kot ga je ustvaril stvarnik. Odgovoren pa je tudi za ponovno
vzpostavitev tega sveta s pomojo magije in moi, ki jih je prejel od stvarnika.
Wisakedjak je prisoten v kulturah plemen Cree, Otchipwe, Mississa, Anishinaabe itd.
Njegove prigode in pustolovine, ukane in prevare ter tudi polomi so v osnovi precej
podobni tistim iz drugih zgodb o varljivcih, ki sem jih obravnaval e v prvem delu
diplomske naloge in se zatorej na tem mestu ni smiselno spuati v dodatne razlage. Na
skupno naravo varljivcev se sklicuje tudi Gaiman, ko neka stranska oseba v romanu izree:
Tu mu pravimo Inktomi. Vsaj mislim, da je isti tip. Dedek mi je povedal nekaj dobrih
zgodbic o njem. Najbolje so bile seveda malce nespodobne (Gaiman 2013: 341).
V romanu Ameriki bogovi je Whiskey Jack ameriki staroselec, ki ga Shadow in
Wednesday sreata po svoji dogodivini v zakulisju, kjer morata pustiti svoj avtodom.
Njegovo domovanje je torej na nekaknem obrobju oziroma na meji med realnim svetom
in zakulisjem. Shadow ga opie z naslednjimi besedami: Moki srednjih let s temno koo,
predirnimi omi in z usti kot zareza noa (Gaiman 2013: 335), medtem ko ga Wednesday
poklie Ti klavrni pezde (Gaiman 2013: 335).
Vloga Whiskey Jacka je v tem delu zgodbe stranska in nevpadljiva, vendar bralca e takoj
na zaetku pritegne pogovor, ki ga ima Shadow s tem starodavnim duhom amerike celine:
Ustnice Whiskey Jacka se niso zganile: 'Kaj ti je povedal bizon?'
'Naj verjamem.'
'Dober nasvet. Ga bo upoteval?'

58

'Nekako. Recimo.' Pogovarjala sta se brez besed, brez ust, brez zvoka. Shadowa je
zanimalo, ali je za druga dva v sobi, ki sta negibno stala, minil en sam srni utrip ali
zgolj delek utripa.
'Ko najde svoje pleme, me obii,' je rekel Whiskey Jack. 'Lahko ti pomaga.'
'Bom.' (Gaiman 2013: 339)
Pogovor, ki na prvi pogled deluje povsem trivialno, zaradi zasebne narave in interakcije
med likoma dobi tisti trenutek e nerazumljivo globino. Bralec zgolj po tem pogovoru ve,
da se bo Whiskey Jack zagotovo ponovno pojavil v nekem kljunem trenutku, kar se tudi
zgodi. Ko Shadow proti koncu romana umre med bdenjem nad Odinovim telesom, se
odloi, da eli v posmrtnem ivljenju popolno praznino in poitek. Nekateri bogovi
ugotovijo, da ga bodo v kljunih trenutkih e potrebovali, in se zato odloijo, da ga bodo
obudili od mrtvih, kar se na koncu seveda izkae za precej pomenljivo odloitev. V tisti
praznini pa ga ne dosee nihe drug kot ravno Whiskey Jack lik, ki ni ne lovek ne bog,
temve nekaj drugega. Ali kot se sam opie:
Jaz sem kulturni junak [...] Ponemo isto sranje kot bogovi, samo da mi vekrat
zajebemo in nas nihe ne asti. O nas pripovedujejo zgodbe, vendar skupaj s tistimi,
v katerih se izkaemo dokaj dobri, pripovedujejo tudi tiste, ki nas postavljajo v slabo
lu. (Gaiman 2013: 489)
Pogovor med Whiskey Jackom in Shadowom je verjetno eden od najpomembnejih
pogovorov v romanu, saj razkriva, zakaj Amerika ni dobra deela za bogove:
Moje ljudstvo je pogruntalo, da je mogoe nekaj za vsem skupaj, stvarnik, veliki duh,
in tako se mu zahvaljujemo, ker se je vedno dobro zahvaliti. Ampak nikoli nismo
gradili cerkva. Ni nam bilo treba. Cerkev je bila kar zemlja. Zemlja je bila religija.
Zemlja je bila stareja in modreja kot ljudje, ki so hodili po njej. (Gaiman 2013:
489)
Ravno v sklopu tega pogovora Shadow konno pride do najpomembneje ugotovitve, in
sicer, v em je smisel oziroma nesmisel bitke med starimi in novimi bogovi. To podrobneje
obravnavam v naslednjih poglavjih.
Whiskey Jack v kratkem asu, ki mu ga nameni avtor romana, odigra precej pomembno
vlogo, obenem pa izpolnjuje kar nekaj pogojev, ki jih mora imeti lik varljivca: ivi na
59

obrobju; Wednesday ga imenuje goljuf; na koncu prve interakcije z Wednesdayom ustvari

kupijo, za katero bi lahko skoraj rekli, da z njo okrade najvejega goljufa v knjigi; v obeh
poglavjih, v katerih nastopa, pijejo in jejo; njegovo ime kae na naravo nekoga, ki mu
alkoholna pijaa ni tuja; ni psihopomp, ima pa to mo, da potuje v onstranstvo in tam
vzpostavi stik s Shadowom ter ga pripelje nazaj; in ne nazadnje, sam zase pravi, da je
kulturni heroj.

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3.3.5 Odin
Odin se v Amerikih bogovih imenuje Wednesday, kar v prevodu pomeni sreda. Smo
ime je avtor izbral, ker so ta dan germanska in nordijska plemena posvetila vrhovnemu
bogu, ki je v nordijski mitologiji prav Odin, v germanski pa se je imenoval Wodan ali
Wotan. Ko je Cezar pisal o keltskih plemenih, je zapisal: Od vseh bogov astijo najbolj
Merkurja. Ta ima najve kipov in imajo ga za izumitelja vseh spretnosti. Vodi jih na
potovanjih, jim kae pota, jim naklanja sreo pri pridobivanju denarja in v trgovini (Cezar
1999: 131).
Mircea Eliade v drugem delu svoje tudije o religioznih verovanjih in idejah govori o tem,
da je arheologija potrdila ugotovitve Julija Cezarja, saj so izkopali veliko kipcev in
reliefov, ki priajo o popularnosti Merkurja med Kelti (Eliade 1996b: 90). Identiteta tega
vrhovnega galskega boga sicer ni popolnoma jasna oziroma ne poznamo njegovega imena,
je pa verjetno panteon celinskih podoben panteonu otokih Keltov, kjer ima
najpomembnejo vlogo bog Lugo. Irska besedila Luga prikazujejo kot poveljnika vojske,
ki redno uporablja magijo, kar pomeni, da ga lahko brez teav primerjamo z Odinom
oziroma Wodanom.
Zanimivo je tudi dejstvo, da so Rimljani sredo posvetili Merkurju in jo poimenovali dies
Mercuri, kar v prevodu pomeni dan Merkurja, medtem ko je bila sreda pri starih Grkih
hmra Hermo, torej dan Hermesa. Rimsko poimenovanje se e danes pozna v
nemalokaterem jeziku, o emer priajo italijanski mercoled, panski mircoles in
francoski mercredi. Celo v hindujskih in vedskih deelah ter njihovi astrologiji sredi vlada
planet Merkur v obliki Budhe. Sicer pa nameravam o Merkurju, Hermesu in Budhi
nekoliko ve spregovoriti v naslednjem poglavju.
Priblino v etrtem stoletju so od Rimljanov Germani prevzeli sedemdnevni teden, le da so
imena rimskih boanstev zamenjali z imeni lastnih bogov, kar pomeni, da je sreda postala
dan Odina. Eliade zapie:
Tako na primer

'mercredi', dies Mercuri,

zamenja 'dan Odina-Wodana':

staroviskonomeki Woutanestac, angleki Wednesday, nizozemski woensdag,

staroskandinavski Odihinsdagr. To dokazuje, da so v Merkurju povsod po
germanskem svetu prepoznali boga, ki so ga sami imenovali z enim in povsod istim
imenom: Odin-Wodan. (Eliade 1996b: 97)
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Sreda pa ni edina povezovalna toka med Hermesom oziroma Merkurjem in Odinom. Odin
je kot bog mrtvih tudi psihopomp, torej spremljevalec du v posmrtno ivljenje, prav tako
kot Hermes in Merkur:
Hermes je bil bog, ki je najlaje prekal mejo med svetom ivih in mrtvih, saj so
Grki verjeli, da je on tisti, ki due umrlih popelje v Hadovo kraljestvo. Ta njegova
dolnost lahko pomaga razumeti njegovo kasnejo identifikacijo germanskega boga
Odina z rimsko razliico Hermesa, Merkurjem. (Cotterell 2000: 49)
Tako kot Hermes, ki je iznael liro in po nekaterih teorijah ogenj, je tudi Odin postal bog
pesnikega navdihnjenja in kulturni junak, ki je ljudem prinesel medico poezije. e ena
njuna povezovalna lastnost je ta, da sta tako Odin kot Hermes varljivca par excellence, kar
nameravam pokazati v naslednjih vrsticah, pred tem pa naj opiem e nekaj lastnosti tega
boga in njegovega panteona.
V eshatoloki mitologiji severnih ljudstev je Odin oe bogov in glavni bog med Azi, torej
nebekimi bogovi, vlada pa tudi Vanom, ki predstavljajo zemeljske bogove. Preden je
priel do te vloge, je razkosal prvobitnega velikana Ymirja in iz njega ustvaril zemljo. Med
Odinove sinove se navadno pritevajo Thor, Baldr in Vali, vasih pa e kar nekaj ostalih
bogov; bolj opazni med njimi so Heimdall, Bragi in Hoder.
Odin se v mitih pojavlja z ve kot 200 imeni, glede njegovih poimenovanj pa je verjetno
najpomembneja Pesem o Grimnirju iz Poetine Edde,12 kjer Odin sam nateva imena,
pod katerimi je znan. Nekara od teh imen so Grim, Popotnik, Bojevnik, Visoki,
Sprememba, Vojnoljub, Enooki, Gospodar-Vdenja, Goljufiv, Vse-Oe, Pobudnik-Sporov,
Modrec, Ygg in Obeeni (Sturluson 2005: 47-48). Kar nekaj izmed njih se navezuje na
najbolj znano Odinovo lastnost, in sicer modrost oziroma celo vsevednost. V redkokaterem
panteonu lahko najdemo vrhovnega boga, ki je za modrost in vdenje pripravljen rtvovati
toliko kot Odin, saj o njegovi poti do znanja obstaja kar nekaj mitov. Po enem izmed njih
je pil iz Mimirjevega vodnjaka modrosti, ki se naj bi nahajal nekje ob jesenu Yggdrasil,
vendar je moral za to darovati eno oko. Zato je Odin vedno prikazan kot bog brez enega
oesa, na kar seveda kae tudi ime Enooki. Ko je pil, je videl vse tegobe in boleine
lovetva in bogov, njegovo oko pa naj bi e vedno lealo na dnu tega vodnjaka. Drugi vir

Prevod Prozna in Poetina Edda uporabljam skladno z: Edda: iz staroislandskega epa. Prevod. Gjud,
Bogdan in Silvin Koak. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, 2004.

12

62

njegove modrosti naj bi bila Mimirjeva glava, s katero se je Odin posvetoval, kadar je elel
videti prihodnost.
V raznih panteonih in mitologijah so bogovi, ki pogosto obiskujejo bojia, prikazani kot
krokarji in Odin v tem ni izjema, saj je obiajno prikazan s kar dvema taknima pticama.
Njegovo najpomembneje dejanje, kar zadeva pridobitev modrosti in vdenja pa je
darovanje samemu sebi, saj je preboden s sulico visel na drevesu Yggdrasil devet dni in
devet noi brez hrane in pijae ter tako spoznal modrost run. Yggdrasil za nordijska
ljudstva predstavlja kozmino drevo, ki je poimenovano po vrhovnem bogu. V prevodu
namre Yggdrasil pomeni Yggov konj in kot taken prikazuje neskonna Odinova
potovanja po vseh kozminih ravneh. Za Ygg smo e povedali, da je eno od imen, ki ga
Odin nateje za samega sebe, prevod tega imena pa naj bi bil Grozni. Njegovo mitsko
darovanje samemu sebi je vodilo do rtvovanja Odinu vsakih devet let v Uppsali, kjer se je
nahajal glavni poganski tempelj na vedskem. Tam so zbrali samce mnogih vrst, med
njimi tudi devet mokih, in jih obesili. Ravno zato je Odin znan kot bog obeencev.
V Zlati veji Georga Frazerja beremo o tem, kako je neki finski kralj vsakih devet let
rtvoval enega izmed svojih sinov, dokler ga podaniki niso ustavili, ko je hotel rtvovati
svojega devetega in zadnjega sina. Kmalu zatem je kralj umrl.
Vse te prigode, e zlasti pa zadnja, kaejo na Odinovo vlogo amana. O amanizmu sem
govoril v enem od prejnjih poglavij, o Odinovem amanizmu pa Eliade trdi:
amanistini aspekt Odina potrjujejo njegov konj z osmimi nogami, Sleipnir, ter krokarja,
ki ga obveata o vsem, kar se dogaja po svetu. Tako kot amani lahko Odin spremeni
svojo obliko in utelesi svojega duha v ivalski podobi (Eliade 1996b: 100).
Ko je Odin ukradel medico poezije, je to naredil z ukano, in sicer tako, da se je v deelo
velikanov priplazil kot kaa, prevaral velikane, ukradel medico in nazaj v svoje domovanje
odletel v obliki orla. Kaa in orel sta ivali, ki ju pogosto videvamo skupaj, in v tem
primeru oznaujeta spodnjo in zgornjo raven kozminega drevesa oziroma nebesno
bivalie bogov in htonino sfero. Kot zanimivost naj omenim, da sta kaa in orel tudi
ivali Nietzschejevega Zaratustre, kjer predstavljata modrost in ponos (prim. Nietzsche
1974: 10), ki sta spet zelo pomembni Odinovi lastnosti. Bil je lanivec in prevarant,
popotnik v preobleki, ki je svoje prej dosegel s prevaro kot s silo, kar se dobro vidi v
prigodi, ko ukrade 'medico poezije' (Littman 2012: 42). Poleg tega v lanku Sustaining
63

the Imaginative Life, kjer avtorici kar veliko prostora namenita Odinovi amanski vlogi,
lahko preberemo da ima aman veliko moi, ta mo pa ga lahko pokvari (Slabbert, Viljoen
2006: 23).
Odinova modrost namre ni vedno pozitivna, saj je bil znan tudi pod imenom Goljufiv. V
uvodu v Prozno Eddo Jesse L. Byock zapie, da je Odin nevaren in muhast bog, ki svojo
pomo vekrat odkloni tistemu, ki si jo zaslui (Byock 2005: 15). Odin je namre bog
bitke in bog umrlih na bojiu. Je torej tisti bog, ki doloa, kdo bo zmagal in kdo umrl.
Loki Odina v pesmi Lokijevo izzivanje obtoi, da je zmago pogosto naklonil tistim, ki si je
niso zasluili (prim. Koak et al. 2004: 158), ali kot trdi Eliade: Z maginimi sredstvi iti
velike junake, vendar svoje varovance na koncu pusti na cedilu in jih ubije (Eliade 1996b:
101). Na drugem mestu pa avtor Prozne Edde zapie, da je Odin pretkan in domiseln
(Sturluson 2005: 16).
Kot psihopomp Odin z bojia pospremi najbolj pogumne vojake v svojo dvorano Valhalo
ali pa to naredijo njegove pomonice Valkire. Ti vojaki naj bi se v Valhali urili do
poslednjega dne, ko se bodo v ragnaroku borili na strani bogov. Mnogi poskuajo s tem
utemeljiti Odinovo izbiro zmagovalcev kot razumljivo in pravino, vendar ta argument le
e bolj potrjuje Odinovo pretkanost.
Poleg obeencev so bile torej Odinu posveene tudi vse smrti na bojiu. Odin je velik
navduenec nad bitkami in pokolom (Littman 2012: 42), zgodovina pa pria celo o tem, da
je vedski kralj Erik pred zaetkom neke bitke nad bojie vrgel svojo sulico in rekel, da
vse smrti tega dne posvea Odinu.
Jan de Vries ugotavlja, da ima Odin nekatere poteze kulturnega junaka in da sta si Odin in
Loki kot par v eshatologiji diametralno nasprotna pozitivna in negativna razliica
kulturnega junaka junak in varljivec. Teorija binarnih opozicij se je sicer pojavila s
strukturalistinim gibanjem, ki je poskualo svet razumeti kot sistem znakov. Primer tega
sta v eshatologiji kozmos in kaos, ki stojita v binarni opoziciji, vendar se oznaujeta tako,
da isti kaos obstaja zgolj v popolnem umanjkanju reda in obratno.
Eshatoloka mitologija je vedno zgrajena na binarni opoziciji kozmosa in kaosa, ki ji je
podrejeno vse. Tako naj bi Odin predstavljal isto poosebljenje reda, kar se vidi po tem, da
pri stvarjenju sveta razkosa velikega Ymmirja, medtem ko je Loki agent kaosa, ki z
umorom Baldra omogoi ponovni vstop nereda v urejeni kozmos.
64

Na nekakno skrivno navezo med Lokijem in Odinom kae veliko odlomkov iz islandskih
besedil. Loki je sin velikana, medtem ko o Odinovi povezanosti z velikani govori e
omenjeni avtor uvoda v Prozno Eddo, ki pravi, da je bila Odinova mati hi velikana
(Sturluson 2005: 18). V pesmi Lokijevo izzivanje Loki omeni, da je Odin njegov krvni brat
in da Odin ne bi nikoli pil piva, e ga ne bi prinesli tudi Lokiju (Lokijevo izzivanje 2004:
154). Odin je tudi velik popotnik, zaradi esar si je tudi prisluilo tak naziv. Kot v uvodu h
knjigi The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrn zapie Christopher Tolkien, je Odina na njegovih
potovanjih pogosto spremljal ravno Loki, ki je navadno hodil na njegovi levi strani
(Tolkien 2009, 54). Avtor knjige Scandinavian Mythology povzema: e Lokija
dojamemo kot nekakno nasprotno stran Odina, ki je bolj povezana s smrtjo in
podzemljem, lahko to pojasni, zakaj tako pogosto spremlja Odina na njegovih potovanjih
in zakaj je v Lokasenni reeno, da sta izrekla prisege bratstva (Davidson 1984: 105). Jesse
Byock zapie: Loki se pojavlja skoraj kot temna stran Vse-Oeta, saj sta tako Odin kot
Loki oba zelo zapletena in nevarna lika. Oba se namre vekrat posluujeta ukan,
spreminjanja podobe in izdaje, obenem pa oba pogosto videvamo v drubi ensk (Byock
2005: 18). Vse to pa odlino povzema Meletinski: Odinov um, ki sinkretino zdruuje
tako visoko modrost kakor nizko spletkarstvo, tako preroki dar kakor zvijanost in
arodejno mo, je neprimerno veji od zvitosti in spletkarjenja Lokija (Meletinski: 2001).
V diplomskem delu sem e vekrat omenil prigodo o tem, kako je Loki poskrbel za umor
Odinovega najlepega sina, Baldra. Po legendi je ta smrt mono prizadela prav vse bogove
in seveda tudi Odina. Vendar si je za popolno razumevanje tega dejanja potrebno pogledati
e zelo pomembni pesmi Poetine Edde, in sicer Bajanje vidke in Baldurjeve sanje.
Baldr je imel pred svojo smrtjo sanje, ki naj bi ga opozorile na preteo nevarnost, kar je
mogoe povezati s tem, da se Odin zato odpravi do dveh vidcev in od njiju zahteva
informacije o nevarnosti, ki preti njegovemu sinu. Oba mu povesta, da ga bo ubil slepi
Hoder in da bo morilsko oroje omelo, eden od njiju pa celo nakae na Lokijevo vlogo v
zadevi:
Baldurja sem videla,
rtev vso v krvi,
Odinu dragega sina,
Z doreeno usodo.
Zrasla je in visela
65

