First and Only Weekly Online Fanzine Devoted to the Life and Works of Edgar Rice Burroughs Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages and Webzines in Archive Volume 6010 |
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First and Only Weekly Online Fanzine Devoted to the Life and Works of Edgar Rice Burroughs Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages and Webzines in Archive Volume 6010 |
|
Swords Against the Moon Men by Christopher Paul Carey, relates the untold story of Julian 7th. His predecessor, Julian 3rd says he can recall every event of his life across four (past and future) incarnations except the incarnation that occured between Julian 5th (The Moon Maid) and Julian 9th (The Moon Men). |
“adds to the prosperity of the community”
-- A Kalkar phase which means ‘what do you do to support
the Kalkars?’
The phrase is meaningless because there is no prosperity.
[MMa]
Admiral of the Air -- Military rank of the Air Corps. Julian 3rd rank at the start of The Moon Maid. [MMa]
Air Corps -- Branch of the military that Julian 3rd was a part of during the Great War. [MMa]
Air School -- Naval training school for pilots. Julian 3rd and 5th graduated from there as well as all of the crew members of The Barsoom. [MMa]
Ala – Lunar equivalent of a minute. [SATMM]
Armistice Day -- The day of cessation of hostilities (with reference to WWI. After 1954 it became “Veteran’s Day”) [MMa]
Arctic -- Northern section of the Earth’s surface above arctic circle to the North Pole; where ERB is polar bear hunting at the beginning of The Moon Men. [MMa]
Arctic Ocean -- An ocean of North America,
Asia, and the Arctic Circle; where ERB floats marooned on an ice
flow before being rescued by Captain Drake at the beginning of The
Moon Men. [MMa]
“Barsoom, The” -- Rocket ship, created in Part I of The Moon Maid, to attempt to fly to Mars. It was made to carry a crew of five and supplies for fifteen years. It cruises at twelve thousand miles an hour. It has three motors: 1. to propel it through air; 2. to propel it through ether; and 3. an exhaust separator that isolates the Eighth Ray. It also has an auxiliary engine for emergencies. Its generator draws oxygen from ether and regulates the pressure and temperature within the ship. It was sabotaged by Orthis and was forced to land in the moon. [MMa]
Barsoomian Ray -- 8th Ray, which supplies buoyancy to aircraft instead of momentum for propulsion. The knowledge of the ray is freely given to Earth by the Barsoomians which makes interplanetary travel possible. This knowledge helps Lt. Com. Orthis isolate the Eighth Ray of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter. (The Eighth Ray is also mentioned throughout the John Carter books.) [MMa]
Bear Lake -- Body of water so called by the slaves (q.v.); It is a landmark along the route of the Exodus of the desert clans of the Red Hawk, Julian 20th, in their final attempt to push the Kalkar invaders into the sea... in the Spring of 2430 A.D. [MMa]
Bethelda -- Beautiful daughter of the true Or-tis (q.v.). She has large green-gray eyes with heavy lashes. She has a cheerful continence. The Red Hawk, Julian 20th, falls in love with her; they marry thereby ending the 500 year old family feud. [MMa]
Blue Room -- Meeting room aboard the transoceanic liner Harding where ERB meets Julian 3rd. [MMa]
Borda -- Volcano on the surface of the moon mentioned by Julian 5th when The Barsoom passes close to the surface; named after Jean Charles Borda, French Major-General and astronomer (1704-1747), who contributed to the nomenclature of lunar volcanoes. [MMa]
Brother -- Common term used by the Kalkars; i.e., Brother Or-tis; used in the sense that ‘all men are brothers’ which translates as ‘good citizens and loyal to the Jemadar.’ (probably meant to be satirical of the Russian communist using the word ‘comrade’ before a surname.) [MMa]
Brother Julian -- Term of address by Commander Or-tis as applied to Julian 9th during the Kalkar occupation of Earth. (Compare Aldous Huxley’s 1932 novel, Brave New World.) [MMa]
Brother Kargth – Captain of the People’s Glory. [SATMM]
Brother Plargh – The Jemador’s Janitor. [SATMM]
Brother Targav – A soldier from the district of Oak Park. [SATMM]
Bru-tan – A Kalkar who was born on the Earth. [SATMM]
Bunker Hill -- Ancient American battle in which Julian 8th ancestors fought bravely. He recalls this as he is frustrated over his own submission to the Kalkar rule. [MMa]
Burroughs, Edgar Rice -- The author appears frequently as a character, or as narrator in the prologues and opening chapter of many of his books. Examples: PM, AEC, EL, TA, MMa, LTF, TLJ, MMM, CM, TI, etc.
