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Garth | ''Garth was the High King of the First Men, it is written; it was he who led them out of the east and across the land bridge to Westeros. Yet other tales would have us believe that he preceded the arrival of the First Men by thousands of years, making him not only the First Man in Westeros, but the only man, wandering the length and breadth of the land alone and treating with the giants and the children of the forest. Some even say he was a god. | ||
''- The World of Ice and Fire<ref name="Greenhand">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 207–209</ref> | |||
'''Garth Greenhand''' was a mythical High King of the [[First Men]] and the legendary forebear of nearly every great house in the [[the Reach|Reach]].<ref name="Greenhand">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 207–209</ref> | |||
== | == Appearance and Character == | ||
Most legends praise him as a kindly fertility god who made fields flourish and orchards bear fruit. Older, and darker songs hint that he once demanded blood sacrifice to assure the harvest. Whether man or deity, he is remembered as generous to his followers. In some stories the green god dies every autumn when the trees lose their leaves, only to be reborn with the coming of spring. | Tradition depicts Garth dressed head-to-toe in living green<ref name="Greenhand">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 207–209</ref>. Some tales claim his hair or even his skin possessed a green hue<ref name="Greenhand">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 207–209</ref>. Or even that he had the antlers of a stag<ref name="Greenhand">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 207–209</ref>. All agree he wore crowns woven from vines and wildflowers<ref name="Greenhand">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 207–209</ref>. | ||
Most legends praise him as a kindly fertility god who made fields flourish and orchards bear fruit<ref name="Greenhand">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 207–209</ref>. Older, and darker songs hint that he once demanded blood sacrifice to assure the harvest. Whether man or deity, he is remembered as generous to his followers. In some stories the green god dies every autumn when the trees lose their leaves, only to be reborn with the coming of spring. | |||
== History == | == History == | ||
Traditions diverge on Garth’s beginnings. Some songs name him the High King who guided the First Men across the Arm of Dorne, while others place him roaming Westeros long before the First Man arrival, the lone man among giants and children of the forest, clad in living green and crowned with flowers. <ref name="Greenhand">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 207–209</ref>Others dismiss the divine origins, calling him no more than an early war-chief. | Traditions diverge on Garth’s beginnings. Some songs name him the High King who guided the First Men across the Arm of Dorne, while others place him roaming Westeros long before the First Man arrival, the lone man among [[Giants|giants]] and the [[Children of the Forest|children of the forest]], clad in living green and crowned with flowers. <ref name="Greenhand">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 207–209</ref>Others dismiss the divine origins, calling him no more than an early war-chief. | ||
Whichever tale is true, all agree that when Garth reached the lush valley of the Mander he claimed a broad, grassy hill, planted an oak that grew into the living throne called the Oakenseat, and raised a hall that later generations would honor as Highgarden. From that green seat he reigned, some say as a god-king, and scattered seed from an endless sack, teaching men to plough, sow, and reap. Farms, orchards, and villages sprang up in his footsteps; the land itself seemed to bloom at his smile. He was likewise said to bestow fertility on women, turning barren wives fruitful and maidens ripe with a touch of his green hand. | Whichever tale is true, all agree that when Garth reached the lush valley of the Mander he claimed a broad, grassy hill, planted an oak that grew into the living throne called the Oakenseat, and raised a hall that later generations would honor as Highgarden. From that green seat he reigned, some say as a god-king, and scattered seed from an endless sack, teaching men to plough, sow, and reap. Farms, orchards, and villages sprang up in his footsteps; the land itself seemed to bloom at his smile. He was likewise said to bestow fertility on women, turning barren wives fruitful and maidens ripe with a touch of his green hand. | ||
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*'''Garth the Gardener,''' became the first King of the Reach, built his hall above the Mander, and founded [[House Gardener]]. | *'''Garth the Gardener,''' became the first King of the Reach, built his hall above the Mander, and founded [[House Gardener]]. | ||
*'''Florys the Fox''', famed for her cunning, maintained three unsuspecting husbands at once; her sons established [[House Florent]], [[House Ball]], and [[House Peake]]. | *'''Florys the Fox''', famed for her cunning, maintained three unsuspecting husbands at once; her sons established [[House Florent]], [[House Ball]], and [[House Peake]]. | ||
*'''Maris the Maid,''' called the Most Fair, inspired the first tourney in the Reach; she spurned the victor Argoth Stone-Skin and married King Uthor of [[House Hightower]], weaving her blood into Oldtown’s ruling line. | *'''Maris the Maid,''' called the "Most Fair", inspired the first tourney in the Reach; she spurned the victor Argoth Stone-Skin and married [[Uthor_of_the_High_Tower|King Uthor]] of [[House Hightower]], weaving her blood into Oldtown’s ruling line. | ||
*'''Foss the Archer,''' dazzled onlookers by shooting apples from maidens’ heads; his descendants became [[House Fossoway]]. | *'''Foss the Archer,''' dazzled onlookers by shooting apples from maidens’ heads; his descendants became [[House Fossoway]]. | ||
*'''Brandon of the Bloody Blade,''' drove giants from the Reach and slew so many children of the forest at Blue Lake that it has been called Red Lake ever since. Some say he is the ancestor of Brandon the Builder and [[House Stark]]. | *'''Brandon of the Bloody Blade,''' drove giants from the Reach and slew so many children of the forest at Blue Lake that it has been called Red Lake ever since. Some say he is the ancestor of [[Brandon_Stark_(Builder)|Brandon the Builder]] and [[House Stark]]. | ||
*'''Owen Oakenshield,''' conquered the Shield Islands, driving selkies and merlings back into the sea and securing the Mander’s mouth for future generations. | *'''Owen Oakenshield,''' conquered the Shield Islands, driving selkies and merlings back into the sea and securing the Mander’s mouth for future generations. | ||
*'''Harlon the Hunter and Herndon of the Horn,''' twin brothers, founded [[House Tarly]] at Horn Hill and reputedly prolonged their lives by sharing the embraces of a woods witch each full moon. | *'''Harlon the Hunter and Herndon of the Horn,''' twin brothers, founded [[House Tarly]] at Horn Hill and reputedly prolonged their lives by sharing the embraces of a woods witch each full moon. | ||
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== Quotes about Garth == | == Quotes about Garth == | ||
* “Garth liked to plant his seed in fertile ground, they say. I shouldn't wonder that more than his hands were green.” – Olenna Redwyne to Sansa Stark | * “Garth liked to plant his seed in fertile ground, they say. I shouldn't wonder that more than his hands were green.” – Olenna Redwyne to Sansa Stark. | ||
=== References === | === References === | ||
[[Category:Characters]] | [[Category:Characters|Garth Greenhand]] | ||
[[Category:The Reach|Garth Greenhand]] | |||