Visoko nad poljem,

Vitka in lepa
Veja omele.
Iz te na videz
Nene rastline,
Je nastala pogubna puica:
Hod jo je sproil.
[...]
Videla sem postavo
Pod vroim tolmunom,
Zvezano in grozljivo postavo,
Podobno Lokiju. (Bajanje vidke 2004: 2022)
e je Odin torej imel na razpolago vse te informacije, obenem pa je skoraj vseveden, bi
zagotovo lahko prepreil Baldrovo smrt, vendar ne naredi ni. Zakaj torej Odin dovoli smrt
svojega sina oziroma zakaj ne ustavi Lokija? V Eddah je vekrat omenjeno, da so ostali
bogovi eleli Lokija izgnati ali celo ubiti, vendar jih je vedno ustavil Odin. Pomembno je
torej, da upotevamo monost, da bi Loki lahko bil izvrevalec njunih skupnih zamisli ali
celo zgolj Odinovih spletkarskih idej. Po Platonovi teoriji mora biti bog v resnici dober in
zato ga je treba tako predstavljati (Platon 1995: 63).
Morda Odin potrebuje nekoga, ki bi ga lahko krivil za svoja dejanja, ali kot zapie
Meletinski:
[Loki je] 'dvojnik' Odina, njegov komini posnemovalec v kozmogoninih mitih in
demonski antipod v eshatolokih, kajti Odin je oe bogov, Loki pa oe htoninih
poasti in pogubljevalec. [...] Vendar pa nas popolno pomanjkanje sledov Lokijevega
kulta e dolgo navaja na misel, da je tudi svojevrsten mitoloki 'greni kozel' za
krvave rituale, posveene Odinu. (Meletinski 2001: 198)
Ellen Datlow in Terri Windling zapieta, da pri varljivcu nikakor ne smemo pozabiti
dvojnega vidika njegove narave (Datlow, Windling 2009: 7), torej da je tako dober, kot
slab. Varljivec se v Odinu manifestira skoraj z vsemi lastnostmi, saj Odin velja za najbolj
pretkanega boga v svojem panteonu; veliko je na poti; njegova porenost se kae v elji
po vdenju; nastopa kot kulturni junak; je psihopomp oziroma tesno povezan z mrtvimi;

66

znan je po prekanju mej; spola sicer ne spreminja, lahko pa spremeni svojo podobo;
obenem so znane tudi njegove avanture z mladenkami, s tem da sam, ko nateva svoje
uroke, ree: Sedemnajstega poznam, / ki vsako punco prepria, / da mi nikoli ne ree ne
(Pesem urokov 2004: 89).
Zato ni nikakrno preseneenje, da je Neil Gaiman v romanu Ameriki bogovi za vlogo
glavnega varljivca izbral ravno Odina. Kot e reeno, se v romanu pojavi ve klasinih
varljivcev, kot so Loki, Anansi, Wisakedjak in nekatere druge osebe, ki imajo posamezne
lastnosti mitskega varljivca. Vendar za boga, ki vodi uresnievanje glavne ukane v
romanu, izbere Odina, pri katerem varljivost v mitih navadno ni na prvem mestu.
Joseph Campbell govori o potovanju junaka, ki sprejme klic in najprej srea staro enico
ali mokega, ki ga oskrbi s potrebnimi amuleti za pot ali mu da kaken nasvet (prim.
Campbell 2007). e torej vzamemo v obzir to Campbellovo trditev, ki jo je oblikoval ob
Jungovem arhetipu stare enice, dobimo obutek, da je elel Gaiman bralca na zaetku
zavesti. Tudi na zaetku Amerikih bogov se namre pojavi Wednesday in zdi se, kot da je
Odin ta stari moic, na katerega lahko Shadow rauna. Wednesday je torej predstavljen
bralcu kot pozitiven lik, zato mu veina bralcev na zaetku romana zaupa in ele proti
koncu izve njegov pravi nart.
Gaiman je potreboval boga, ki ga lahko prek mitov razumemo kot modrega starca, ki se
bori za red in je na strani dobrih ter lahko vodi glavni lik na njegovem mitinem
potovanju. Verjetno mu pri tem ni kodilo dejstvo, da je Tolkienov Gandalf, ki v svetu
fantazijske literature velja za nekaken arhetip starega moica, zasnovan ravno na Odinu
oziroma na eni izmed podob, v katerih se ta pojavlja. Obenem pa je potreboval pretkanega
boga, ki lahko nastopa na obeh straneh spopada oziroma je dovolj pretkan, da lahko spelje
obe strani v epsko bitko. Navezava, katero imata Odin in Loki e v mitih, kajpada zgolj
pripomore k cilju, h kateremu je stremel pisatelj, zato je bil Odin zanj verjetno lahka izbira.
Tako kot vsi ostali bogovi je tudi Wednesday noveja manifestacija oziroma reinkarnacija
svojega mitskega dvojnika, ki navzven kae obraz uglajenega starca, vso svojo modrost in
zvitost pa v vlogi prevaranta prilagodi ivljenju v dananjem svetu. Wednesday je opisan
kot starec v poslovni obleki z rdeesivimi lasmi in brado. Na kravati ima sponko, na kateri
je upodobljeno srebrno drevo, ki je nekakna slika nordijskega kozminega Yggdrasila. V
njegovih oeh je nekaj nenavadnega, saj je eno bolj temno sivo kot drugo. Kasneje se
izkae, da je eno izmed njegovih oes stekleno, kar se seveda sklada z mitom o Odinovem
67

rtvovanju enega oesa Mimirjevemu vodnjaku. In ko Shadow, ki se sicer ne more

doloiti, katero oko je stekleno, svojega mentorja vpraa, kje je izgubil oko, mu ta
odgovori: Nisem ga izgubil. Tono vem, kje je (Gaiman 2013: 81).
Wednesday skozi roman kae vse znailnosti svojega mitinega dvojnika, obenem pa tudi
varljivca. Ena glavnih lastnosti, ki pritie varljivcu, je seveda spolna sla, kar Odin v
Amerikih bogovih vekrat dokae. Eno izmed Odinovih eskapad z neko natakarico
Shadow opie takole:
Strmel je vanjo jo skorajda poiral z omi , kot da ne bi bilo ni, kar mu lahko
ponudi, tako slasten griljaj kot ona sama. Shadow je obutil silno nelagodje: bilo je,
kot da bi opazoval starega volka, ki prei na srnico, premlado, da bi vedela, da mora
zbeati, in to ta trenutek, sicer bo konala na oddaljeni jasi, kjer ji bodo kosti obirali
krokarji. (Gaiman 2013: 234)
Ko jo Wednesday povpraa po najboljem hotelu v okolici, mu ona pove, da tudi najbolji
tamkajnji motel ni ni posebnega. Wednesday ji odgovori, da bo to zanju palaa uitkov.
Gaiman zgodbo zakljui z naslednjimi besedami:
Natakarica ga je pogledala. Ugriznila se je v tanke ustnice, oklevala, nato pa
prikimala in odhitela v kuhinjo.
'Daj no,' je rekel Shadow. 'Je sploh e polnoletna?'
'Pravni okviri me niso nikdar kaj preve skrbeli,' mu je dejal Wednesday. 'Ne, dokler
dobim, kar hoem.' (Gaiman 2013: 237)
Wednesday nekje celo omeni, da je imel e ogromno ensk (Gaiman 2013: 507). Nekoliko
kasneje, ko nateva svoje lastnosti, povzete po Odinovem natevanju v Poetini Eddi, med
drugim pove tudi tole: estnajsti urok poznam: e potrebujem ljubezen, lahko zmeam
glavo in srce vsake enske. Sedemnajsti, da nobena enska, ki si jo elim, ne bo nikdar
elela drugega (Gaiman 2013: 280).
Shadow poasi odkriva pravo naravo svojega sopotnika, vendar ga to preve ne moti, saj
tudi sam ni bil ravno zgleden dravljan. Ko Wednesdaya vpraa, ali je slepar, mu ta
odgovori: Da [...] najbr res. Med drugim (Gaiman 2013: 58). Drugi ga obtoi, da lae,
in Wednesday brez kakrnihkoli zadrkov ali obalovanja odgovori: Seveda. In to dobro.

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Boljega lanivca od mene ne bo spoznal (Gaiman 2013: 44). In ko ga Shadow vpraa,

ali se ne navelia vsega tega laganja, mu starec odgovori, da niti priblino ne.
Wednesday sam izpria tudi svojo amansko sposobnost, ko trdi, da pozna urok, ki zdravi
z dotikom (Gaiman 2013: 278), obenem pa omeni svoje rtvovanje: Devet noi sem visel
na golem drevesu, stran sem imel prebodeno z ostjo sulice. Gugal in zibal sem se v mrzlih
vetrovih in vroih vetrovih, brez jedae, brez pijae, rtev samega sebe samemu sebi, in
odprli so se mi svetovi (Gaiman 2013: 279-280).
Najpomembneji opis samega sebe pa da Wednesday, ko svojemu sinu in popotniku pove
svoja imena in lastnosti, ki jih je prejel od prvotnega Odina:
Pravijo mi Vojnoljub, Mrki, Plenilec in Tretji. Sem Enooki. Pravijo mi Najviji in
Resnicogovorec. Jaz sem Grimnir in jaz sem Zakriti. Jaz sem Oe vsega in jaz sem
Gondlir Nosilec palice. Imam toliko imen, kolikor je vetrov, in toliko nazivov,
kolikor je nainov smrti. Moja krokarja sta Huginn in Muninn; Misel in Spomin;
moja volkova sta Freki in Geri; moj konj so veala. (Gaiman 2013: 136)
Wednesdayev apetit se kae v sli po moi, njegova seksualnost v eskapadah z mladenkami,
neprestano gibanje v potovanjih po Ameriki, tatvine v vseh prevarah, ki jih nateje
Shadowu, ter seveda v ropu banke na ulici. Wednesday ima tudi mo prehajanja med
mejami, saj v nekem trenutku na armaturno ploo avta narie nekakne znake in se s
Shadowom znajdeta v zakulisju. Vsem tem lastnostim varljivca navkljub, ki jih kae, pa se
njegova prava dvojna narava, ki je znailna za ta mitski lik, razkrije ele proti koncu
romana.
e na zaetku se Shadow kljub vsem nepredvidljivim okoliinam znajde na istem letalu
kot Wednesday in e takrat dobimo obutek, da jih je starec prilagodil sebi v prid. V SSKJ
je nakljuje definirano kot to, kar povezuje, povzroa sovpad nepriakovanih, med
seboj vzrono nepovezanih dejanj, dejstev (Splet 10). Vendar tu ne moremo govoriti o
nakljujih, temve o kavzalnosti. Da se kavzalnost oziroma vzronost lahko pojavi, se
mora nekaj zgoditi pred nekim drugim dogodkom in nastati kot posledica nekaknega
razloga (prim. Platon 2009). Pri nakljujih gre torej za pomanjkanje vzroka, tu pa je oitno,
da gre za nekaj ve kot le nakljuje; gre za nekakno nastavljanje pasti oziroma prirejanje
okoliin. V romanu je vekrat poudarjeno, da je pri dobri iluziji kljunega pomena
odvraanje pozornosti od nje, Odin in Loki, ki navidezno delujeta na razlinih straneh
69

spopada, poneta ravno to. Glavna iluzija, ki odvraa pozornost, pa je Odinova smrt.
Agenti novejih bogov Odina usmrtijo in to dejanje pripelje vse stare bogove skupaj.
Najprej se zdi, kot da se je Odin rtvoval za dobro starih bogov, ko je dovolil, da ga
gospod World umori. V to verjame tudi Shadow, ki e ni sprevidel narta svojega oeta, in
se, kot sem e omenil v razdelku o njem, odloi, da bo bdel nad njegovim truplom. To
bdenje se izkae za rtvovanje bojega sina, ki da Odinu mo, da se zane poasi vraati
med ive in tako prestopi prag smrti eno glavnih del tako varljivca kot tudi amana. Ko
Shadow konno ugotovi, kaj je bil smisel celotne pustolovine, mu Odin pove: Hranim
se s smrtjo, posveeno meni (Gaiman 2013: 508). Prav tako kot Odin v starem veku se
tudi novi Odin hrani z rtvami ljudi in prav tako, kot je vedski kralj Erik vrgel sulico nad
bitko in vse smrti tistega dne posvetil Odinu, naj bi tudi Loki z metom sulice posvetil
Odinu smrti vseh bogov na bojiu (Gaiman 2013: 483). Vse te smrti bi Odina naredile
veliko monejega, kot je bil pred umorom, in tako se izkae, da se je Odin e enkrat
daroval samemu sebi. Vendar sta Odin in Loki morda celo preve premetena glede na
svoje druge sposobnosti, saj ne moreta predvideti vseh okoliin, in kot e reeno, prav
tako kot mnogi varljivci pred njima postaneta rtvi svojih ukan.
Oitno je torej, da Odin v Amerikih bogovih uporabi obilo sposobnosti in pokae kar
nekaj lastnosti, ki mu jih pripisujejo nordijski miti, nekatere druge sposobnosti pa mora
prilagoditi prevarantskemu in nepotenemu ivljenju v dananji kapitalistini kulturi. Ne
glede na to, ali je imel Odin vlogo varljivca e v starodobnih mitih ali ne, mora kot vrhovni
bog v dananjem asu to vlogo zagotovo sprejeti.

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3.3.6 Neimenovani bog

Poleg Odina, ki ima pri Gaimanu zelo dodelano vlogo, je za ljubitelje mitologije eden
najbolj zanimivih bogov v Gaimanovem pan-panteonu zagotovo neimenovani bog, ki se
pojavi na ve mestih v romanu Ameriki bogovi. Avtor je z informacijami o tem bogu
precej skop; tudi na svoji internetni strani je v rubriki najpogosteje zastavljenih vpraanj
zapisal, da ne namerava povedati, kdo ta bog je (Splet 11). V roman je vkljuil kar nekaj
podatkov, ki lahko pomagajo pri razvozlanju te skrivnosti, in kljub temu, da informacij ni
dovolj za popolno definicijo oziroma stoodstotno preprianost o pravi identiteti boga,
menim, da ga lahko vsaj poskusim opredeliti. Na raznih forumih in e zlasti na uradnem
forumu Gaimanovih del (Splet 12) v zvezi z identiteto neimenovanega boga obstaja e
vrsta nasprotujoih si ugibanj.
Ena najpogostejih domnev je, da bi bil ta pozabljivi bog lahko Had iz grke mitologije,
argument za to domnevo pa je njegov dar bogastva in njegova raba elade, ki loveka
lahko naredi nevidnega. Vendar lahko to hipotezo nedvomno ovremo s tem, da Had
elade, ki nosi njegovo ime, ni nikoli uporabljal oziroma ni nobenega dokaza o tem, da bi
jo. Uporabljal jo je nekdo drug. Obenem pa Had ni prava izbira, saj se Neil Gaiman v delu
Ameriki bogovi nala izmika grki in rimski mitologiji, to pa verjetno zato, ker ljudje v
starem veku e niso prekali atlantskega oceana in tako tudi astilci starih bogov niso prili
v Ameriko. Seveda je mono, da nekateri ljudje e danes astijo grko-rimske mitoloke
bogove in bi avtor zato lahko uporabil kaknega izmed njih.
Druga zanimiva in zelo verjetna domneva je bila, da je neimenovani bog Sandman ali
Morfej. Zagotovo je prav mono, da je avtor elel v svoj roman vkljuiti tudi lik, ki ga je
ustvaril nekaj ve kot desetletje pred nastankom romana, in tako e bolj utrditi svojo
zapuino. Morfej je namre lik, ki bi neimenovanemu bogu zagotovo ustrezal po
zunanjem videzu, saj je ta obleen v temno obleko, ter ima obrit obraz in rne lase.
Obenem bi lahko njegovo zmonost, da postane neviden, interpretirali kot pozabo sanj, saj
se ljudje zjutraj zelo pogosto zbudimo, ne da bi se lahko spomnili svojih sanj. Prav tako je
s sanjami povezano glavno poglavje o tem liku, saj je v celoti napisano leee (pisanja v
kurzivi se avtor v romanu posluuje vsaki, ko opisuje protagonistove sanje). Vendar sem
ob branju Sandmana zavrgel tudi to tezo, saj je v omenjenem poglavju kot domovanje tega
loveka naveden Las Vegas, medtem ko Morfej le redko zapusti svoje kraljestvo sanj.
Antracitno siva obleka, o kateri lahko beremo v slovenskem prevodu dela, je v originalu
71

opisana kot ogelna obleka oziroma obleka barve oglja, Morfej pa je navadno obleen
popolnoma v rno barvo. Navsezadnje pa se tudi njegovo prijateljstvo z Odinom v stripu
Sandman skrha in glede na njun razhod v stripu si teko predstavljam, da bi bilo njuno
sreanje v romanu Ameriki bogovi tako civilizirano.
S sanjami, ki sem jih pravkar omenil, je v mitih povezanih e nekaj bogov. To velja na
primer za Hermesa, boga o katerem Otto zapie, da ima arobno palico, s katero lahko
loveka uspava in zbudi (Otto 1998: 137). Ovid v Metamorfozah pripoveduje zgodbo o
tem, kako je Hermes ubil Argosa z mnogimi oesi najprej ga je potopil v spanec in mu
potem s palico poboal oesa (Ovid 2013: 81). O njegovi zlati palici ali ibi, ki jo
imenujemo kaducej, je pisal tudi Anton Sovr v Starih Grkih, e da z njo loveku zapira
oi in ga drami iz spanja (Sovr 2006: 56). To je lahko eden izmed razlogov za to, da je
poglavje o neimenovanem bogu napisano na podoben nain kot poglavja, povezana s
sanjami.
Eliade pie, da ima Hermes 'arovno palico', oziroma kaducej, in kapo, ki ga naredi
nevidnega (Eliade 1996a: 178). O Hermesovi nevidnosti bi lahko govorili na mnogih
podrojih. Poleg Perzeja in Atene je edini, za katerega je bilo kdaj izpriano, da je
uporabljal Hadovo elado. Kot sem e omenil, je Had sam ni nikoli nosil, Hermes pa lahko
postane s pomojo Hadove elade neviden, kadar to eli (Otto 1998: 137). V
gigantomahiji oziroma vojni, ki je nastopila med Giganti in bogovi po zruenju Titanov, je
Hermes s pomojo te elade ubil Giganta Hipolita. Razen s elado nevidnosti pa lahko
neimenovanost Hermesa v romanu Ameriki bogovi poveemo e z nekaterimi drugimi
lastnostmi tega velikega varljivca. Ena od njih je tudi nekakna prikazenskost njegove
navzonosti (prim. Otto 1998: 149) Grki so v primerih, ko je v trenutku nastala tiina,
imeli navado rei, da je v sobo stopil Hermes.
Hermesov dvojnik v rimskem panteonu je bil Merkur, ki je v marsiem povezan z ivim
srebrom. V nekaterih jezikih, med njimi tudi v angleini, v kateri je napisan roman
Ameriki bogovi, imata ivo srebro in rimski bog celo isto ime. ivo srebro so z
Merkurjem povezovali zaradi njegove hitrosti in neulovljive narave. Merkurjeva narava je
enaka naravi te tekoe kovine, ki so jo vasih imenovali tudi beei suenj (Kavi
2003: 80). O Hermesu in njegovi neulovljivi hitri naravi pie tudi Otto: Njegova mo je
okretnost. Njegova dela ne govorijo toliko o njegovi sili ali modrosti, temve o urnosti in
vseh umetnostih prekrivanja (Otto 1998: 134).
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Vsakemu planetu je v okviru ptolemajske kozmologije ustrezala doloena kovina:

Saturnu svinec, Jupitru cink, bron ali kositer, Marsu elezo, Veneri baker, Soncu zlato,
Luni srebro, Merkurju pa ivo srebro (kamperle 2003: 149). Planet Merkur je prejel ime
po rimskem bogu zaradi tega, ker se je premikal ez nebo hitreje kot katerikoli drug planet
in je torej Rimljanom predstavljal neulovljivo naravo tega hitrega boga. Zanimivo je, da so
Babilonci, eni izmed prvih preuevalcev neba, dali Merkurju ime Nabu po bojem slu, v
moderni grini pa planetu Merkur e vedno pravijo Hermes. Razen Merkurja so Hermesa
povezovali tudi z Luno (Sovr 2006: 56), kar je precej zanimivo glede na to, da sta si po
zunanjosti zelo podobna. V Illingworth (1986) lahko najdemo zapise o vulkanski strukturi
terena na Merkurju, ki je po kemini in geoloki sestavi zelo podoben lunarnemu. Ta
vulkanska zgradba povrja, ki je posuta s kraterji, je posledica raznih trkov, geoloke
neaktivnosti in pomanjkanja vode, kar pa se vidi v nekakni temno sivi barvi planeta, ki
loveka lahko spominja na oglje. Razlog za to je seveda tudi bliina Sonca, saj mu je
Merkur med vsemi planeti v naem osonju najbliji.
V Amerikih bogovih se neimenovani bog prvi pojavi v avtu, kjer poleg njega sedijo e
Shadow, boginja Kali in Alvis, kralj kratov.
Moki v temni obleki, ki se ga Shadow ni spominjal. Ko je moki stopal v avto, je
stal ob njem, mu odprl in zaprl vrata, vendar se ni mogel o njem spomniti niesar.
Zasukal se je na voznikovem sedeu in ga pogledal, pozorno motril njegov obraz,
njegove lase, njegova oblaila, da bi ga zagotovo spoznal, e bi ga e kdaj sreal, se
obrnil nazaj, vgal avto in ugotovil, da mu je moki zdrknil iz spomina. Za njim je
ostal zgolj vtis bogastva, drugega pa ni. (Gaiman 2013: 144)
V tem kratkem odlomku je neimenovani bog omenjen samo e enkrat, ko Shadow nekaj
ree, vendar ta takoj zatem pozabi, kaj mu je bog dejal. ez nekaj asa sledi poglavje, kjer
se Odin s tem bogom pogovarja; razen podobnosti s sanjami ima to poglavje e eno
izrazito lastnost: njegovo prizorie je Las Vegas. Vtis bogastva, ki ga dobi Shadow ob
opazovanju tega boga, je zagotovo posledica Hermesove povezanosti s trgovanjem: Kot
pravi bog trgovanja je [...] na likovnih umetninah upodobljen s polnim monjikom v roki
(Otto 1998: 139). Vendar Hermes ni zgolj bog trgovanja, temve tudi duh noi, kar skupaj
z njegovo izmuzljivostjo in hitrostjo zagotovo pripomore k temu, da je prav tako bog tatov.
Kot sem omenil e v poglavju o Hermesu, zanj ni pomembno, kdo prejme denar ali na
kaken nain denar menja roke pomembno mu je zgolj to, da denar tee. V romanu
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Ameriki bogovi je o neimenovanem bogu reeno: V tem puavskem mestu [Las Vegas]
ga oara urnost premikanja, gibanje denarja iz enega kraja v drugega iz rok v roke
(Gaiman 2013: 267-277). e bi si moral boga trgovanja in tatov ter duha noi predstavljati
na kaknem kraju v dananjem svetu, bi bil Las Vegas zagotovo eden izmed teh krajev, e
ne celo edini.
Na koncu prej omenjenega poglavja Odin odide, ne da bi natakarici plaal svojo pijao, in
neimenovani bog vidi razoaranje v njenih oeh ter se je usmili. Ne da ji denarja, ampak ji
pove, da bo tisti veer nekdo zadel veliko koliino denarja, ki ga bo elel porabiti, nato pa
ji razkrije, kje lahko tega loveka srea. Natakarica se potem sicer ne spominja, kdo ji je to
povedal ali da bi ji sploh kdo kaj rekel, a se po konani slubi vseeno odpravi na omenjeno
mesto. Hermesov dar je namre vse tisto, kar loveku pripade po srenem nakljuju in ne
da bi bil za to sam zasluen. Je bog vesele in nenadejane pridobitve (Otto 1998: 141).
Eliade pravi, da je vsaka srea Hermesov dar (Eliade 1996a: 178), medtem ko Aristofan v
svoji komediji Mir pravi, da je Hermes najvelikoduneji od boanstev (Aristofan 2011:
127). Grki so se za vse, kar so nali na poti ali e je komu nenadoma pripadla nekakna
nepriakovana srea, zahvalili ravno Hermesu. Kar je bilo najdeno, so poimenovali
hrmaion, kar bi v slovenskem prevodu pomenilo Hermesov dar.
Hermesova povezava z bogastvom in zlatom pa ne izvira zgolj iz njegove funkcije boga
trgovanja in dajalca vseh darov, temve se kae tudi v njegovi povezanosti z alkimijo.
Hermes je eden redkih olimpskih bogov, ki po krizi 'klasine' religije niso izgubili svoje
religiozne vrednosti in niso izginili ob zmagoslavju kranstva (Eliade 1996a: 179).
Hermes je tudi bog hermetike in hermenevtike, torej zaitnik skrivnosti in umetnosti
deifriranja skrivnosti (prim. kamperle 1996: 9). V helenistinem obdobju sta se Hermes
in Thot spojila v lik Hermesa Trismegista. 'Hermesa trikrat najvejega', ki je veljal za
zaitnika in uitelja vseh umetnosti, zlasti e alkimije (Campbell 2007: 92).
S Hermesom obstaja e ena povezava. Pojavi se v zvezi z avtorstvom Corpus hermeticum,
ki ga sestavlja 42 spisov, napisanih nekje med prvim in tretjim stoletjem naega tetja in
katerih avtor e danes ni znan. lo naj bi za izredno stara, e ne celo prva besedila, ki naj bi
vsebovala najistejo, magino razodeto modrost. Ustno izroilo je te spise vse tja do
renesanse pripisovalo egipanskemu magu in preroku Hermesu Trismegistu, za katerega so
menili, da je resnina oseba, enaili pa so ga tudi z bogom Thotom. Grki so po svoji
navadi, v skladu s katero so dajali egipanskim bogovom svoja imena (Saisi Atena, Ptahu
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Hefaist, Ozirisu Dioniz, Horusu Apolon itd.), Thotu dali ime Hermes, mesto njegovega
kulta pa so poimenovali Hermopolis. In ko se vsem njegovim lastnostim pripie e to, da je
napisal skrivnostna besedila, postane Hermes trikrat najveji: zakonodajalec, filozof in
sveenik. Tudi Eliade pie o Hermesu kot imetniku vsega vedenja, predvsem skrivne
gnoze, zaradi esar je poglavar vseh arovnikov (Eliade 1996a: 179).
Hermes je kot avtor dela Corpus hermeticum torej vzpostavil alkimijo kot najvejo znanost
oziroma ars magno. Alkimija se je mono ukoreninila v arabskih deelah in se nato selila
do panije, Francije, Anglije in kasneje celo do Amerike. Po modernem poimenovanju je
predznanstvena stopnja kemije (Sitar 2003: 41), ki je bila tudi duhovna disciplina, in sicer
naj bi bila pomembna za razvoj osebnosti in sveta do popolnosti. Njen prvotni namen je bil
sprememba manj vrednih kovin v zlato, kar pa je seveda pritegnilo plemstvo in mnoge
raziskovalce. Med alkimiste tejejo imena, kot so Pape Janez XXII., Roger Bacon, John
Dee, grof st. Germain, Isaac Newton in mnogi drugi, domnevni alkimisti pa naj bi bili celo
Mojzes, kralj Salomon in Janeza Evangelist. Poslednji veliki alkimist naj bi bil Johann
Wolfgang Goethe (prim. Sitar 2003: 56).
Za pridobivanje zlata je bilo najpomembneje ivo srebro, torej element, ki mu po imenu
ustreza ravno Merkur. Ta element je bil za alkimiste poseben e zaradi svojih lastnosti, saj
ga niso mogli uvrstiti ne med tekoine ne med kovine. Trdili so, da ivo srebro isti in
utrjuje zlato (Kavi 2003: 11), ter ga zato omenjali prav pri vsakem opravilu, ker naj bi
omogoalo izpeljati vsak alkimistini postopek. V alkimiji se je vsega zelo dolgo drala
velika skrivnost, in ko umetnega zlata niso mogli narediti, se je razirila domneva, da za
pretvorbo kovin v zlato potrebujejo neki element, ki jim manjka. Ta element je nosil kar
nekaj imen, med katerimi so najbolj znana kamen modrih ali kamen filozofov, veliki
eliksir, magisterij in voda ivljenja. Kdor bi poznal takno snov, bi bil bogat, sreen in
zdrav.
V Amerikih bogovih mo v temni obleki pije viski Laphroaig, zanimivo pa je dejstvo, da
ravno beseda whiskey prihaja iz stare kotske in irske geline, kjer uisge beatha pomeni
vodo ivljenja. e bi Hermesu kot bogu ivljenja in alkimije eleli ponuditi kakno pijao,
bi to skoraj zagotovo bil viski ali tekoe zlato, kot ga zaradi barve, strukture in
prefinjenega okusa pogosto imenujejo tisti, ki se navduujejo nad njim.
Kamen modrih naj bi bil sestavljen iz tirih elementov, tako kot vesolje, postopek
pridobivanja pa naj bi bil podoben lovekemu plojenju. Alkimisti so za ta postopek in za
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zdruitev na splono pogosto uporabljali koncept mistine poroke ali hiers gmos, ki so jo
imenovali preprosto alkimistina poroka (Thorndike 1996: 76). Hiers gmos je sicer
del starodavnega izroila, kjer sta se enin in nevesta oziroma majska kralj in kraljica
zdruila v spolnem aktu ter tako uprizorila poroko gozdnih boanstev, ki naj bi
pospeevalo rast dreves in rastlinja (prim. Frazer 2001: 115).
Pri alkimiji gre namre za zdruitev nasprotij ali sonca in lune, v jeziku moderne
psihologije zavesti in nezavednega. Alkimistino poroko zdruitev so navadno prikazovali
s parom Hermesa in Afrodite (prim. Jereb 2003: 39 in Yates 1996: 116). Hermes sicer ni
bil nikoli Afroditin stalni partner, vekrat pa je izpriano njegovo hrepenenje po tej boginji
(Cotterell 2000: 49). Ko bogovi v Odiseji vidijo usodo Aresa, ki ga je Hefajst skupaj z
Afrodito za eno no ujel v okove, Apolon Hermesa vpraa, ali bi bil pripravljen prestajati
isto kazen, in Hermes mu odgovori: Ej, da me to doleti, gospod in strelec Apolon! Moglo
drati bi trikrat me toliko spon nerazveznih, vi pa me gledati vsi, bogovi tako ko boginje,
jaz kljub temu bi spal kraj zlate gospe Afrodite! (Homer 1982: 116). Kernyi pa govori
celo o Afroditi in Hermesu, kot o dveh vidikih primarnega bitja (Jung in Kernyi 1993:
65).
Kljub temu da Hermes v grkem panteonu nima ene ali prilenice, to e ne pomeni, da ni
hrepenel po nobeni enski. Zato ni ni udnega, da v pogovoru med Odinom in
neimenovanim bogom slednji prvega nekaj vpraa in mu ta odgovori: Nihe je ni videl e
dvesto let. e ni mrtva, se je sama umaknila (Gaiman 2013: 277).
Mojo hipotezo, da neimenovani bog v Amerikih bogovih predstavlja boga Hermesa,
deloma potrjuje tudi dejstvo, da mu Odin na koncu pogovora za sodelovanje ponudi
steklenico some. lanu grkega panteona bi lahko ponudil ambrozijo in tako morda bolj
natanno pokazal, kdo ta bog je. Soma, ki je v vedski in hindujski mitologiji pijaa bogov,
sicer v romanu ni nujno povezana samo s tema religijama, saj jo Odin opie takole: Pijaa
je. Koncentrirana molitev in vera, destilirana v moan liker (Gaiman 2013: 279) Opie jo
torej kot pijao, ki bi jo lahko pili vsi bogovi in ne samo bogovi hindujskega panteona.
Rastlina, iz katere so v mitih pridobivali somo, naj bi rasla v srediu oziroma popku
zemlje, kjer je mogoe prestopati z neba na zemljo in narobe (Eliade 1996a: 140), ter je
pijaa ne-smrti. Gre torej za hindujsko ambrozijo, ki jo pijejo ljudje in heroji, saj spodbuja
misli, krepi pogum in spolno mo, zdravi bolezni, podaljuje ivljenje itd (prim. Lionel in
Barnett 2007: 15). Vendar v vedski in hindujski mitologiji soma ni zgolj napoj, temve je
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Soma tudi ime duha tega napoja oziroma lunarno boanstvo. Soma se imenuje tudi
Chandra.
Hindujski mit pripoveduje, da se je bog Soma zaljubil v eno glavnega boga, jo ugrabil in
imel z njo otroka. Ta otrok se je najprej imenoval Praharshana, Rodhana, Tunga in
Symnga oziroma rno telo (Dowson 2011: 65). Zaradi njegove lepote in njegove
modrosti se je med bogovi vnela velika bitka, saj sta glavni bog in Soma elela oba postati
njegova oeta. Soma mu je dal nato ime Budha, kar pomeni modri, vendar ga ne smemo
meati s Siddharto oziroma Guatamo Buddho.
Budha je v hindujski religiji ime za planet Merkur in obenem tudi za sredo (Splet 13), kot
sem e poudaril v poglavju o Odinu, pa sta Merkur in Hermes predstavnika srede v grki in
rimski mitologiji. Budha je torej hindujska verzija Merkurja oziroma Hermesa, saj je
obenem tudi bog trgovanja in poti. Povezuje jih seveda tudi modrost, ki je izpriana pri
Hermesu kot stvaritelju prvih besedil in bogu vseh umetnosti ter v Budhovem imenu.
Proti koncu romana Ameriki bogovi so stari bogovi med sabo v sporu in nihe se ne more
z nikomer strinjati, dokler se ne zgodi tole: Moki v elegantni obleki, ki je doslej molal,
je sklenil dlani, stopil v soj ognja, ter jedrnato in jasno predstavil svoje stalie. Sledilo je
odobravajoe prikimavanje in mrmranje (Gaiman 2013: 486). To je e en znak, da ima
neimenovani bog vse lastnosti boga, ki vlada planetu Merkurju in sredi. To, da Odin naredi
kar veliko za to, da bi si pridobil njegovo naklonjenost oziroma ga pritegnil na svojo stran,
ni presenetljivo, saj je bog, zaradi katerega je neko e nastala vojna med bogovi, obenem
pa ima veliko razlinih moi in lastnosti.
Veino lastnosti boga Hermesa ima tudi neimenovani bog v Amerikih bogovih:
Njegova prekanjenost in praktina umnost, njegova domiselnost (prav on je odkril
ogenj), sposobnost, da se naredi nevidnega in se, kot bi trenil, znajde kjer koli,
namre e napovedujejo ugled modrosti, predvsem pa obvladovanja okultnih ved, ki
so pozneje, v helenistini dobi, postale Hermesove specifine lastnosti. Tisti, ki najde
pot v temi, vodi due mrtvih in se giblje s hitrostjo bliska, zdaj viden zdaj neviden
v zadnji instanci odraa neko doloeno naravnanost duha: ne le razumnost in
prevejanost, temve tudi gnozo in magijo. (Eliade 1996a: 179)
Hermes, Merkur in Budha so torej tri inkarnacije istega boga, ki bi v romanu, kot je
Ameriki bogovi, lahko delovali kot ena sama oseba, saj e v ustreznih mitologijah
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predstavljajo eno samo idejo. Ob pozornem branju lahko tudi opazimo, da sta si
Wednesday in neimenovani bog zelo podobna, saj oba pijeta viski, obenem pa sta oba
obleena v sivo obleko, le da je ena temna in druga svetla. Prav tako sta si do neke mere
podobna Odin in Hermes, saj je Odin le eden izmed bogov, ki predstavljajo sredo.
Domnevamo lahko torej, da je elel avtor v neimenovanem bogu zajeti pomembneje
boanske predstavnike tega dneva, ki pa se po neem razlikujejo od Odina. e torej
pomislimo na Odina, Hermesa, Merkurja in Budho, so vsi nekakna inkarnacija istega
boga, le da Odin ni bog trgovanja. To bi lahko bil razlog, da se obravnavano poglavje
Gaimanovega romana odvija ravno v Las Vegasu, saj s tem avtor kae na tisto, v emer se
razlikujejo. Neimenovani bog za razliko od Odina e vedno ivi dobro, saj ljudje v Las
Vegasu e vedno astijo pretok denarja in s tem boga trgovanja in tatov oskrbujejo z obilo
hrane. e si na tem mestu privoim nekaj svobode, bi lahko celo trdil, da Odin obaluje,
da ni tudi on bog trgovanja. Na to kae tudi pesem, ki se slii v ozadju njunega pogovora in
nosi naslov Why Can't He Be You? (Zakaj on ne more biti ti?) (Gaiman 2013: 276).
Hermes, ki je varljivec par excellence, tako ostaja neimenovan, saj v romanu e nastopa
eden od predstavnikov srede, ki je po tem dnevu tudi poimenovan.

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3.4

ANANSI BOYS

Tako kot v veini ostalih del, Gaiman tudi v Anansi Boys 13 z zanimivimi preobrati ustvarja
zgodbo, ki je meanica mitov in dananjega sveta. Ta zmes druinskih problemov, mistine
dimenzije, temanih potovanj, ljubezenskih kandalov in ubijalskih ptiev je avtorju
prinesla tevilne nagrade, med katerimi sta najbolj odmevni Locus Award in British
Fantasy Society Award, med drugim pa je knjiga pristala tudi na prvem mestu na lestvici
New York Times Best Seller.
Zgodba se dogaja v isti dimenziji kot zgodba knjige Ameriki bogovi, vendar ne moremo
rei, da je njeno nadaljevanje, saj je iz nje vzet en sam lik. Gospoda Nancya, ki je
inkarnacija starega afrikega varljivca Anansija, si je avtor pravzaprav zamislil e pred
nastankom Amerikih bogov. Gaiman sam pravi, da je imel idejo o Anansi Boys dobil e
pred idejo o Amerikih bogovih in da si je za Ameriki bogovi sposodil lik iz knjige, ki je e
ni napisal (Splet 14).
Lahko bi rekli, da je roman Anansi Boys arhetipsko potovanje glavnega junaka, ki pa v
naem primeru ni ravno junak, temve prej nekaken antiheroj tepec, ki ga skoraj vsi
lahko potegnejo za nos. Tako kot v Amerikih bogovih in v Gaimanovem prvem romanu
Nikolikje je tudi na zaetku tega romana popolnoma vsakdanji lovek vpeljan v svet magije
in mitov, v katerem se mora nato znajti in v tem novem svetu poiskati svoje mesto. Na
zaetku romana Charles Nancy (z vzdevkom Fat Charlie) izve, da je umrl njegov oe in da
se bo moral vrniti v Ameriko, kjer mu stara prijateljica pove, da je bil njegov oe
pravzaprav afriki bog Anansi. Fat Charlie nima nobenih boanskih moi zato, ker naj bi
jih prejel njegov brat Spider, Pajek, za katerega do tega trenutka Charlie sploh ni vedel, da
obstaja. Po razlinih zapletih in preizkunjah pride do sklepa, da je tudi on pravi Anansijev
potomec, da ima boanske lastnosti svojega oeta ter da lahko s pesmijo in zgodbo
spremeni realnost. 14
Anansi Boys je zabaven roman s precej hitrim odvijanjem dogodkov in meanjem zapletov
ter humorjem, ki je doma bralcem del Douglasa Adamsa in Terryja Pratchetta. Kar se tie
zgodbe, lahko bralec zaradi predvidljivosti protagonista brez velikih problemov zauti,

Ker roman e ni preveden v slovenino, v nadaljevanju navajam naslov v originalu. Prevod bi se lahko
glasil Anansijeva fanta oziroma Anansijeva sinova. Vsi prevodi citatov iz tega romana so moje delo.
14
Podrobna obnova romana je vkljuena v prilogo (stran xiii).
13

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kako se bo konala. Vendar se je Gaiman verjetno tega zavedal, saj kot pisatelj napol
potopisnega romana, kot so Ameriki bogovi, deluje v skladu z naelom, da je bolj
pomembno potovanje kot sam cilj. V dodatku h knjigi je zapisal, da je zgodba pravzaprav
odraz odnosov znotraj druine, e zlasti zadrege, ki jo otroci obutijo ob svojih starih.