Bureau of Communications -- Governmental body which dealt with communications for war and commerce during the Great War and with world trade after the Great War. The storyteller is head of the bureau at the start of Part II. [MMa]
Butcher, the -- Term for the Kalkar “executioner”
during the occupation of Earth; with the loss of knowledge of manufacturing
arms and ammunition, the executions were no longer carried out by a firing
squad ... the condemned had their throats cut. This was referred
as “going to the butcher.” Also used uncapitalized with the same
meaning. [MMa]
Capitol, The -- The last and principle camp of the Kalkar invaders in the year 2430 A.D. [MMa]
Carter, John -- The deathless Virginian who transport to Mars in 1866 “...as every school child of the twenty-first century knows.” He helps make the first communication between Earth and Barsoom possible. (He is the hero of eleven Mars novels by ERB.) [MMa]
chair/throne -- Red Hawk describes it as a bench with a high back and arms. (It demonstrates how far Red Hawk’s people are from what we take for granted.) [MMa]
Chateau Thierry -- Ancient American battle in which Julian 8th ancestors fought bravely. He recalls this as he is frustrated over his own submission to the Kalkar rule. [MMa]
Chicago -- A teivos, geographical district of the Kalkars. Julian 9th was born in the Chicago teivos. The Kalkars kept many of the Earthly names for their teivos. [MMa]
Chief of Chiefs -- A title of highest respect among the desert tribes of Julian 20th, inherited from his father, Julian 19th: “I was twenty on that day my father fell before the lance of an Or-tis in the Great Feud and I became the Chief of Chiefs.” [MMa]
City No. 337 -- a Kalkar city. Built around a rim of crater. The buildings are a uniform two story structures that terrace back from the rim up hundreds of feet. One house is built on top of another so that there are no windows for the houses underneath. Fruit trees and shrubs grow from the top of the houses. They have areas for breeding of Va-gas which feed on plants. Occasionally there are slender towers which vary from fifteen to thirty feet high from roof tops. The city in which Julian 5th and Moh-goh, the Laythean Paladar, were held prisoners. [MMa]
Colby, Orrin -- Blacksmith who is head of the secret church to which Julian 9th takes Juana St. John. He later performs the illegal marriage ceremony for them. He is the great-grandson of a Methodist minister in this futuristic tale. [MMa]
Corrigan, Dennis -- Neighbor of Julian 9th who “had been sent to the mines for ten years because he had been caught trading at night” during the Kalkar occupation of Earth. [MMa]
Council Ring -- A great circular table around which the men of the desert clans of the Red Hawk, Julian 20th gather to eat and talk. [MMa]
coup d’ etat -- A sudden and decisive change in government illegally or by force; Term used by Julian 5th when asking Ko-tah’s spies about the plot against Sagroth. [MMa]
Coyote, the -- A war chief of the clans of Julian 20th, the Red Hawk. [MMa]
cul-de-sac -- Dead-end; as in the chamber
of the Kalkars in the lunar crater followed by Julian 5th and Nah-ee-lah
in their search for the city of Laythe. [MMa]
Dieu et mon droit -- “God and my right,” motto of the Divine Right of Kings; message carved above the door to the secret church of Julian 9th, embellished with a carved image of a shepherd’s crook. [MMa]
Drake, Captain -- Captain of the ship that
rescues ERB off of the ice flow at the start of The Moon Men.