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3.4.1 Gospod Nancy

Verjetno poznate kar nekaj zgodb o Anansiju. Verjetno ni na svetu niti ene osebe, ki
ne bi e nikoli sliala nobene zgodbe o Anansiju. Anansi je bil pajek, ko je bil svet e
mlad in ko so bile vse zgodbe prvi izreene. Pogosto se je spravil v teave, vendar
se je pogosto sam tudi reil. (Gaiman 2006a: 50)
O tem afrikem varljivcu, ki je bil po nekaterih legendah tudi uradni odposlanec glavnega
boga (Parrinder 1984: 134), sem v diplomskem delu e veliko pisal. Anansi se je, ko je
priel v kulturo jamajkih ljudstev in amerikih sunjev, e bolj prelevil v kulturnega
junaka.
V delu Anansi Boys avtor Anansija opie z naslednjimi besedami: V starih zgodbah ivi
Anansi v hii, tako kot ti ali jaz. Seveda je pohlepen, pohoten, prevarantski in poln lai. Je
pa tudi dobrosren in sreen ter mestoma celo iskren. Vasih je dober, vasih pa slab
(Gaiman 2006a: 213). S tem avtor e opie glavne lastnosti, ki jih mora imeti varljivec v
kateremkoli delu, saj je, kot sem e poudaril, ena njegovih glavnih znailnosti ravno to, da
v osnovi ni ne zloben ne dober, temve je popolnoma amoralno bitje. Vsa njegova dejanja
so vedno zgolj plod trenutnih nagnjenj, njihove posledice pa so lahko popolnoma
uniujoe ali dobrodejne.
Avtor nas e na samem zaetku romana vpelje v svet spolnosti in ukan, s katerimi sta
povezani osrednji dve vlogi tega varljivca. Gospod Nancy kot inkarnacija Anansija namre
ob pomoi karaok ravno dvori mladim turistkam v preozkih oblailih, ki bi po starosti
lahko bile tudi njegove here. Glede na njegove boanske lastnosti bi mu podvig brez
dvoma tudi uspel, ko se ne bi v nekem trenutku prijel za srce, stegnil drugo roko in se
elegantno zruil naravnost na najlepo izmed turistk. Kasneje gospa Higgler Anansijevemu
sinu pojasni, da je tedaj uspel dekle e zadnji prijeti za prsi in tako potrdil svojo
navduenje nad tem delom enskega telesa, ki ga je vekrat izpostavil e v delu Ameriki
bogovi. Gospa Higgler doda: Nedvomno je odel tako, kot bi si sam elel (Gaiman
2006a: 24).
V romanu je vekrat oitno poudarjeno, da gospod Nancy nikoli ni imel problemov z
uspehi pri nenejem spolu. Gospa Higgler ga opie takole: Bil je eden moki. [] Vse
do konca. Njegov nasmeek je zmedel marsikatero gospodino. Obenem pa se je znal
oblei. Vsa dekleta so ga oboevala (Gaiman 2006a: 44).
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Tudi sam gospod Nancy zane eno od svojih zgodb z naslednjimi besedami: No, e bi
vam zael razlagati, kako pameten in kako lep in kako armanten in kako premeten je bil
Anansi, ne bi konal do naslednjega etrtka (Gaiman 2006a: 340). Maeve Livingstone, ki
Anansija srea posthumno, pripomni, da je e vedno videti kot zvezdnik. Celo Charliejeva
in Spiderjeva mati, ki se ji gospod Nancy posveti najbolj med vsemi svojimi izbrankami,
njegove pozornosti ne more za dolgo preusmeriti nase, saj je preve zaposlen. S tem avtor
verjetno namiguje na liminalnost tega lika oziroma na njegovo dvojno naravo, saj gospa
Higgler v nekem trenutku pravi, da je zelo zaposlen, v drugem pa, da ni nikoli ni delal in
da je s svojimi boanskimi lastnostmi lahko na razline naine priel do denarja (Gaiman
2006a: 46).
O njegovi boanskosti na zaetku romana dvomi samo njegov sin Charlie, za vse ostale pa
je samoumevna. Ko Charlie pravi, da je bil slab oe in slab mo, mu gospa Higgler pove,
da gospoda Nancya kljub temu ni mogoe imeti za loveka, temve za boga (Gaiman
2006a: 45). Kot pravi varljivec ivi nekje na meji med ivljenjem in smrtjo, saj se kljub
temu, da e na zaetku zgodbe umre, nato pojavlja skozi celoten roman v mnogih kljunih
trenutkih, o njegovi smrti pa dvomita tudi njegova sinova.
In res njegova smrt v celoti deluje kot nekakna zadnja pustolovina afrikega varljivca,
saj tudi tedaj, ko se dotakne prsi dekleta, ukana e ni konana. Ko njegov sin Charles
Nancy pride na pogreb in ima tam ganljiv govor, v katerem izrazi svoje razoaranje in
ljubezen do oeta, se izkae, da se je udeleil napanega pogreba. Za bralca romana je
skoraj nemogoe, da bi ta del lahko prebral brez obudovanja tega, kako avtor vplete
komine lastnosti varljivca v zgodbo tudi takrat, ko ta ni v srediu dogajanja.
Kot pravi varljivec in kulturni heroj je Anansi s svojo ukano opisan kot tisti, ki je ljudi
osvobodil nekaknega ivotarjenja in strahu pred ostalimi bitji ter jih nauil razmiljati s
svojo glavo in delati v skladu s tem. Preden je namre ukradel zgodbe, so te pripadale
Tigru, zato so bile prav vse polne teme, groze in strahu. Nato pa je Anansi prelisiil vse
ivali in e zlasti Tigra, si prisluil zgodbe ter jih napolnil z milino in mirom ter obenem z
ukanami in spretnostjo. Pred tem so ljudje zaradi Tigrovih zgodb znali samo ubijati. Postali
so lovci ali plen. Nato pa je v zgodbe stopil Anansi in zaradi njega so ljudje zaeli
razmiljati o reitvah problemov; e vedno so morali jesti, vendar so zdaj pomislili, kako bi
lahko laje prili do hrane.

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Anansi, kot je opisan v tem romanu, s svojimi zgodbami kot kulturni junak pravzaprav
naredi ve za dobrobit lovetva kot skoraj katerikoli drug kulturni junak iz raznih
mitologij (Gaiman 2006a: 340). Zdaj namre ljudje govorijo zgodbe o Anansiju, kar
pomeni, da zaenjajo razmiljati o tem, kako bi prili do poljuba, kako bi z umom in
humorjem zastonj prili do neesa. Tako zanejo graditi svet (Gaiman 2006a: 341).

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3.4.2 Mitska dvojka

Dvojka sta lika, ki se pojavljata v mnogih mitologijah in kulturah po vsem svetu. Kaeta
lahko na drugi del loveke psihe in se v psihologiji pogosto pojavljata kot senca. Oba sta
lahko boanskega izvora, kot na primer Apolon in Artemida, v drugih primerih pa nobeden
od njiju nima boanskih lastnosti. Zanimiv primer mitskih dvojkov sta Herakles in njegov
loveki brat Ifikles. Med druge bolj znane dvojke tejemo e Heleno in Klitajmnestro,
Romula in Rema, Freyra in Freyo, Nakula in Sahadeva, dvojka iz Navajo mitov amerikih
staroselcev ipd. Dvojka sta si lahko podobna, lahko pa sta si tudi popolnoma nasprotna;
lahko sta zaveznika, pogosto pa sta tudi sovranika. Sta dve razlini strani kovanca, ki
skupaj tvorita celoto.
Dvojniki poplavljajo literaturo. V gotski literaturi straijo kot Doppelgngerji, pri
emer premiki v ogledalih in manifestacije izprijenega nezavednega predstavljajo
hrano za psihoanalizo. Kot konceptualna osnova za titanske spopade med
diametralno nasprotujoimi si entitetami dajejo svojo obliko in strukturo na posodo
herojski in fantazijski fikciji. (Brooker 2013: 173)
Neil Gaiman se v svojem opusu vekrat vraa k upodabljanju oseb, ki skupaj tvorijo
celoto. V stripu Sandman zanimivo diametralno nasprotje tvorita Despair (obup) in Desire
(poelenje). V tem stripu avtor prav tako vekrat uporabi trojno boginjo, ki ima v obliki
mladenke, matere in starke veliko vlogo tudi v njegovem zadnjem romanu Ocean at the
End of the Lane. V romanu Anansi Boys pa se osredotoi na lika, ki sta potomca afrikega
varljivca Anansija.
Charles Nancy oz. Fat Charlie je na zaetku romana popolnoma navaden lovek, saj je vse
boanske lastnosti podedoval njegov brat Spider. Fat Charlie in Spider sta diametralno
nasprotni bitji in bralec kaj hitro opazi, da sta kot dve strani kovanca, saj skupaj tvorita
celoto mitskega varljivca.
V prvem delu diplomske naloge sem vekrat poudaril, da je varljivec lahko zelo premeten
lik, ki pa je zaradi impulzivnosti lahko rtev svojih dejanj. Najlepi primer taknega
varljivca je seveda Kojot, ki v nekem trenutku prelisii svoje rtve, v drugem pa rtev
postane sam.

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V Gaimanovem romanu, e zlasti v prvi polovici, Spider predstavlja vso boanskost tega
mitskega lika, medtem ko je Fat Charlie rtev vsake situacije, v kateri se znajde. Da ta dva
lika predstavljata eno samo osebo, je razvidno e iz romana Ameriki bogovi, saj tam
Anansi o svojem sinu govori v ednini (Gaiman 2013: 523). Podobno tudi Charlie v romanu
Anansi Boys sliko sebe in svojega brata iz otrotva vidi kot sliko sebe in svojega odseva v
ogledalu (Gaiman 2006a: 47).
Anansi je imel najprej samo enega otroka, ki po besedah gospe Dunwiddy ni ubogal,
ampak je uganjal vragolije in jezikal (Gaiman 2006a: 318). Zato se je ta stara enica, ki se
je v prostem asu nekoliko ukvarjala z magijo, odloila, da bo iz Charlieja iztrgala zlobo,
pokvarjenost in njegovo boanskost. Ni pa se zavedala, da se isto preprosta magija okoli
boanstva, kot je Anansi, lahko tudi povea do nedojemljivih razsenosti, in tako sta
nastali dve osebi. Kot e reeno, je bil Spider tisti, ki je od svojega boanskega oeta
podedoval vso premetenost in vse ostale lastnosti pravega varljivca, kot so pretirana
spolnost, zmonost hitrega potovanja in neustaljenost, povean apetit, liminalnost in druge.
V opisu njegovega razmerja s Charliejevo zaroenko je poudarjeno, da so bile do zdaj
enske za Spiderja dotlej zabavni okraski in da bo po vsaki lahko nastopila nova (Gaiman
2006a: 220), vendar gre samo za enega od odlomkov, ki prikazujejo njegovo odprtost do
spolnosti in ensk na splono. Varljivsko je obarvan tudi odlomek, kjer avtor pie o tem,
kako je Spider vajen malenkostnega spreminjanja realnosti (Gaiman 2006a: 220), na
primer takrat, ko ljudi in celo raunalnik z nekaj besedami prepria, da je Charles Nancy.
Obenem pa je od oeta prejel tudi boansko zunanjost in arm, saj ga Charlie opie z
naslednjimi besedami: Bil je spreten, bil je uglajen, bil je pameten, razen osebja je bil
edini na zabavi, ki ni potreboval vabila (Gaiman 2006a: 71). In nekoliko pozneje:
Njegov brat je bil po zunanjem videzu tak, kot si bi elel biti Fat Charlie [...] Spider je bil
viji, vitkeji in kul (Gaiman 2006a: 77).
Spider je torej afriki varljivi Pajek v pravem pomenu besede, saj se ne ozira na nikogar
drugega kot nase in si ob njem ni teko predstavljati boga, ki je impulziven, sebien in
mestoma grotesken lik, ki krade hrano, enske zvabi v posteljo z ukano in ravnoduno
oneaa svete rituale (Garry in El-Shamy 2005: 560). Marshall (2007: 4) prav za
Anansija pravi, da lahko brez zadrkov spi z enami drugih mokih. To se v romanu
pokae v trenutku, ko Spider spi z zaroenko svojega brata.

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O diametralnih nasprotjih in binarnih opozicijah sem govoril e v poglavju o Odinu,

vendar sem citat iz knjige Cambridge Companion to Levi-Straus nartno prihranil za
Charlieja in Spiderja:
Mono podobna ali identina dvojka sta ustrezen produkt spolnega dejanja nekega
lika, ki se pretvarja, da je 'mono podoben ali identien' nekemu drugemu liku; in
zajec (lik varljivca) se mora razdeliti kot nadomestitev za dvojno spolnost varljivca.
(Wiseman 2009: 202)
Ob zaetku romana bralec dobi obutek, da Fat Charlie predstavlja mitskega zajca in temu
tudi pripovedovalec ne oporeka. Fat Charlie ivi zelo povpreno ivljenje loveka, ki nima
nobenega nadzora nad svojim ivljenjem. Avtor omeni, da e nikoli v ivljenju ni niesar
zadel pri igrah za sreo (Gaiman 2006a: 46), da ni podedoval nobenih boanskih lastnosti
svojega oeta, da opravlja delo, ki ga niti priblino ne veseli, obenem pa da je znan pod
imenom, ki ga sovrai. Ko ga spodbujajo, naj zapoje na karaokah, pravi, da bo bruhal, e
bo moral odpreti usta in peti pred obinstvom, kljub temu da ima zelo lep glas (Gaiman
2006a: 98). Edino svetlo toko njegovega ivljenja predstavlja zaroenka Rosie, in ko
Spider ogrozi njuno vezo, Charlie izjavi: Saj se zaveda, da to pomeni vojno, kajne?
(Gaiman 2006a: 167) Pripovedovalec nato nadaljuje: To je bil bojni krik zajca brez
izhoda. Obstajajo kraji kjer ljudje verjamejo, da je bil Anansi varljivi zajec. Seveda se
motijo; bil je pajek (Gaiman 2006a: 167).
Po tem dogodku, se zane v Charlieju nekaj spreminjati in zajec se poasi spremeni v
pajka. Ko stari gospod Nancy vidi, kaj je soseda Dunwiddy naredila z njegovim sinom, se
ne razjezi, temve ree, da e Charles situacije ne bo znal popraviti, potem ni njegov sin
(Gaiman 2006a: 318). Prvi znak te transformacije je precej oiten e takrat, ko s pomojo
tirih enic zapusti ta svet in se preseli na drugi svet, ki predstavlja zaetek sveta. Tedaj
Charlie prvi prestopi mejo med svetovoma in pokae svojo liminalno sposobnost.
e pajka primerjamo z ostalimi ivalmi z zaetka sveta, lahko kaj hitro opazimo, da je
pajek edini, ki se v romanu pojavlja v obeh svetovih. Tiger, ki se proti koncu romana
pojavi tudi v naem svetu, se prikae zgolj kot duh, ki se je naselil v telo nekoga drugega,
medtem ko se ptija enska v naem svetu pojavlja zgolj v obliki ptic. Varljivec je torej
edino bitje v romanu, ki lahko brez vejih teav prehaja mejo med obema svetovoma.

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Drugi del tega procesa morda ni tako oiten, e ne vzamemo v obzir lastnosti varljivca, in
sicer njegove porenosti. Fat Charlie, ki ni ni bolj obilen kot povpreen moki, v nekem
trenutku poje druinsko porcijo pianca iz nekega lokala s hitro hrano (Gaiman 2006a:
158). Kmalu zatem zane Charlie potovati in je skoraj do konca romana nenehno na poti,
isto na koncu romana pa razkrije e zadnjo razsenost varljivca, in sicer vlogo kulturnega
junaka. Ko se zadnji vrne v drugi svet, tam zapoje pesem in prek nje zane spreminjati
svet in realnost svojega ivljenja.
Meletinski zapie: Kot vemo, ima kulturni junak v mitih pogosto brate, s katerimi je v
sovranih odnosih. Vasih ima enega samega; ta ga neuspeno posnema, se vojskuje z
njim, tu in tam celo poskua prevarati pametnejega brata (Meletinski 2001: 26).
Tudi v Anansi Boys glavna junaka zaneta na podoben nain, kot ga v tem delu opie
Meletinski, vendar sasoma oba odkrijeta svojo vlogo in osebnost. Namesto da bi ostala e
naprej vsak ena stran kovanca, postaneta bolj podobna morski zvezdi. e namre
prereemo morsko zvezdo na pol, iz nje nastaneta dve morski zvezdi. Tako tudi Charles
Nancy na koncu romana svojemu bratu razloi, sta se oba razvila v celostni osebnosti
(Gaiman 2006a: 419).

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3.5

SANDMAN

Sandman je strip, ki se ga v originalnem anglekem jeziku dri in ga tudi natanneje

opisuje ime grafini roman. Razlike med grafini romani in stripi na tem mestu ne
morem utemeljiti podrobneje naj zadostuje to, da so grafini romani nekoliko bolj
obseni in neprimerno kompleksneji od stripov. Sandman je torej grafini roman, ki ga je
Neil Gaiman za zalobo Vertigo ustvarjal pod okriljem DC Comics, in to v sodelovanju z
raznimi ilustratorji, kot so Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson, Shawn
McManus, Marc Hempel, Michael Zulli, Todd Klein in Dave McKean. Prvotna ideja je
bila oivitev lika iz serije dveh drugih avtorjev, ki je izhajala od leta 1974 do leta 1976.
Gaimanov Sandman je izhajal od januarja 1989 do marca 1996 in je do danes prejel e
tevilne nagrade, med drugim tudi 26 nagrad Eisner. Sandman je eden izmed redkih
stripov, ki so se uvrstili na lestvico New York Times Best Seller, Norman Mailer pa ga je
poimenoval kot strip za intelektualce (Splet 15). Leta 1991 je postal prvi grafini roman,
ki je prejel literarno nagrado, in sicer World Fantasy Award za najboljo kratko zgodbo. V
skladu s pogodbo ni smel nihe drug pisati stripov o tem liku oziroma se je zgodba
zakljuila, ko jo je Gaiman prenehal pisati. Kljub temu je zbirki s 75-imi primerki leta
1999 dodal delo The Sandman: The Dream Hunters in leta 2003 nato e kratko zgodbo v
obliki stripa z naslovom Endless Nights. Leta 2013 pa je svoje oboevalce in vse bralce
Sandmana presenetil z novico, da bo izlo e nekaj delov, ki naj bi sluili kot predzgodba
prvotnemu delu. Doslej so izli trije deli, vsega skupaj pa jih namerava napisati est. 15
Zgodbe o Sandmanu bi lahko primerjali z zbirkami kratke proze, le da imajo vse zgodbe
nekakno rdeo nit. Skupni imenovalec vseh zgodb je Dream lik, ki predstavlja Sanje in
je eden izmed sedmih prvotnih idej, ki so nastale pred vsem drugim; imenujejo se The
Endless (Brezkonni). Poleg kralja Sanj, ki se imenuje tudi Morfej ali Oneiros, med sedem
antropomorfiziranih idej spadajo e Smrt, Usoda, Unienje, Poelenje, Obup in Delirij, ki
je bila neko Srea (Dream, Death, Destiny, Destruction, Desire, Despair in Delirium
oziroma Delight). Njihova imena ponazarjajo tako funkcijo, ki jo opravljajo e od zaetka
asov, kot tudi kraljestvo, kateremu vladajo.
Obnovo vseh zgodb, ki se pojavljajo in povezujejo skozi celotno serijo, bi bilo na tem
mestu nesmiselno in potratno predstavljati, v prilogi pa je v skrajani obliki predstavljena

15

Tako kot Anansi Boys bom tudi ime Sandman navajal v izvirnem naslovu, saj delo e ni prevedeno. Vsi
prevodi citatov so moje delo.

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zgodba samega Morfeja. 16 Zgodbe se zanejo s tem, da pripadniki novodobnega

arovnikega zdruenja, elijo ugrabiti smrt in si tako zagotoviti nesmrtnost, vendar
namesto Smrti ugrabijo njenega mlajega brata Oneirosa ali kralja Sanj. Ko mu po ve kot
sedemdesetih letih uspe pobegniti, najde svoje izgubljene predmete in zane obnavljati
kraljestvo, ki je v njegovi odsotnosti zaelo razpadati. Bralec skozi stripe ugotavlja, da se
je Morfej med ujetnitvom spremenil, zgodbe celotnega grafinega romana pa povezuje
rdea nit, ki govori o tem, kako eli on popraviti oziroma odpraviti napake, ki jih je storil
pred to spremembo. V predgovoru k stripu Endless Nights je Neil Gaiman zapisal, da
gospodar Sanj neprimerno pride do spoznanja, da se mora spremeniti ali umreti in da je
odloitev njegova (Gaiman 2003: 8). Vendar se izkae, da je spreminjanje starih navad in
odpravljanje napak iz preteklosti za osebnost, ki v ustaljenem ritmu deluje e ve tisoletij,
precej zahtevna.
Grafini roman Sandman, ki se zane kot strip temane fantazije, se sasoma razvije v
zapleteno fantazijsko serijo zgodb, ki v sebi zdruujejo prvine klasine in moderne
mitologije. Tudi ostale zgodbe, ki obsegajo razline like iz mnogih mitologij in panteonov,
so mojstrska meanica lepote in groze, protagonist pa postane klasini tragini heroj.
V slubi kralja Sanj sta Kajn in Abel, obenem pa v njegovem kraljestvu prebiva tudi njuna
mati Eva. V seriji se vekrat pojavi motiv Lilit, Adamove prve ene, in eden izmed
pomembnejih likov je Lucifer. Lucifer je v Sandmanu e posebej zanimiv lik, saj se v
nekem trenutku odloi, da ne bo ve vladal peklu in da eli izkusiti e nekoliko bolj
vsakdanje ivljenje: Morda bi lahko nekje leal na plai? Poslual glasbo ali zgradil hio?
Se nauil plesati ali igrati klavir (Gaiman 1992 #2: 20). S tem Gaiman popolnoma obrne
na glavo lik Luciferja, kakrnega je uveljavil Milton z mislijo, da je bolje vladati v peklu,
kot hlapevati v raju (Milton 2003:17) Ko Lucifer zapusti svoje domovanje in da kljue
pekla Morfeju, se pred kraljestvom sanj zanejo pojavljati razne osebnosti iz raznih
mitologij, kot so nordijski Odin, Thor in Loki, egipanska Anubis in Bast, Azazel kot
predstavnik demonov, japonski Susano-o-no-Mikoto in mnogi drugi.
Zelo pogosto se pojavljata Odin in e zlasti Loki, in bralec lahko opazi, da se Gaiman e
posebej potrudi, da pri njiju ostane zvest nordijski mitologiji. Morfej se odloi, da bo
kljue pekla prepustil dvema angeloma in nebesom, s imer povzroi spremembo v nainu

16

Glej prilogo stran xviii.

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ravnanja z rtvami pekla. 17 V stripu se pojavi tudi kar nekaj likov iz Shakespearjeve drame
Sen kresne noi, med katerimi imajo precej pomembno vlogo kraljica Titania, kralj Oberon
in e zlasti varljivec Puck (v prevodu krat). Eden pomembnejih likov je tudi Orfej, ki je
v Sandmanu predstavljen kot sin Morfeja in starogrke Muze poezije, Kaliope. V posebni
izdaji Sandmana, kjer avtor pove zgodbo o Orfejevi poroki, o njegovi izgubi ljubljene
Evridike in potovanju v podzemlje, pa sreamo tudi grke mitske like, kot so Haron, Had
in Perzefona.

17

Na tem mestu al ni prostora za podrobnejo analizo spretnosti, s katero avtor v popolnoma fiktivno
zgodbo vplete razline teorije glede kaznovanja in elje po kaznovanju, ki jih razvijajo Michael Faucault in
ostali. Te in podobne analize so zelo dobro predstavljene v knjigah: The Mythological Dimensions of Neil
Gaiman. Ur. Burdge, Anthony, Jessica Burke in Kristine Larsen. Crawfordsville: Kitsune Books, 2013. in
Neil Gaiman and Philosophy: Gods Gone Wild! Ur. Bealer, Tracy L., Rachel Luria in Wayne Yuen. Chicago:
Open Court Publishing Co, 2012.

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3.5.1 Sreanje varljivcev

Kar se tie varljivcev v Sandmanu, izstopata samo Loki in Puck ter do neke mere Kitsune
v dodatnem delu Dream Hunters (prim. Gaiman 1999 #4). Odin ima v celotnem sklopu del
o Sandmanu popolnoma resno vlogo boga, ki eli ohraniti mir in se izogniti ragnaroku.
Morfej ima nekaj malenkostnih lastnosti varljivca, saj nadzoruje sanje, lahko potuje med
svetovi in podobno. Vendar ima v stripu preve resno vlogo, da bi lahko kakorkoli
ponazarjal lik varljivca, obenem pa lahko vsi lani njegove druine potujejo med svetovi.
Poleg teh likov bi se lahko za to vlogo potegoval e Lucifer, saj jo ima do neke mere e v
sami hebrejski mitologiji, vendar kot sem e omenil, v mitolokem smislu pooseblja isto
zlo, medtem ko je varljivec amoralen. A tudi e pomislimo na njegove lastnosti v samem
stripu, bi ga teko povezali z mitskim likom varljivca.
e pa na drugi strani pogledamo Lokija v Sandmanu, lahko opazimo, da je celo veliko bolj
nemoralen lik kot Lucifer. Ima kar nekaj lastnosti varljivca, obenem pa ga s tem nazivom
imenuje kar nekaj likov. e ko se pojavi prvi, ga Odin imenuje kot tistega, ki hodi po
nebu (Gaiman 1992 #3: 4), kar je namig na njegovo hitrost oziroma evlje s krili, o katerih
sem govoril v prvem delu diplome. Kmalu zatem Loki Odina opomni, da sta krvna brata in
da ga Odin vseeno kaznuje na tako okruten nain, Odin pa mu odgovori, da je Loki preve
pameten, nepredvidljiv in zlonameren, da bi lahko ostal na svobodi (Gaiman 1992 #3: 4).
Ko poskuata od kralja Sanj dobiti klju pekla, eli vrhovni bog svojega varljivca
prepriati, naj do kljua pride s prevaro, in ga poimenuje mojster prevar (Gaiman 1992 #5:
13). V nekem trenutku Loki Pucku pove zgodbo, kako je preprial Thora, da je nose, in ga
pustil, da je zelo dolgo ivel v tem preprianju. Nezaupljiva narava varljivca pa se najbolj
izkae v Lokijevem glavnem dejanju, ko mu Morfej pomaga pri pobegu pred kaznijo. Loki
mu je zato dolan uslugo, vendar ga kljub temu prevara in nanj nakoplje maevanje Erinij
ter tako povzroi njegov propad. Odin Morfeja glede Lokija posvari in pravi: On je kaa,
ki mora piiti roko tudi v trenutku, ko ga le-ta rei pred lovcem. V Lokijevi naravi je, da z
zlobo in poasnim strupom pii roko, ki mu je pomagala (Gaiman 1996 #7: 7).
V Seasons of Mist je lepo poudarjena tudi Lokijeva sla, ko eli zapeljati eno izmed vilink,
ki je prila na zborovanje (Gaiman 1992 #5: 3). Kasneje se ta motiv pojavi vsaj e enkrat,
ko eli Loki poljubiti ensko, ki jo nekaj trenutkov kasneje zage v avtu (Gaiman 1996 #5:
25). Ko ga konno ujame ena od mor iz deele Sanj in ga zgrabi za vrat, se ji hoe
izmakniti z vrsto spremenjenih podob, ki mono spominjajo na Odisejevo dogodivino s
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Protejem (Gaiman 1996 #9: 12). Zadnji pa poskua s prevaro, ko ga Thor pohabljenega in
brez oi odnese nazaj na mesto, kjer bo do ragnaroka preivljal muke Loki poskua Thora
tokrat prepriati, da ni pobegnil sam, temve da ga je v to prisilil sam Morfej (Gaiman
1996 #10: 4).
Tako kot se Thor povee s Sosano-o-no-Mikoto, ker vsak v svojem panteonu predstavljata
boga groma, se tudi Loki povee s Puckom, ker imata oba lastnosti varljivca. Puck in Loki
skupaj ugrabita Daniela Halla, kar jima uspe tako, da najprej uspavata njegovo varuko, saj
lahko vsaj eden od njiju nadzoruje spanec smrtnikov. Nato otroka umorita, sama
spremenita svoji podobi, izdajata se za detektiva Lukea Pinkertona in Gordyja Fellowsa ter
napeljeta Lyto Hall, da se mauje nad kraljem Sanj.
Lik Pucka izhaja iz stare germanske, angleke in keltske mitologije. V Oxfordovem
slovarju (Splet 1) v zvezi z imenom Puck ali staroangleko Pca ni znano, ali je keltskega
ali germanskega izvora. V Encyclopdiji Britannici lahko zasledimo, da so ljudje v
elizabetinskih asih kljub temu da niso ve verjeli v bitja kot so vilinci, kratje in vile
e vedno poznali porogljivo Puckovo naravo in njegovo zmonost spreminjanja podobe.
(Splet 16) V valianski mitologiji Puck zna spremeniti svojo podobo in lahko v trenutku
postane konj, orel, osel ali kaj drugega, znan pa je tudi po tem, da lahko ljudi spelje s poti.
Njegovo drugo ime je Robin Goodfellow in mestoma naredi tudi kakno dobro delo,
eprav za to skoraj vedno prejme plailo v obliki kozarca mleka ali kaj podobnega (prim.
Splet 17).
Shakespeare je v drami Sen kresne noi Pucka upodobi v precej bolj dobrotljivi lui, kot se
ta lik kae v starih mitih. Na to podrobnost se precej osredotoi tudi Gaiman. Eden od
lanov spremstva vilincev se na primer pritouje, da Puck ni zgolj burkasto ponoevalo,
kot ga opie Shakespeare (Shakespeare 1998: 31), temve prej nevarno-hihitajoa-seisto-psihotina-gronja-ivljenju-in-udom (Gaiman 1995 #3: 10). Ko vsi ostali vilinci
zapustijo na svet, Oberon pozove tudi svojega zvestega sluabnika, naj se jim pridrui, in
ta mu odgovori: Kaj? Da bi odel? Ko je na svetu toliko smrtnikov, ki jih moram zbegati
in vznejevoljiti? (Gaiman 1995 #3: 22). Zato Puck ostane na tem svetu in skupaj z
Lokijem ustvari najveji zaplet v celotni zgodbi o Sandmanu. Ko se proti koncu svojega
obiska poslavlja, se predstavi z naslednjimi besedami: Jaz sem Puck, po imenu Robin
Goodfellow. Jaz sem varljivec, antini aljivec (Gaiman 1996 #4: 1). Nekoliko pozneje
tudi pove, da je pri rojstvu zamenjal e kar nekaj otrok, nato pa se pohvali, da bi bilo teje
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premagati njega kot kaknega malega gospodarja zlobe iz deele ledu in snega. Mi Pucki
smo stari, trdoivi in divji (Gaiman 1996 #4: 2).
Oba varljivca, Loki in Puck, torej izpolnjujeta kar nekaj lastnosti, ki jih mora imeti ta
mitski lik, obenem pa sta povzroitelja pri Gaimanu najveje spremembe v zgodbi o
Morfeju. Povzroita namre motnjo v realnosti, ki bo e dolgo odmevala tako v svetu Sanj
kot tudi v realnosti budnih ljudi.

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3.6

DRUGA GAIMANOVA DELA

Med ostalimi deli Neila Gaimana, e zlasti v romanih, kot so Pokopalika knjiga, Nikolikje,
Zvezdni prah, Coraline in Ocean at the End of the Lane, se pravi lik mitskega varljivca
skorajda ne pojavlja ve. V delu Odd and the Frost Giants je eden glavnih likov Loki, neke
vrste varljivca pa najdemo v eni od zgodbic v zbirki knjig Fragile Things. Posebna verzija
japonske varljivske figure Kitsune se pojavi e v kratki pesmi iz zbirke Smoke and
Mirrors.
Mladinski roman Odd and The Frost Giants je postavljen v svet nordijske mitologije in
govori o dvanajstletnem deku po imenu Odd. Odd nikoli v ivljenju ni imel sree, dokler
kljub strahu navkljub ni pomagal medvedu, lisici in orlu. Izkae se namre, da so to trije
bogovi, in sicer Thor, Loki in Odin. Odin se v tem delu ne izkae za varljivca, saj vsa
njegova dejanja kaejo zgolj na osebo glavnega boga nekega panteona. Na drugi strani pa
Loki pooseblja kar nekaj lastnosti mitskega varljivca. Opisan je z zelo podobnimi
lastnostmi, kot jih ima v izvirnih mitih, saj ima v lasti evlje, s katerimi lahko hodi po
zraku, rad nagaja ostalim bogovom, jih spravi teave in jim nato pomaga teavo reiti,
obenem pa je vekrat omenjena tudi njegova avantura, ko se spremeni v kobilo in zapelje
velikanovega rebca. Edina razlika z mitom je v tem, da je kodoeljnost prikazana v
nekoliko blaji obliki, kar pa je primerno za mladinsko literaturo.
Prvi pokazatelj Lokijeve vloge varljivca je ival, v katero je preobraen. Lisica je znana
kot zvita ival, obenem pa je, kot sem omenil e v prvem delu diplome, na evropskih tleh
ena glavnih personifikacij varljivca, in sicer v liku lisjaka Reynarda. Ko se lisica predstavi,
pravi, da je Loki krvni brat bogov. Najpametneji, najbistroumneji in najgenialneji med
vsemi prebivalci Asgarda (Gaiman 2009: 193194). Ko pa Lokija obtoijo, da je spravil
bogove v godljo, jim odgovori, da je obenem tudi nael fanta, ki jih je reil (Gaiman 2009:
639641).
Njegova lakota je nakazana na dveh mestih. Najprej se sam pohvali, da je na neki zabavi
med vsemi bogovi najve pojedel in popil, a je kljub temu ostal buden, ko so ostali e
zaspali (Gaiman 2009: 206207), na koncu knjige pa se spet napije. Kmalu zatem je
nakazana tudi njegova spolna sla, saj sam spregovori o tem, da je videl najlepo ensko, ki
ga je prosila za Thorovo kladivo. Ker si jo je Loki elel, je kladivo tudi ukradel. Kraja, za
katero je treba biti dober tat, je opisana z naslednjimi besedami: Le hitroprsti Loki je
dovolj pretkan in bister, da bi lahko ukradel kladivo s Thorovega pasu, ne da bi ga zbudil
94

(Gaiman 2009: 223224). Opazimo pa lahko tudi to, da je Loki skupaj z Odinom in
Thorom precej asa na poti in da ima zmonost spreminjanja svoje podobe. Tako je tudi v
tej knjigi predstavljen kot varljivec, saj ima veino lastnosti te mitske osebe.
Zbirka Fragile Things je izla pri zalobi Harper Collins leta 2006, veina zgodb iz nje pa
je bilo e prej objavljenih v nekaterih revijah in antologijah. Veidel je sestavljena iz
proznih pripovedi, vmes so vpletene tudi pesmi, v sebi pa zdruuje ve vrst literature, saj
bralca popelje od realistinih do fantazijskih in od ljubezenskih do temanih zgodb, ter od
novih likov do na novo opisanih likov iz tradicionalnih zgodb. Ena bolj zanimivih zgodb v
tej zbirki je zagotovo A Study in Emerald, za katero je avtor leta 2004 prejel nagrado
Hugo za najboljo kratko zgodbo. To je pripoved, kjer se sreata stila dveh vejih umov z
angleke literature iz zaetka 20. stoletja, saj avtor v njej fantazijskost mita Ctulhu
mojstrsko prepleta z racionalnostjo in forenzino znanostjo Sherlocka Holmesa. Med bolj
zanimive zgodbe in pesmi spadajo e The Problem of Lucy, kjer se avtor ukvarja z
likom iz Zgodb iz Narnije C. S. Lewisa, Golliath ki govori o biblijskem velikanu v svetu
Matrice, How Do You Think It Feels?, in pripovedna pesem Locks, kjer avtor motiv
Zlatolaske prenese v dananji as.
Za priujoo obravnavo je zagotovo najbolj zanimiva zgodba Harlequin Valentine, saj je
glavni junak pripovedi komini sluabnik iz commedie dell'arte, ki se je iz Italije razirila
po vsej Evropi. V 18. stoletju je ta lik v Angliji stopil celo v sredie dogajanja in tako
sproil nastanek nove zvrsti, ki se je imenovala harlequinada. V commedii dell'arte
lahko Harlekina prepoznamo po njegovem kostumu, ki zaradi trikotnih ali karovih likov
spominja na klovna, njegova vloga okretnega in pretkanega sluabnika pa je pogosto
podrejena njegovim ljubezenskim interesom v zvezi s Kolumbino, ki jih na trenutke
postavlja pred potrebe svojega gospodarja. Proti melanholinemu in strogemu Pierotu se
bojuje s pretkanostjo, iznajdljivostjo in bistroumnostjo. Navadno ga vidimo, kako v roki
dri palico, ki jo je prejel od hudia iz srednjevekih pasijonskih iger. Opis Harlekina v
Encyclopdiji Britannici zelo dobro predstavlja njegovo naravo mitskega varljivca: Bil je
amoralen lik brez zlobnih naklepov, ki se od ostalih sluabnikov v commedii razlikuje po
tem, da ni dral zamere oziroma se ne mauje nad tistimi, ki so ga prevarali ali ukanili
(Splet 16).
Harlekin v Gaimanovi zgodbi je moderna manifestacija tega lika, ki se v resnici ne
razlikuje od svojega modela. Obleen je v kostum iz kar, v roki nosi palico in skozi celotno
95

pripoved sledi svoji ljubljeni Kolumbini, ki se v tej modernizaciji commedie imenuje

Missy. Zgodbo gledamo skozi perspektivo prvoosebnega pripovedovalca in e v prvih
vrsticah dobimo vtis okretnosti in gibnosti tega lika, kar ob pustem in precej depresivnem
ambientu prispeva k toliko bolj zanimivi karakterizaciji in nainu pripovedi. Zgodba se
odvija na valentinovo, ko Harlekin neki mladi enski podari svoje srce tako, da ga pribije
na njena vrata. Nato tiho kot mika (Gaiman 2006b: 167) sledi Kolumbini v njenem
iskanju osebe, ki ji je podarila srce. V raznih prigodah nastopata tudi Pierrot in Pantaloon
kot e dva izmed likov commedie dell'arte, Harlekin pa nenehno ostaja zvest svoji naravi:
Teave bom povzroal tam, kjer se mi zljubi [...] to je moja dolnost (Gaiman 2006b:
171). Med akanjem v restavraciji se zabava tako, da ljudem, ko niso pozorni, zamenja
kronike, obenem pa e spotakne enega od natakarjev (Gaiman 2006b: 174). Kot pravi
varljivec govori tudi o ostalih prigodah z enskami, ki jih je imel skozi stoletja, se pritouje
nad dejstvom, da je spet zaljubljen, in med drugim nekajkrat tudi spremeni svojo podobo
ali se zlije z ozadjem. Njegovo varljivo naravo opisujejo naslednje besede: Odloen sem v
svet prinaati vesel nered in bujno gospo Missy pred polnojo spraviti v posteljo (Gaiman
2006b: 174). V nekem trenutku se celo pritouje nad svojim varljivim jezikom, ki ga je
izdal (Gaiman 2006b: 172), pozneje pa si z naslednjo izpovedjo dviga samozavest: Jaz
sem Harlekin [...] obleen v karirasta oblaila, svet pa je moja harlekinada. Jaz sem
Harlekin, ki je vstal od mrtvih zgolj zato, da lahko iveim kakno upii. Jaz sem
Harlekin v svoji maski s svojo palico (Gaiman 2006b: 174).

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4 ZAKLJUEK
Ob pisanju diplomskega dela sem ugotovil, da se ljudje e od nekdaj udimo naravi in da
se z remi, ki nam niso poznane spopada naa domiljija, ki jih razlaga na isto posebne
naine. Ko red sveta, kot si ga predstavljamo, postane problematien, se mora pojaviti lik,
ki s svojo posebno vlogo vanj vnese kaos, kar se lahko kona destruktivno ali dobrodejno.
Taken lik je varljivec, ki se vekrat pojavlja kot prinaalec ognja, psihopomp, vodnik ali
celo stvarnik. Ugotovil sem, da ima varljivec v vseh mitologijah precej podobne lastnosti,
in sicer:
a) njegova dejanja so amoralna in so posledica lakote ali spolnih vzgibov;
b) vekrat spreminja spol ali vsaj podobo;
c) nima domovanja, temve je vedno na poti;
d) ivi na pragu in je sposoben prestopati mejo ali pa celo postavlja mejnike;
e) je dober lanivec in tat;
f) deluje kot kulturni junak.
Glavni lastnosti mitskega varljivca sta liminalnost in dvojna narava. To velja tudi za
fantazijsko literaturo in v fantazijski literaturi predvsem za Gaimana. Zato mitskega
varljivca ni bilo teko povezati s to zvrstjo in s tem pisateljem, ki v svojih delih kar s
pridom uporablja ta lik.
Ko sem varljivca primerjal z raznimi liki iz Gaimanovih del, sem ugotovil, da se varljivec
v njegovih romanih, kratkih zgodbah in stripih zelo pogosto pojavlja. Najvekrat sem
zasledil lik Lokija, ki je ena vodilnih oseb v romanu Ameriki bogovi in v kratkem
mladinskem romanu Odd and the Frost Giants, pojavlja pa se tudi v seriji stripov
Sandman. Pokazal sem, da so v vseh teh delih lastnosti varljivca pri tem liku precej oitneV Amerikih bogovih Loki na primer preslepi skoraj vse ostale bogove in v stripih o
Sandmanu sproi plaz najpomembnejih dogodkov, medtem ko se v Odd and the Frost
Giants pojavlja v podobi zvite lisice. Povsod je torej tipien varljivec, iz dela v delo pa se
razlikuje po stopnji svoje zloveosti.
Drugi najpogosteji lik varljivca pri Gaimanu je Anansi iz afrike mitologije, ki v
Amerikih bogovih nastopa kot stari moic, gospod Nancy. V romanu Anansi Boys je isti
lik kot v prvem romanu, le da imata njegove lastnosti tudi njegova potomca Fat Charlie in
Spider. Fat Charlie in Spider sta na zaetku popolnoma nasprotujoi si bitji, oziroma kot
97

dve strani enega kovanca, vendar se skozi roman razvijeta vsak v svojo osebnost. Fat
Charlie konno podeduje nekatere mitine lastnosti svojega oeta in sasoma postane
varljivec, medtem ko Spider nekaj boanskih lastnosti izgubi in prejme nekaj bolj
lovekih.
Whiskey Jack v romanu Ameriki bogovi ima sicer tudi lastnosti varljivca, eprav je v
ospredje postavljena njegova vloga kulturnega junaka. V Sandmanu se poleg Lokija pojavi
tudi Puck iz Shakespearove drame Sen kresne noi, ki je v primerjavi z likom iz te drame
precej bolj zlove.
Dobren kos svojega diplomskega dela sem posvetil Odinu, ki ima v romanu Ameriki
bogovi presenetljivo pomembno vlogo varljivca. Prek raznih teorij velikih mitologov
prejnjega stoletja sem poskual prikazati, da Odin tudi v stari nordijski mitologiji ni ravno
obiajen vrhovni bog, temve je njegova vloga varljivca e v njej precej oitna. Zato ni
bilo teko pokazati, da je prava izbira za glavnega varljivca Odin, ki v romanu Ameriki
bogovi vodi zapleteno spletko, v katero so nevede vpleteni tako stari kot novi bogovi.
Obenem ima v tem romanu veliko drugih lastnosti mitskega varljivca, kot so pohota, sla po
moi, liminalnost in spletkarstvo.
Poskusil sem tudi pokazati, da bi neimenovani bog v romanu Ameriki bogovi lahko bil
Hermes, eprav stoodstotna preprianost o tem zaradi pomanjkljivih informacij ni mogoa.
Neimenovani bog sicer v tem romanu ne izraa ravno veliko lastnosti varljivca, ima pa
lastnosti enega najbolj tipinih varljivcev, ki pooseblja vse zgoraj omenjene lastnosti.

98

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6 PRILOGA

6.1

TRICKSTER STORIES

6.1.1 Trickster
One day the African trickster Eshu, who enjoyed his role as a trickster-god, playing with
the elements of chance and serendipity (Ford 200: 148), decided to end a beautiful and
long-lasting friendship between two farmers. First he conceived a mischievous plan of how
it is to be done. These two farmers were such good friends that they even dressed alike and
had adjoining farms that were only separated by a path. Eshu walked down this path every
day, wearing a black hat on his head. One day he made himself a hat of four colors, black,
white, red and green and when he donned that hat, he passed the farmers, making sure that
each only saw one side of his hat. One farmer asked the other if he saw the man with the
red hat and the other farmer agreed he saw someone, but that his hat was yellow. They
started arguing, calling each other names and accusing each other of drinking too much
wine. Soon the discord became so intense that the problem had to be brought before the
chief of the village. The judge did not know what to make of this story and asked the
people, if anyone knows this old man. Eshu chose that moment to step forward and confess
to his crime: It was I. He told them what he did and added: I made them quarrel.
Sowing discord is my greatest delight (Altman 2011: 78).
When the chief ordered him arrested, Eshu ran away, burning several houses in the
process. When the villagers saw their burning houses, they quickly started bringing their
valuables out into the streets. Eshu was already waiting there and he told them that he
would look after their possessions, while they tended to the fire. He immediately took the
opportunity to steal the items that the people entrusted to his safekeeping and gave them to
some passers-by.

6.1.2 Native American Mythology 1

Iktomi, the wicked spider from the tales of the Crow tribe is a wicked fellow and his
hands are always kept in mischief (Zitkala-Sa 2004: 1). He would rather eat someone
else's dinner than to earn the smallest thing by honest hunting. As tricksters often do,
i

Iktomi lives alone and is always hungry. One day, as he was sitting hungry in his tepee, he
suddenly came up with a brilliant idea. He filled up his blanket with some grass, tied it into
a bundle and ran out over the uneven ground. Light-footed as he was, he soon came to a
place where he spied a group of wild ducks feasting and dancing in a circle. Iktomi went to
the ducks with his bundle and all the ducks immediately wanted to know what he was
carrying in it. At first he acted as if he did not want to tell them, but after some persuasion
he conceded and told them that what he carried was just a pack of songs. Iktomi knew that
the ducks loved to dance to new songs and soon all the ducks wanted to hear the songs that
he was carrying. He carefully set down his bundle and started building a straw house, for
he told the ducks that he could not let the songs out in the open air. The new house only
had one small opening and he urged all the ducks to go inside. As his songs burst into
voice, he told the ducks: With eyes closed you must dance. He who dares to open his
eyes, forever red eyes shall have (Zitkala-Sa 2004: 9). The ducks all started dancing to the
rhythm of Iktomis' drum with their eyes closed and Iktomi played faster and faster. After a
while one of the ducks could not dance with its eyes closed anymore and opened them. It
quickly urged all the ducks to open their eyes and run away, for beside Iktomi, he saw half
of their flock lying on the floor with twisted necks. While they were dancing, Iktomi killed
them one by one. The Spider Man Iktomi went home to roast his hard earned food and
buried some under the ashes to bake. By some coincidence, Iktomi got caught in a tree
while the food was still roasting, and in the meantime, some wolves came by. Iktomi
pleaded with them not to eat his meat and in the process told them where they could find it.
And this is how it came to be that Iktomi did not get to eat his duck feast.

6.1.3 Native American Mythology 2

One of the Native American tales tells us how Coyote got its cunning. When Karenya the
creator first made the animals and humans, he told the first man to make as many bows and
arrows of various sizes as there are animals. At that time the animals all had the same rank
and the same amount of power. He told the man to give the longest bow to the animal that
should have the most power and the shortest one to the animal that should have the least.
Of course Coyote wanted the longest bow and schemed to outwit the others by staying
awake through the whole night and be the first one at the gathering the next day. Soon he
became drowsy and tried every trick in his arsenal to stay awake. But the power of sleep
was too much and so Coyote took two small sticks, sharpened them at the ends, and used
ii

them to prop his eyelids open. He then felt safe enough to sleep, for he thought that the
rising sun will wake him first. The sticks, however, pierced his eyelids and pinned his eyes
shut. The next morning, when the human distributed all the bows and arrows, the shortest
bow stayed in his hands. He realized that one animal was missing and soon they found
Coyote, fast asleep. The man woke him, helped him free his eyes and then gave him the
shortest bow. All the animals laughed so hard at the Coyote that the man pitied him and
prayed to Karenya for the poor animal. The creator responded to this prayer by giving
Coyote his cunning.

6.1.4 Greek Mythology

The modest nymph Maia lived in a cave, far away from other immortals, and never tried to
be a part of the great pantheon. Zeus liked the fact that she lived in a shadowy cave, for in
that way, he was able to keep his love affair hidden from the prying eyes of his ever
jealous wife Hera. He was also sure that if Maia would bring a son into this world that son
would stay in the cave with his mother. What he did not know was that the son that Maia
bore to Zeus would be devious, wily, a robber, a rustler of cattle, a dream guide Yes,
the conductor of dreamsand a spy in the night, and a lookout skulking at other men's
doors, who was presently going to show of glorious deeds and notorious doings among
the immortals (Hesiod 2005: 135).
After his birth, Hermes did not stay in the cradle for very long, but the next day rose up
and slipped through the threshold, intending to go out and see what the world has to offer.
Right outside the cave he found a tortoise. He told the tortoise to come into the cave with
him, for the world is a dangerous place and that it will be safer inside. He then cut the
tortoise up, made the first lyre from it and sang a beautiful song of Zeus and Maia and
through the song lauded his own birth.
Hermes yearned for meat and decided to steal some cattle from his half-brother Apollo. He
went to the meadows where the cattle was grazing in the hot sun. To confuse whoever was
going to pursue him, he made himself some sandals out of branches, such as no one else
could devise, and drove the cattle backwards. When Apollo later found these marks, he did
not know what to think of them, because the sandals of the thief looked like they were
going in all directions and the footprints of the cattle looked as if they were returning to the
meadow.
iii

After a few more cunning deeds Hermes drove the cattle to a place where he killed two
cows and divided the meat into twelve equal parts. He burned the meat as a sacrifice for
the twelve gods of Olympus and although he strongly desired the meat, he did not eat
anything. When he came home, his mother chastised him for what he has done and he
replied that he had no intention of staying in this cave, but would rather become prince of
thieves and earn them a place on Olympus.
When Apollo finally discovered who stole his cows, he went to Maias cave and accused
the one day old baby of this great theft and threatened to throw him into Tartarus. Hermes
feigned ignorance and acted flabbergasted at the accusation, saying that he could not be
able to perform such a feat, for he is just a baby. Apollo took Hermes to their father Zeus
and presented the trickster to the gods with these fitting words: A mocker whose like
among gods I have never encountered, certainly not among men who mislead other men
upon earth. (Hesiod 2005: iv) Hermes showed no regret, but rather insisted on his
innocence, even after telling his father how to him he will tell the whole truth. Almighty
Zeus laughed aloud when he saw how his mischievous infant well and expertly denied that
he knew anything about cattle (Hesiod 2005: 148). Zeus bade the brothers to be
reconciled and told Hermes to lead Apollo to his cattle. Hermes agreed and took his
brother to the cattle, where he admitted that he had already sacrificed two of them to the
twelve Olympian gods. Apollo corrected him, saying that there are only eleven gods and
Hermes replied that there are twelve, suggesting his own divinity. Then Hermes sang a
song to the twelve gods, using his lyre and Apollo was so impressed by the instrument that
he desired it greatly. His yearning for the lyre was in fact so unquenchable that in exchange
for it, he promised to make Hermes the guardian of the cattle, gave him a golden staff that
bestowed wealth and conceded to him the dominion over beasts, together with the office of
Psychopomp, the escort of souls. From this moment forth Apollo was always depicted with
this lyre and the two brothers became very good friends.

6.1.5 Norse Mythology

Loki woke up next to his lover Sif and somehow knew that their relationship was coming
to an end. He wanted something to remember her by, a prized possession that she values
more than anything else; and so he decided to cut off a lock of her hair. When Thor found
out what Loki had done to his wife, he was furious and Sif was not very fond of her new
iv

haircut either. They both went to Odin for justice and Thor vowed that he would kill Loki
for what he had done. Odin forbade him, but urged Loki to repair the damage he created, as
Loki had already done on several occasions. When thinking about how to go about this
task, Loki remembered the dwarves, who lived bellow the earth. Loki knew these dwarves
quite well and knew that they were the most capable craftsmen that ever existed. So Loki
went to visit them and told them to manufacture a lock of hair made from gold; the lock
must not be like ordinary hair, but it has to be as fine as Sifs hair. Loki also procured two
other items for Odin and Freyr. Loki was so charmed by these items that he wagered his
head that no other dwarf could produce better gifts for the gods. Brock and his brother
started making three new items and while they were working, Loki took on the shape of a
flea and bit the brother that was working on the anvil, but the dwarf did not falter. While
making the third gift for the gods Miolnir, the hammer of Thor the flea bit him so hard
that the dwarf stopped working on the bellows for a while. That is why Miolnir has a small
handle. When all the six gifts were brought to the gods for judgment, the gods said that
although the gifts that Loki brought were wonderful, Brocks gifts are even better. Brock
immediately went to work and wanted to chop off Lokis head, since it now belonged to
him, but Loki said that he could not, since he did not owe Lokis neck, but only his head.
The dwarf decided to sew Lokis lips together in order to stop him from doing mischief
with his talk. Loki had to agree, but did not keep the new stitches for long. This is a story
of how Loki almost lost his head because of his boasting and how he got to keep it through
his cunning.

6.1.6 African Mythology

The Ashanti people told stories about Anansi the spider for centuries and all the stories
were his. But it was not always so. At the beginning the stories belonged to Nyami the sky
god and were kept in a box right next to his royal chair. Nyami was a very powerful god
and all things feared him. He did not want to share the stories with the people of the earth
and the people became unhappy. Anansi the spider one day announced that he is going to
the Sky God to get the stories. Everyone looked at him and said: How will you do such a
feat? You are so frail, small and old (Stott 2011: 11). Anansi went to the sky god
nonetheless and asked him for the stories. Nyami told him that he will give him what he
seeks, if Anansi brings him Onin the crushing python, Osebo the terrifying leopard, Mboro
the fierce hornets and Moatia the invisible fairy. He told him this, because he was sure that
v

there was no one who could acquire all these things, especially not someone as frail as
Anansi. Anansi went back home to his wife and together they made a plan how to catch all
these beings. The villagers tried to spy on him to see what was going on, but could not hear
what the couple was talking about. The next morning Anansi went out to find the python.
On the way he cut a very long branch and cleaned it of all the leaves. When he knew he
was close to the python, he started arguing with himself, whether the python is longer than
his branch or not. Onin heard him and asked Anansi what the problem was. Anansi replied
that his wife told him that the python is undoubtedly longer than the branch, but that he did
not believe her. Onin felt insulted and said that he would stretch by the branch and show
Anansi how long he really was. Anansi said that he would help him, by tying him to the
branch so that Onini would be able to stretch out better. Soon the python was tied
completely to the branch and Anansi could take him home. Anansi used similar guile to get
the other three creatures that Nyami asked for and took them to the sky god. When Anansi
reached the sky god he presented him with Onin, Osebo, Mboro and Moatia. Everyone was
amazed and asked Anansi how he managed to catch them and he replied: With a machete,
some string-creeper, a gourd and a doll [] and with some words and a little silence
(Stott 2011: 11).

6.1.7 Tricksters Appetite

There was a time when the animal people in the Pacific Northwest lived on an island and
the world was covered in darkness. The beloved son of the village chief and his wife grew
ill and died. The whole village and the parents of the deceased wailed and prayed for days
to the heavens to give them back the young man. One day, the chiefs wife went to the loft
where the body was supposed to be and discovered someone on the bed, lying there instead
of her son. The young man shone with the brightness of fire and explained to the mother
that the heavens have had enough of their moaning and sent him down to calm the
villagers. Both parents were overjoyed in thinking that their son was returned to them. But
soon they discovered that the youth was not a normal human being, since he did not want
to eat anything. The mother began to worry, for she did not think that her new son could
survive without any food and tried to offer him every proper meal she could lay her hands
on. But the young man was still reluctant to eat.

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One day he discovered two slaves, a man and a woman, who ate great quantities of whale
fat and asked them how come they are so ravenous all the time. They told him that it is
because they ate their own scabs. The man slave took some of his scab and gave it to the
young man. After that the young man started eating everything and although at first his
mother was delighted to see him eat, she soon changed her mind. The young men did
nothing but eat. Soon he became bigger and bigger and needed more food every day. When
the entire stores of the village were depleted, the chief became ashamed and sent his son
away from the tribe. He gave him the cloak of a raven and called him Giant. The chief also
gave Giant some seeds and told him to fly to the mainland and plant all these seeds so that
he will have enough to eat forever. He flew to the mainland, planted the seeds, scattered
some fish eggs, and where he dropped a rock - a mountain grew.

6.1.8 Culture Hero

Maui and his people lived on one of the islands that Maui fished up from the ocean. But
they always had to eat raw food and they were often cold, because there was no fire on the
island. Maui knew that fire used to exist in the world, because the older people told him so,
but he did not know where to find it. He went to his mother, who told him that his
grandmother is the wildfire and that she keeps all the fire in her cave. She also told him
that no man who enters that cave returns alive. Maui decided that fire is worth the risk and
went into the cave, wearing nothing but his loincloth, for he knew that all his clothes would
be burned to crisp in the presence of wildfire. He soon met his grandmother and asked her
for some fire. She refused and told him that people used to have fire, but they did not know
how to handle it, so she took it away. She told Maui that she will let him return to the
surface, but that she will not give him what he desires. He asked her for at least a finger of
fire so he will be able to find his way back home. After much pleading she gave him her
fingernail. Maui took it and then hid himself close to her, so she did not see him and waited
for her to fall asleep. Then he decided to take all of her fingernails, but while he was
stealing the last one, the goddess awoke. Maui changed himself into a bird and flew out of
the cavern, with his grandmother in pursuit. The goddess of fire was so angry at Maui that
she decided to put the whole earth on fire unless he showed himself. She even thrust her
hands inside the trunks of some trees, searching for him. After her anger was spent, she
returned to her cavern. Maui asked another god to send great torrents of rain to put out the
fire that has consumed the world and the god heard his plea. Later Maui found the tree that
vii

his grandmother thrust her hands inside and brought the fire out of its branch by rubbing
two sticks together. That is how Maui brought the fire to his people.

6.2

OBNOVA NEKATERIH GAIMANOVIH DEL

6.2.1 Ameriki bogovi

Glavni lik romana Ameriki bogovi na zaetku prestaja zadnje dni triletne zaporne kazni.
ena Laura, ki je turistina agentka, mu je poslala elektronsko karto za letalo, s katero bo
lahko e v ponedeljek priel k njej in ji povedal, da jo ljubi. Zadnje dni preivlja ob
prebiranju Herodotovih Zgodb, ki mu jih je zapustil bivi kaznjenec Low-Key Liesmith, s
katerim si je delil sobo, in ob uenju trikov s kovanci. Nekaj dni pred koncem zaporne
kazni od nadzornika izve, da je njegova ena umrla v prometni nesrei in ga bodo zato
predasno odpustili, da bo lahko el na njen pogreb. Vse te informacije sprejme brez
velikega zaudenja, kljub temu da je eno neizmerno ljubil.
Na poti domov Shadow izve, da je njegov let zaradi nevihte odpovedan in da bo moral na
drugo letalo, nato prestopati itd. Po seriji nepriakovanih dogodkov Shadow pride na
letalo, kjer je njegov sede zaseden in ga morajo zato premestiti v prvi razred. Ko se
konno namesti na svoj sede, ga ogovori stareji moki s sosednjega sedea. Pove mu, da
je pozen in da ga je priakoval. Ta moki, ki pravi, da ga Shadow lahko klie kar
Wednesday, ker je pa ta dan sreda, mu ponudi slubo osebnega straarja in Shadow ga
zavrne, e da ga doma aka sluba pri njegovem najboljem prijatelju. Wednesday pa mu
pove, da je ena umrla v prometni nesrei skupaj z njegovim najboljim prijateljem
Robbijem. Shadowu se zdi sumljivo, da ta lovek, ki ga je kljub nepredvidenemu spletu
okoliin priakal na letalu, ve toliko o njem in njegovi situaciji in zato takoj ob pristanku
zapusti letalo ter najame avto, s katerim namerava dokonati vonjo domov.
Ko se Shadow ustavi v obcestni restavraciji za veerjo, ga tam e aka Wednesday, ki mu
ponovno ponudi slubo. Pridrui se jima irski krat po imenu Mad Sweeney in Shadowu
izroi kovanec, ki se pojavi v njegovi roki, kot da bi ga potegnil z zraka. Shadow privoli v
to, da bo delal za Wednesdaya, in v znamenje privolitve izpije tri medice, kar po starem
obiaju potrdi zvezo med njima.

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Wednesday, ki je amerika razliica starega nordijskega boga Odina, poskua nabrati im

vejo vojsko starih bogov, saj se eli postaviti po robu novejim bogovom. Ko so se
namre ljudstva preseljevala v Ameriko, so vsa s seboj prinesla svoja verovanja, svoje
obiaje in svoje bogove. Amerika pa ni dobra deela za bogove, in ljudje so sasoma
pozabili nanje. Zato zdaj tisti bogovi, ki so preiveli, e vedno ivijo, vendar nimajo ve
moi, saj so mo prej dobivali prek aenja in darovanj. Ljudje zdaj astimo nove bogove,
kot so televizija, kreditne kartice, tehnika, mediji ipd. Nove bogove vodi Mr. World,
gospod Svet, zanj pa delajo e Town, Wood in Stone.
Shadow in Wednesday se skupaj odpravita na Laurin pogreb, kjer Shadow izve, da je imela
razmerje z njegovim najboljim prijateljem Robbijem. Shadow kljub temu vre kovanec, ki
ga je prejel od Mada Sweeneya, v njen grob. Po pogrebu ga ugrabi skupina mokih. Vodi
jih precej obilen mladeni v limuzini, ki eli izvedeti kakne, narte ima Wednesday,
vendar mu Shadow ne more ni povedati, saj zanj dela ele en dan. Ko ga izpustijo, gre
Shadow spat v hotel, kjer se mu pridrui njegova pokojna ena. Na tej toki ga ni ve ne
preseneti in eni dovoli, da mu pove o svojem razmerju z Robbijem in se mu zahvali za
kovanec. Pove mu tudi, da se je zapletel v slabe stvari in da bo ona pazila nanj.
Drugo jutro se skupaj z Wednesdayem odpravita na pot k prvemu bogu, ki ga Wednesday
eli pridobiti za svoj namen. Prispeta v staro hio, kjer ju sprejme Zorya Vechernyaya.
Kmalu spoznata e starca Czernoboga in Zoryo Utrennyayo ter izvesta, da Zorya
Polunochnaya e spi. Czernobog se noe udeleiti bitke med starimi in novimi bogovi,
vendar je s Shadowom pripravljen odigrati partijo dame. e zmaga Shadow, se bo
Czernobog pridruil Wednesdayu, e pa zmaga Czernobog, bo Shadowu na koncu lahko s
kladivom razbil glavo. Prvo igro zmaga Czernobog, drugo pa Shadow zato se jim
Czernobog pridrui, vendar sta e vedno dogovorjena, da bo Shadow po koncu bitke umrl.
Ker Shadow ne more spati, gre ponoi k oknu, kjer srea e tretjo sestro, ki je ez dan
spala. Zorya Polunochnyaya je za razliko od svojih sester mlada in postavna. Shadowu
pove, da ne bi smel kar tako dati kovanca, ki ga je prejel od Mada Sweeneya, saj je bil tisto
kovanec sonca. Pravi tudi, da mu ne more dati e enega, lahko pa mu da kovanec lune, ki
ga prav tako kot Mad Sweeney vzame kar iz zraka.
Shadow in Wednesday nato na zelo preprost, vendar izjemno premeten nain oropata
banko, saj Wednesday za svoje poslanstvo potrebuje precej denarja. Shadowu pove e za
nekaj trikov, namre kako lahko koga hitro oropa, vendar sta za to potrebna dva, in da je
ix

imel neko pomonika. Ena izmed iger se je imenovala kofova igra: kof vkoraka v
draguljarno in si izbere eno najdrajih ogrlic ter zanjo plaa z bankovci. Ker je vsota velika
in ker so bankovci svee natisnjeni, polje lastnik trgovine nekoga v banko, da potrdi
njihovo pristnost. Ko se sluga vrne s potrdilom, lahko kof odkoraka iz trgovine, vendar ga
na vratih ustavi policist, ki ga prepozna kot starega prevaranta, ki dela najbolje ponarejene
bankovce tam naokoli. Lastniku trgovine pove, da bo moral goljufa aretirati in vzeti tako
ogrlico kot tudi denar za dokaz in da bo lastnik oboje dobil nazaj, ko bo preiskava konana.
Wednesday in Shadow gresta potem na neki sveti kraj, ki se imenuje Hia na skali. Tam
sreata Czernoboga in gospoda Nancya, temnopoltega starka s karibskim naglasom.
Pridruijo se jim e nekateri drugi bogovi, in skupaj gredo na vrtiljak, ki jih popelje v
drugo resninost. Na tem vrtiljaku Shadow vidi bogove, kakrni so v resnici. Sreanje
seveda odpre Nancy z eno od svojih zgodbic, nato pa Wednesday nagovori bogove in jih
pozove k oroju. eprav se vsi bogovi ne strinjajo z njim, dovolijo, da jih Wednesday po
konanem sestanku pelje na veerjo. Shadow v avtu pelje e Mamaji oziroma boginjo Kali,
gospodarja kratov Alvisa in nekega mladenia, ki mu ne ostane v spominu, kljub temu da
si ga je pozorno ogledal. Svoje potnike odloi pred restavracijo in odpelje avto na
parkirie, kjer ga spet ugrabijo.
Shadow se pozneje zbudi v zaprtem prostoru, kjer ga zasliujeta Wood in Stone, nato pa ga
spet pustijo samega. Kmalu zatem slii nekaken tru in vrata mu odpre njegova pokojna
ena. Ko Shadow opazi, da so vsi straarji mrtvi, mu ona razloi, da ji zdaj, ko je mrtva, ni
teko ubiti loveka in da mu je tako ali tako obljubila, da ga bo varovala. Shadow se
odpravi na pot, saj se zaveda, da ga bodo obdolili umora. Na poti srea enega od
Odinovih krokarjev, ki ga napoti v Kejro, kjer mu bo pomagal akal. Dobi prevoz in
ugotovi, da se Kejro nahaja nekje v Illinoisu, ter se zato odpravi tja.
Shadow v Kejru preivi nekaj dni v drubi dveh grobarjev; eden od njiju je akal oziroma
Jackuel, egipanski bog Anubis, drugi pa je gospod Ibis, egipanski bog Toth. Z njima ivi
e maka, za katero se izkae, da je boginja Bast. Medtem ko ivi z njimi, srea Mada
Sweeneya, ki ga ves zaprepaden roti, naj mu vrne tisti kovanec, saj mu je dal napanega.
Shadow mu pove, da ga je podaril eni, in Sweeney ga prosi, e mu lahko da vsaj nekaj
denarja, da pobegne. Naslednje jutro se izkae, da se je Mad Sweeney zapil in ez no
zmrznil.

Naslednji dan pride Wednesday in odpelje Shadowa v mestece Lakeside, kjer naj bi
Shadow ivel pod imenom Mike Ainsel. Za razliko od ostalih mest v okroju, ki so
izgubila ves svoj bli, je Lakeside mestece, ki kljub oddaljenosti in mrazu e vedno
uspeva. Edino, kar Shadowa bega, so smrti otrok v tem mestu vsako leto pozimi namre
izgine z mesta en otrok. Shadow se kaj hitro navadi na ivljenje v tem mestecu in tudi
oseba, ki jo predstavlja nov lik, Mike, mu je ve. Vsake toliko ga pride iskat Wednesday,
ki se izdaja za njegovega strica, in spet gresta na pot novait e ostale bogove.
Med drugim gresta skupaj tudi v Las Vegas, kjer se Wednesday srea z neimenovanim
bogom, ki ga je Shadow peljal v avtu in si ga ni mogel zapomniti. Celotno poglavje je
napisano poevno, kot so napisana poglavja, povezana s sanjami. Tokrat je neimenovani
bog opisan kot moki, ki je obleen v antracitno obleko. Skozi ves pogovor avtor zapisuje
samo Wednesdeyeve besede, besede neimenovanega boga pa ostanejo neomenjene.
Wednesday ga k temu, da se jim pridrui, prepria tako, da mu ponudi steklenico Some.
Naslednja boginja, ki jo obieta, je Easter Velika no. Kljub temu da ona pravi, da ji gre
dobro in da ljudje e vedno praznujejo veliko no, jo Wednesday zavrne in ji pove, da so
ljudje pozabili, kaj se je na zaetku praznovalo na ta dan.
Nekega dne Wednesday med vonjo z avtodomom opazi, da so jima nasprotniki le nekaj
kilometrov stran postavili zasedo. Shadowu naroi, naj zavije s ceste, in s pomojo run, ki
jih napie na armaturno ploo, se zapeljeta v zakulisje, ki ga Wednesday razloi s
primerjavo z gledaliem, kot da bi Shadowa povlekel iz obinstva in bi se sedaj sprehajala
v zaodrju. Po dolgi poti prispeta v rezervat, kjer ju priaka ameriki staroselec po imenu
Whiskey Jack, za katerega se izkae, da je v resnici Wisakedjack, ameriki varljivec in
kulturni heroj. eprav se jima Whiskey Jack noe pridruiti v boju proti novim bogovom,
jima da na uporabo vsaj avto svojega neaka Harry Bluejaya, da lahko nadaljujeta pot. V
naslednjih dneh obieta e Japonce, Albance itd., Shadowa pa na njegovem novem domu
obie pokojna ena, ki ga vpraa, ali sploh zares ivi.
Nekega dne to mestece obie ena njegovega prijatelja Robbieja in policiji pove, kdo je
Shadow v resnici in da je umoril nekaj agentov (misli namre na agenta Wooda in Stonea,
ki ju je umorila Laura). Policist odpelje Shadowa v celico, kjer naj bi poakal na prevoz do
bolj varovanega zapora. Medtem ko je Shadow v celici in gleda televizijo, se program
spremeni in pokae, kako novi bogovi med pogajanji ubijejo Wednesdaya. Shadow je
okiran, vendar se zaveda, da je bilo to, kar je videl, resnino.
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Kmalu ga policisti naloijo v avto in odpeljejo naprej, vendar se kaj hitro izkae, da sta
policista, ki sta prila ponj, v resnici Czernobog in gospod Nancy, ki je spremenil svojo
zunanjost, da je lahko preslepil policijo v Laketownu. Vsi trije se dogovorijo z novimi
bogovi, da se dobijo na nevtralnem obmoju, kjer jim bodo novi bogovi izroili
Wednesdaya. Shadow tudi izve, da bo moral nekdo ob truplu opraviti bdenje, in se sam
javi, da bo opravil to nalogo. Na nevtralnem ozemlju se res srea z novimi bogovi in opazi,
da je njihov voznik njegov bivi sokaznjenec Low-Key Liesmith. ele sedaj mu postane
jasno, da je to v resnici bog Loki in da njegov priimek pomeni kova lai.
Ko gospod Nancy, Czernobog in Shadow dobijo Wednesdayevo truplo, se odpravijo k
velikemu Jesenu, ki je amerika verzija Yggdrasila, kozminega drevesa v nordijski
mitologiji. Shadowa obesijo na drevo, kjer mora devet dni alovati za Odinom brez pijae
in hrane. Shadow se zaveda, da lahko v tem asu umre. Devet dni alovanja je miljeno kot
darovanje, ki ga je Odin opravil sam sebi, ko je devet dni preboden s sulico visel obeen na
Yggdrasilu, da bi prejel vdenje o runah. Shadow v tem asu konno zaivi. Ob njem je
ves as sokol, za katerega se izkae, da je Horus, obie ga ena, za njo pa pride do drevesa
tudi agent Town, eden od agentov gospoda Worlda. Town Shadowa sovrai, saj je
preprian, da je Shadow umoril njegova kolega, agenta Wooda in Stonea. World mu je
naroil, naj gre do tega drevesa in naj odree vejo ter mu jo prinese. Ko vidi, da na drevesu
visi Shadow, ki je ta trenutek e mrtev, prime vejo in naredi z njo gesto, kot da ga je
zabodel, iz mesta ki ga je nakazal s kretnjo, pa res pritee tekoina.
Town se odpravi nazaj in na poti pobere avtotoparko, za katero ne ve, da je Laura.
Shadow v tem asu na drevesu umre in preide v posmrtno ivljenje, kjer ga priakata
gospod Ibis in Jackuel v svojih pravih podobah Toth in Anubis. Toth je psihopomp in
zato pospremi Shadowa iz sveta ivih v svet mrtvih, Anubis pa opravi poslednjo sodbo.
Shadow mora na poti pustiti svoje ime in svoje srce ter si na koncu izbere posmrtno
ivljenje v obliki niesar popoln poitek brez vsega.
Medtem ko se novi in stari bogovi e pripravljajo na poslednjo bitko, pride bog tehnike k
svojemu voditelju Worldu in ta mu pove, da akajo, da se Town vrne z vejo z jesena. Pove
mu tudi, da bo to vejo vrgel ez prizorie bitke in vse smrti posvetil Odinu, nato pa ga
ubije in tudi njegovo smrt posveti Odinu. Horus odleti na prizorie bitke in boginji Easter
veli, naj gre z njim. Skupaj se odpravita do jesena, kjer Easter obudi Shadowa od mrtvih. V
deelo mrtvih ga pride iskati Wiskey Jack, ki ga odpelje nazaj v svet ivih in mu pove, da
xii

njegova naloga e ni konana. Town in Laura se prav tako pripeljeta na prizorie bitke,
kjer mu Laura vzame vejo in ga ubije. Nato ona odide do Worlda in ta se ji zahvali, da mu
je prinesla vejo. Vendar ona, ko se ji priblia, to vejo zarine skozi sebe v telo Worlda, za
katerega se zdaj e ve, da je v resnici Loki.
Ko Shadow pride do Lokija, je ta e v zadnjih izdihljajih, ob njem pa je Odin, saj ga je
smrt boga tehnike oivela, eprav je e vedno ibak. Shadow pove, da konno razume njun
nart. Loki naj bi zalual puico nad prizorie bitke in tako vse smrti podaril Odinu, tako
kot je pred mnogimi leti storil e vedski kralj Erik. Shadow sprva ne ve, zakaj naj bi bitka
koristila tudi Lokiju, vendar potem dojame, da bi Loki tako dobil mo iz kaosa. Potrebna je
samo e pika na i, ki naj bi bila rtvovanje Odinovega sina, in ta sin je Shadow. Vendar
Shadow Lokiju in Wednesdayu prekria narte, saj gre na prizorie bitke in vsem
bogovom pove, da sta jih naplahtala in da se bojujejo za prazen ni.
Bogovi se razidejo in Shadow odide skupaj z gospodom Nancyem, ki ga zvlee v bar, kjer
Nancy poje karaoke. Shadow nato odide do Czernoboga, kjer naj bi doakal svoj konec z
udarcem kladiva v glavo, vendar ga Czernobog ne ubije, saj se e spreminja v Bieloboga,
ki bo poslej nadomestil svojega bolj mranega dvojnika. Na koncu Shadow razrei e
uganko smrti otrok v Laketownu in nato odide na potovanje po svetu. V zakljunem
poglavju romana pride v Skandinavijo, kjer srea pravega Odina in mu podari stekleno
oko, ki ga je vzel z Wednesdayevega trupla.

6.2.2 Anansi Boys

Zgodba tega romana se dogaja v Londonu. Vrti se okoli lika z imenom Charles Nancy in
vzdevkom Fat Charlie, ki ga je prejel od svojega oeta, gospoda Nancya. V slovenskem
prevodu bi Fat Charlie pomenilo Debeli Charlie, in eprav Charles ni bil nikoli debel v
pravem pomenu besede, se vzdevka ni mogel nikoli znebiti. e njegov oe nekaj
poimenuje, se to ime vedno ohrani.
Roman se zane tako, kot se zane veina stvari, s pesmijo (Gaiman 2006a: 3). Na no
karaok se natakar sprauje, ali ne bo celoten veer polomija, saj nihe noe peti, tedaj pa v
bar pride gospod Nancy. Kljub svoji starosti se spogleduje s skupino turistk in na odru
zane peti pesem What's New Pussycat. Ko eli zapeti drugo pesem, pade z odra, zgrabi
eno od turistk za obleko, ji razgali prsi in mrtev oblei na tleh.

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Zgodba se nato iz Amerike preseli v Anglijo, kjer zdaj ivi Fat Charlie. Svoji zaroenki
ravno razlaga, kako ga je oe vekrat osmeil pred prijatelji in kako mu je bilo zaradi
njegovega vpadljivega vedenja v njegovi drubi vedno nerodno. Boji se, da bo oe
pokvaril poroko, in Rosie pove, da oeta ne namerava povabiti. Rosie ga prepriuje, naj si
premisli, ko Charlie prejme novico o oetovi smrti.
Charlie si mora vzeti dopust in odleteti na Florido, kjer naj bi po pogrebu poskrbel za
oetovo zapuino. Zaradi nepredvidenih okoliin zamuja na pogreb in pride ravno v
trenutku, ko se pogreb konuje, zato se prerine v prvo vrsto, da bi spregovoril nekaj besed.
Po ganljivem govoru pa ugotovi, da je na napanem pogrebu. Gospa Higler, soseda iz
otrotva in prijateljica gospoda Nancya, ga odpelje domov, kjer srea e tri stare enice,
med katerimi je najstareja gospa Dunwiddy. Gospa Higler Charlesu pove, da je bil njegov
oe v resnici afriki bog Anansi in ko jo skeptini Charles vpraa, zakaj sam ni podedoval
nobenih magijskih moi, mu odgovori, da je vse dobre stvari podedoval njegov brat Spider,
pajek. enica mu pove e, da e eli kdaj govoriti s svojim bratom, mora to le sporoiti
kateremukoli pajku.
Charles se vrne v Anglijo in se ne ozira na besede gospe Higler, saj jim seveda ne more
verjeti. Vendar neki veer pod blagim vplivom alkohola zaepeta pajku, ki ga najde v sobi,
da bi elel govoriti s svojim bratom. Naslednji dan ga obie uglajen in vpadljiv moki lepe
zunanjosti, ki se predstavi kot Spider. Fat Charlie mu pove za smrt njunega oeta, kar
Spiderja mono prizadene, saj je bi preprian, da bi moral to sam zautiti. Spider se odloi,
da morata za oeta opraviti bdenje in v njegov spomin spiti najbolje vino. Kmalu se jima
pridrui kar veliko ljudi in vodja druine nemudoma postane Spider, medtem ko se
Charlie dri bolj ob strani. Konajo v baru s karaokami in Spider je spet zvezda veera,
nakar se Fat Charlie po prigovarjanju nekega dekleta odloi, da bo tudi on odpel kakno
pesem. Ko pride do mikrofona, se onesvesti.
Zbudi se precej pozno v svoji postelji z dekletom po imenu Daisy Day, ki ga je spoznal
prejnji veer. Ko ga dekle pomiri, da se med njima ni ni zgodilo in da je pri njemu
prespala samo zato, da ga je pomagala spraviti v posteljo, se Charlie zave, da je zamudil v
slubo, ona pa mu zagotovi, da je za vse poskrbel Spider. Kmalu pride na obisk mama
Charliejeve zaroenke, saj naj bi skupaj nartovala poroko. Charlie se je pred svojo bodoo
tao e vekrat osmeil, zato ga skrbi, da tudi tokrat ne bo drugae. Seveda ravno v

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pravem trenutku iz sosednje sobe pride Daisy v spodnjem perilu, in Charlie mora svoji
tai zagotoviti, da je to le njegova sestrina, ki je prila na obisk.
V tem asu gre Spider v pisarno svojega brata, kjer vsem pove, da je on Charles Nancy, in
brez oklevanja mu vsi, vkljuno s efom Grahamom Coatsom, verjamejo. Ko Spider sedi
za raunalnikom, opazi doloene nepravilnosti v transakcijah svojega nadrejenega, zato
raunalniku pove, da je on Grahame Coats. Raunalnik mu odobri dostop do vseh
podatkov. Ravno v tem trenutku pa do njegove mize pride Grahame z namenom, da bo
Charlieja odpustil, saj se zaveda, da e predolgo dela na istem mestu in da bi lahko opazil
kakne nepravilnosti. Spider mu pove, da jih je e opazil, in Grahame mu v zameno za
molenost ponudi plaan dopust in kar precejnjo vsoto denarja. Spider ponudbo sprejme
in se odpravi na kosilo s Charliejevo zaroenko.
Tudi Rosie ne opazi, da Spider ni Charlie, eprav si v resnici nista podobna, in kmalu
zane razmiljati o tem, kakno sreo ima, da se bo lahko poroila s tako ednim,
armantnim in vpadljivim lovekom. Ne more razumeti, kako je lahko sploh kdaj mislila,
da Charles ni ni posebnega.
Spider se nekako rei Charlieja, saj eli no preiveti z njegovo zaroenko, in eprav je
Rosie e devica, saj sta nameravala s Charliejem poakati do poroke, se ne more upreti
Spiderjevemu armu. Naslednji dan Spider ugotovi, da se je zaljubil v Rosie, in ji eli
nekako povedati, da on ni Charlie, temve njegov brat Spider. Ko Charlie izve, da je
njegov brat spal z njegovo zaroenko, eli Spiderja spraviti iz svojega ivljenja, in ko vse
skupaj povesta Rosie, ona razdre zaroko. Obupani Charlie se odpravi nazaj na Florido, saj
eli od gospe Higler izvedeti, ali obstaja kakna monost, da se Spiderja rei.
Gospa Higler ga odpelje do gospe Dunwiddy, od katere Charlie izve, da je neko e
izgnala Spiderja in da zato ni ivel z njimi. Tudi bralcu sasoma postane jasno, da sta bila
Charlie in Spider neko ena in ista oseba. Po besedah gospe Dunwiddy je Charlie vedno
zganjal norije, zato je opravila nekaken obred, s katerim je iz Charlieja potegnila vse
zvijane in boanske lastnosti. Tako sta nastali dve osebi. Gospa Dunwiddy prizna, da ne
ve, kako bi lahko tokrat izgnala Spiderja, vendar se stare enice odloijo, da lahko
poskusijo z nekim obredom, vendar potrebujejo Charliejevo pomo.
Med obredom se Charlie preseli na drug svet, kjer se sprehodi med votlinami, v katerih
prebivajo ljudje. Sasoma opazi, da to sploh niso ljudje, temve da ima vsako bitje
xv

lastnosti neke ivali. Charlie stopi do nekaterih izmed njih in jih prosi, ali bi mu znal kdo
pomagati, vendar ne najde nobenega kandidata. Med njimi srea tudi Tigra, ki mu pove, da
mu ne bo nikoli pomagal, saj mu je njegov oe prizadejal veliko hudega. Pomagati mu je
pripravljeno le bitje v podobi ptice, vendar eli v zameno Anansijevo potomstvo, kot
potrdilo pogodbe pa izroi Charlieju eno od svojih peres.
Grahame Coats izkoristi Charliejevo odsotnost in spremeni podatke transakcij tako, da je
videti, kot da je zloine zagreil Fat Charlie sam, in ga prijavi policiji. Primer prevzame
policistka, za katero se izkae, da je Daisy Day. Ko se Charlie vrne, ga presenetijo
policisti, ki ga obtoijo zloinov Grahama Coatsa in odpeljejo v zapor. Preden ga Spider
spravi ven iz zapora, ga na dvoriu aka e nenavadno snidenje s ptii, ki ga elijo
napasti. Spider je imel pred tem podobno izkunjo s ptii plamenci v svoji sobi, zato mu
Charlie pove za svoj dogovor s ptijo ensko. Spider mu pojasni, da sta Anansijevo
potomstvo onadva oba. Nekaj asa se skrivata pred ptii, ki ju napadajo na vsakem koraku,
nato pa se Spider rtvuje za svojega brata, ko dovoli, da se zgrne nadenj cela vojska ptiev.
e prej Charlieju ree, naj poskua zadeve urediti.
Med tem asom se je v pisarni Grahama Coatsa dogajalo naslednje: Maeve Livington, ena
zelo uspenega pokojnega komika, ki ga je zastopalo podjetje Grahama Coatsa, je
neprestano klicala in se poskuala dogovoriti z odgovornim za sestanek, saj je bila
prepriana, da z rauni nekaj ni v redu. Nekega dne je ugotovila, da ji je Grahame Coats
dolan e kar nekaj denarja, in je zato la v njegovo pisarno ter ga sooila z dejstvi.
Grahame jo je pokonal s kladivom, jo skril v skrivno omaro in sam pobegnil na fiktivni
otok v Karibih, kjer si je e leta in leta pripravljal rezidenco za podoben primer. Kmalu tam
srea Rosie in njeno mamo, ki sta si zato, da porono potovanje ne bi lo v ni, privoili
oddih na istem otoku. Grahamu ju povabi svojo rezidenco, in ker dami e nista ni sliali o
dogodkih v Londonu, zakorakata naravnost v njegovo past. Grahame ju zapre v svojo klet.
Maeve Livingston se zbudi in ugotovi, da je nihe ne opazi, nakar jo po telefonu poklie
njen pokojni mo, ki jo povabi, naj se mu pridrui v posmrtnem ivljenju. Ona ga zavrne,
saj eli prej opraviti s svojim morilcem, in se zato poda na pot. Blizu nekega pokopalia
srea gospoda Nancya, ki ji pove zgodbo o tem, kako so bile vse zgodbe vasih last Tigra
in kako je Pajek Tigra osmeil, ko mu je zgodbe vzel. Nato jo odpelje na plesie.
Charlie Nancy policiji pove za skrito omaro v Grahamovi pisarni, kjer seveda najdejo
truplo Maeve Livingston, nato pa odleti na Florido, saj eli gospo Higler vpraati, kako se
xvi

lahko rei ptiev in dobi nazaj svojega brata. Ostale enice mu povedo, da je la gospa
Higler nazaj v svojo rojstno vas nekje na karibskih otokih. Charlie se odloi, da ji bo sledil,
in ko pride v hotel, ugotovi, da je Higler na tem otoku zelo pogost priimek, zato se zane s
kolesom voziti naokoli, saj upa, da jo bo nael. Vmes ga zadene avto, ki ga vozi sam
Grahame Coats, ki je preprian, da sta Charlie in Rosie prila skupaj na Karibe, da bi ga
ulovila. Charlie na sreo ne utrpi nobenih hujih pokodb in se vrne v svoj hotel.
Tam srea Daisy Day, ki se je zaradi razoaranja nad sistemom, zaradi katerega ne more
uloviti Grahama na Karibih, odloila, da bo vzela dopust in ulovila zloinca na svojo pest.
Med veerjo se jima pridrui Grahame in pod mizo v Daisy nameri pitolo. V tem trenutku
pride mimo pevka, ki v hotelu zabava goste med veerjo, in se zane pogovarjati s
Charliejem. Na veliko preseneenje vseh prisotnih Charlie vstane in zapoje pesem. Izkae
se, da ima zelo lep glas. Charlie eli pritegniti e ve pozornosti, saj se zaveda, da bo le
tako odvrnil Grahama od kaknega nelegalnega poetja, in zato celemu hotelu na oeh
Daisy zaprosi za roko. Ko se prah polee, Grahama ni ve.
Medtem je Spider ujet pri ptiji enski, ki mu iztrga jezik, saj ve, da so besede boga lahko
vir njegove magije. Nato ga podari najvejemu sovraniku svojega oeta, Tigru. Zaveda se,
da je ujet in nemoen, vendar mu z raznimi zvijaami in pretkanimi udarci kljub temu uspe
drati Tigra stran od sebe. Nekako se zaveda, da se bori tudi za ensko, ki jo ljubi. Ko ga
Tiger za nekaj asa pusti samega, Spider iz gline naredi pajka in ga polje po pomo. ez
as se zgrne nad Tigra na stotine pajkov in ta mora zbeati.
Tiger se hoe maevati nad Anansijem in njegovim potomstvom, e zlasti pa nad
Spiderjem, in ugotovi, da to lahko stori z umorom Rosie in njene mame. Polasti se telesa
Grahama Coatsa, ki se ravno v tem trenutku ves razjarjen vrne, potem ko mu ni uspelo
umoriti Fat Charlieja.
Rosie in njena mati nekako pobegneta iz kleti, vendar ju pred izhodom aka velika maka.
enski se z zverjo spopadeta, pridrui pa se jima e Maeve Livingston, ki je s pomojo
Anansijevega duha nala otok na Karibih. Maeve je sicer duh, zato ne more obevati z
navadnimi ljudmi in v normalnih okoliinah ne bi mogla koditi Grahamu, vendar je s
prihodom duha Tigra Graham postal dosegljiv tudi duhovom. Ko ga premagajo, se Maeve
odloi, da zdaj lahko zapusti ta svet in se pridrui svojemu pokojnemu mou v posmrtnem
ivljenju.

xvii

Charlie Nancy najde gospo Higler in s pomojo Daisy ponovno opravijo obred, ki
Charlieja spet polje na zaetek sveta. Tam najprej srea svojega oeta, ki mu pove, da ima
tudi on v sebi boanskost, ter mu da svoj klobuk. Charlie zadovoljen odkoraka naprej, in
ko pride do tam, kjer so votline z vsemi ivalmi, zane peti pesem, v katero vplete vse o
zaetku, svojem oetu, ponianju Tigra in podobno. Tiger zaradi sramote pobegne v svojo
votlino skupaj z Grahamom Coatsom, ki se spremeni v podlasico, Spider pa vhod v votlino
zasuje s kamenjem. Charlie vrne ptiji enski njeno pero in ji pove, da Anansijevo
potomstvo ni ve v njeni lasti.
Charlie in Spider se vrneta nazaj v resninost, kjer se Spider poroi z Rosie in postane
lastnik restavracije, Charlie pa se poroi z Daisey in postane uspeen pevec. Anansi uiva v
grobu in na pogrebu gospe Dunwiddy celo pomisli, da bi zgrabil gospo Higler za gleenj,
vendar se skunjavi nekako upre.

6.2.3 Sandman
V prvih zgodbah tega stripa kralja Sanj ujame zdruenje nekaknih novodobnih
arovnikov, ki elijo ujeti Smrt in tako ljudem omogoiti nesmrtnost, vendar namesto
Smrti ujamejo njenega mlajega brata Morfeja. Zbirka prvih osmih stripov opisuje pobeg
kralja Sanj po sedmih desetletjih ujetnitva in njegovo maevanje, glavna nit zgodbe pa
govori o njegovem iskanju predmetov, ki jih je izgubil in brez katerih ne more opravljati
svoje funkcije. Ko Morfej dobi nazaj monjiek s peskom, se odpravi v Pekel po svojo
elado. Tam najprej srea svojo nekdanjo ljubezen, ki ga vpraa, ali ji je e odpustil, na kar
ji Morfej odgovori, da e ne. Svojo elado prejme nazaj po zmagi nad enim od demonov,
kar Luciferja razjezi, zato prisee maevanje nad Sanjami. Zadnji predmet je rubin, ki ga
Morfej pridobi nazaj brez posebnosti. Pred koncem te zbirke kralja Sanj obie njegova
stareja sestra Smrt, ki jo avtor prikae v podobi lepega mladega dekleta, in ga uspe
spraviti v boljo voljo ter ga pozove, naj nekoliko razie svet, ki ga je zamudil, ko je bil v
ujetnitvu.
V drugi zbirki, ki nosi naslov The Doll's House, se Morfej osredotoi na iskanje vseh
svojih izgubljenih kreacij oziroma nonih mor, ki so v njegovi odsotnosti pobegnile iz
njegovega kraljestva. Dve izmed teh sanj ugrabita bivega superjunaka in njegovo noseo
eno, ki se imenuje Lyta Hall, in njega prepriata, da je gospodar Sanj. Morfej brez teav
opravi z njim in kaznuje noni mori, ki sta pobegnili. Obenem The Doll's House vsebuje
xviii

tudi zgodbo o neki afriki kraljici po imenu Nada, ki je ivela pred davnimi asi in se je
zaljubila v gospodarja Sanj, vendar ga je, ko ji je ponudil svojo ljubezen, odklonila, zato jo
je Morfej obsodil na venost v peklu.
Drugi del govori o Unity Kinkaid, ki se je po ve kot sedemdesetih letih prebudila iz
spanja in ugotovila, da je v tem asu rodila herko. Njeno speo bolezen je seveda
povzroila odsotnost gospodarja Sanj. V tem asu je tudi njena hi e imela her po imenu
Rose. Rose v svoji zgodbi srea dve izmed stvaritev, ki so pobegnile iz kraljestva Sanj, kar
jo pripelje do Morfeja. Slednji odkrije, da je Rose vorteks sanj, ki ga je potrebno uniiti, saj
bi v nasprotnem primeru propadel ves svet, vendar se na njeno sreo med njunim
pogovorom pojavi njena babica Unity, ki prevzame odgovornost in rtev nase. Zaveda se
namre, da je ona tista, ki bi morala biti vorteks, vendar zato, ker je spala, svoje usode ni
mogla izpolniti in je njena vloga pripadla vnukinji. Morfej se zave, da je njegov androgini
sorojenec Poelenje v spanju posilil Unity in s tem postal dedek punce, ki bi jo bil Morfej
prisiljen umoriti, kar bi pomenilo tudi njegov konec, saj bi prelil kri svoje druine in tako
prekril eno izmed starodavnih pravil. The Doll's House se kona s tem, da se kralj Sanj
sooi s Poelenjem in ga opozori, naj ne prestopi ve svojih meja.
Naslednja zbirka je Dream Country, katere prve zgodbe pripovedujejo o ujetnitvu grke
muze pesnitva in o tem, kako jo rei njen bivi mo oziroma ljubimec Morfej. Naslednja
zgodba govori o tem, kako eli neka maka spremeniti svet prek sanj. Tretja zgodba pa
nosi naslov A Midsummer Night's Dream in govori o premieri igre, ki jo je Morfej zahteval
od Shakespeara ob njuni pogodbi in je odigrana na griu pred zelo raznoliko druino iz
sveta vilincev, med katerimi so tudi liki iz igre, Titania, Oberon in Puck. Puck ob predstavi
zelo uiva, vendar se strinja s svojimi kolegi, ki pravijo, da je v resnici veliko bolj zlove,
v igri pa je opisan zgolj kot psihotien morilec. Ravno za to zgodbo je Gaiman leta 1991
prejel nagrado za najboljo fantazijsko kratko zgodbo.
V Season of Mists Morfej spozna, da ne bi smel pustiti svoje bive ljubimke Nade v peklu,
in se kljub nevarnosti, ki mu preti s strani Luciferja, odloi, da jo bo poskual osvoboditi.
Ko pride v pekel, mu Lucifer pove, da namerava zapustiti svoje kraljestvo in njegove
kljue predati prav njemu. Lucifer se namre zaveda, da bo s tem svojemu sovraniku
nakopal kar precejnje teave. Ko se med raznimi panteoni razve, da je kraljestvo pekla
izpraznjeno in da se ie nov upravitelj tega kraljestva, se vsi zanejo zgrinjati k vratom
gospodarja Sanj in ga elijo prepriati, da so ravno oni najbolj primerni za to vlogo. Odin,
xix

ki pride v spremstvu Thora in samo za to prilonost osvobojenega Lokija, si eli na vsak

nain pridobiti oblast nad peklom, saj je mnenja, da bi se tako lahko izognil ragnaroku,
vojni bogov. Med vidnejimi kandidati so e Bast in Anubis, Sosano-o-no-Mikoto, Azazel,
Kaos in Red ter dva predstavnika nebeke vojske, angela Duma in Remiel. Skoraj vsi
kralju Sanj nekaj ponujajo v zameno za oblast nad peklom ali pa mu grozijo in pred
Morfejem je teka odloitev, kateri se na koncu izogne tako, da preda oblast nebesom, saj
je pekel nekaken antipod nebes in ga mora zato njegov stvarnik nadzorovati. Ta del
zgodbe je zelo zanimiv e zlasti zato, ker peklu na koncu zavladata dva angela, ki elita
rtvam pomagati, eprav jima te zatrjujejo, da s tem razmere le e slabata.
Zbirka z naslovom The Game of You govori o loenki iz New Yorka, ki se po dolgem asu
vrne v svet svojih sanj in ugotovi, da je zanjo e kako resnien ter da mu preti nevarnost.
Prigoda sama po sebi ni pomembna za razvoj zgodbe, je pa vir zelo dobro dodelanih likov,
s katerimi se lahko bralec kaj hitro poistoveti. Thessaly, ki je ena izmed oseb v tej zgodbi,
pozneje igra zelo pomembno vlogo.
Fables and Reflections je zbirka zgodb, ki med seboj niso povezane, vendar z njimi bralec
potuje skozi zgodovino ljudi, ki so v preteklosti imeli opraviti z gospodarjem Sanj. Kot
posebna izdaja se v to zbirko teje tudi zgodba o Orfeju. V njej avtor pojasni, da Orfej
zaradi obiska Hada ne more umreti, kljub temu da so njegovo telo raztrgale Bakhantke. Ob
koncu zgodbe Orfejev oe poskrbi, da bo za njegovo glavo vedno skrbel red menihov. V
ostalih zgodbah nastopajo lovek, ki je postal kralj Amerike, Marco Polo, Cesar Avgust in
e mnogi.
V zbirki Brief Lives najmlaja sestra Delirij prepria Morfeja, da gre z njo iskat njunega
brata Unienje, ki je e pred nekaj stoletji zapustil svoje kraljestvo. Morfej se strinja, saj je
preprian, da bi lahko s pomojo taknega potovanja pozabil na svojo zadnjo neuspelo
ljubezensko afero, zaradi katere je e nekaj asa depresiven. Kasneje se izkae, da je
njegova nekdanja ljubezen Thessaly iz zbirke The Game of You. Med iskanjem se povsod
okoli njiju dogajajo katastrofe in nesree. Med drugim sreata tudi boginjo Itar, ki naj bi
bila biva ljubimka njunega brata in zdaj dela kot striptizeta v nonem klubu. Konno se
Morfej odloi, da bo obiskal glavo svojega sina Orfeja, ki jima pove, kje se nahaja njegov
stric. Tako konno najdeta Unienje, ki ju e priakuje, vendar jima zagotovi, da se ne
namerava vrniti v svoje kraljestvo. Na koncu se Morfej vrne k svojemu sinu ter mu v
zameno za informacijo o lokaciji svojega brata izpolni edino eljo tako, da ga ubije.
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Zbirka Worlds' End govori o nevihti resninosti, ki je nastopila ob velikih spremembah,

ki odmevajo skozi resninost. Grua ljudi se zato znajde v neki krmi, v kateri poskrbijo za
ljudi in ostala bitja, ki vanjo zatavajo ob taknih nevihtah.
Zbirka je skupek zgodbic, ki si jih te osebe govorijo med akanjem, da gre nevihta mimo
njih. eprav Morfej ni v srediu teh zgodb, imajo vse takno ali drugano povezavo s
sanjami.
Najdalja zbirka, The Kindly Ones, povezuje kar nekaj zgodb iz prejnjih zbirk in se
zakljui s smrtjo protagonista. Eno glavnih vlog ima trojna boginja, ki sem jo v
diplomskem delu e omenil in je prisotna v kar nekaj Gaimanovih delih. Ta boginja je tu
nekakna zdruena razliica ve podobnih boginj, med drugim Mojr, ki pletejo nit
lovekega ivljenja, in Erinij, maevalke krvnih zloinov.
Lyta Hall, ki je bila v The Doll's House nekaj let v ujetnitvu, se vrne nazaj na svet brez
svojega moa in po nekaj letih nosenosti rodi sina Daniela. Sina ji ugrabita in ubijeta dva
varljivca, Loki in Spak, saj elita v svet vnesti nekaj zmede. Ona pa je prepriana, da je za
smrt njenega otroka kriv gospodar Sanj in hrepeni po maevanju. Pomo ji ponudijo
Erinije. Kljub temu da Morfeju ne more koditi skoraj nobeno mitsko bitje, se ne more
ubraniti pred Erinijami, ki maujejo njegov umor Orfeja. Erinije skupaj z Lyto Hall
napadajo kraljestvo Sanj in pobijejo kar nekaj pomembnih likov iz prejnjih zgodb,
medtem ko se Morfej odloi, da jih bo poskual ustaviti tako, da bo odstranil Lyto kot
njihovo vez z realnostjo. Ko pride v budni svet, ga ob spei Lyti priaka njegova biva
ljubezen Thesally, ki je okoli nje napravila nevidni it, podoben tistemu, v katerem je bil
na zaetku ujet Morfej. eprav mu eli pomagati, mu ne more, saj je z Erinijami sklenila
pogodbo. Kralj Sanj se vrne v svoje kraljestvo, od koder ga na koncu zbirke odpelje sestra
Smrt. Novi kralj Sanj postane Daniel Hall, sin Lyte Hall, ki je v kraljestvu Sanj lahko
ponovno oivel. Thesally opozori Lyto, naj pobegne, saj je med vsemi tistimi, ki bodo po
tem razpletu okoliin eleli njeno smrt, tudi ona.
Zadnja zbirka izvirne izdaje se imenuje Bdenje in v glavnem govori o dogodkih, ki sledijo
Morfejevi smrti. Kar nekaj prostora zavzemata slovesni sprevod in pogreb, kjer se pojavi
veliko likov iz prejnjih delov, zadnji govor pa ima seveda Smrt. Po pogrebu sledijo e tri
poglavja, ki zakljuijo zgodbo teh likov, med drugim pa govorijo tudi o vlogi, na katero se
poasi privaja novi kralj Sanj, nekdanji Daniel Hall.

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Izjava o avtorstvu
Izjavljam, da je diplomsko delo v celoti moje avtorsko delo ter da so uporabljeni viri in
literatura navedeni v skladu z mednarodnimi standardi in veljavno zakonodajo.

Ljubljana, 1. september 2014

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