[MMa]
Eighth Earthly Ray – One of the series of rays, identified by Barsoomian scientists, that react to particular heavenly bodies. The Eighth Earthly Ray can propel a space ship away from the Earth by directing a motor at the Earth. Likewise, the Eighth Lunar Ray can slow a ship as it approaches the Moon by pointing its motor at the moon. All the planets and moons of our solar system plus the sun have similar rays for propulsion and repulsion. [SATMM]
electronic rifle -- A weapon invented by the first Orthis on Va-nah. It generates radioactivity at the same vibratory rate of a substance. When it is directed at that same substance, it causes it to dissipate into it’s elemental state -- vanish. (Julian 5th speculates that it turns into ether.) Could be calibrated to any substance even human bones. Range - limited. Orthis used it to defeat the International Peace Fleet and thus conquer Earth. [MMa]
Eskimos -- Native inhabitants of the Arctic and part of the polar bear hunting party with ERB at the start of The Moon Men. [MMa]
Flag, the -- A forbidden relic, the stars and strips banner of the ancient United States of America, used to rally the troops and the populist during the revolution started by Julian 5th. By Red Hawk’s time, it has become like a deity as they bow down to it. Also referred to as the ‘Flag of Argon.’ (see also Old Glory) [MMa]
Flag of Argon -- (see Flag)
flying toads -- one of the few creatures mentioned as being indigenous to Va-nah, the inner moon. The creature has bat like wings, gives plaintive cries, and is poisonous as food. [MMa]
Gapth -- The name of a Kalkar warrior who captures Julian 5th in the lunar caves of Va-nah, the inner moon. [MMa]
Ga-va-go -- The name of the chief of the No-vans, a tribe of the Va-gas (the quadruped creature of the inner moon) by whom Julian and Orthis are captured. [MMa]
Gettysburg -- Ancient American battle in which Julian 8th ancestors fought bravely. He recalls this as he is frustrated over his own submission to the Kalkar rule. [MMa]
Gravity Sickness – An illness that occurs when adjusting to the gravity of another planet. The Va-gas are immune. But humans born on Earth must go through Gravity Processing after arriving on the moon and vice-versa. [SATMM]
Gravity Tank – An invention by Orthis (of The Moon Maid) for use in the Gravity Processing. [SATMM]
Great Feud -- The bloody hostilities between the house of Julian and the house of Orthis (Or-tis) which last “for fifteen generations.” [MMa]
Great War -- Earth war that lasted from 1914-1967 resulting in the United States and Great Britain ruling a peaceful, unarmed world. [MMa]
Grim Reaper -- Death personified, usually as a man holding a scythe; The evening before taking Juana St. John to the secret church, Julian 9th imagines that “... hand in hand we would face the Grim Reaper for the sake of the greatest cause on earth.” [MMa]
gu-e-ho -- An unidentified word
in the “operatic” language of Va-nah, the inner moon, for which there are
27 possible meanings. Their language is sung to a five-note scale,
each pitch carrying a different meaning to the word or syllable intoned.
No words are longer than three syllables. [MMa]
Helium, Barsoom -- Capitol city of a tribe of red men of Mars, ruled by John Carter and the incomparable Deja Thoris. Earth received it’s first message from Mars on June 10, 1967. It was broadcast from Helium. [MMa]
Hellhounds -- The packs of wild dogs, that have strains of Collie and Airedale, which roamed freely on Earth under the rule of the Kalkars during the lifetime of Julian 9th. They are cunning and ferocious whose pack mentality makes them a formidable foe. They are also a concern for the people of Red Hawk’s time. (Capitalized in The Moon Men chapter heading, lower case in the text.) [MMa]
Herschel Island -- Island in the Arctic; ERB is polar bear hunting “...some fifty mile southeast of Herschel Island...” at the start of The Moon Men. [MMa]
Himalayas -- Tibetan range of mountains which “would seem like foothills by comparison to the titanic mountains surrounding the lunar crater of Laythe.” [MMa] Again: [SP] The Himalayas are a great 1500 mile Asian range whose main axis was formed between 25 and 70 million years ago. It contains the world’s highest peak (Mount Everest). Himalaya is a Sanskrit word meaning “Abode of snow.” [SP]
History - The history of the moon is surrounded by myths that are millions of years old. The myths state that once they populated the exterior side of the their world. There, they possessed knowledge of the existence of other worlds (planets) and had great ships that navigated the air. Some long forgotten condition forced them to the interior. The fact that they live in the center of a enormous globe is more like a myth to them than reality. Few inhabitants actually believe these stories. The more recent history of Va-nah is one of a singular race of people. All of Va-nah was populated, and they had ships on all three of it’s oceans. They also had ships of land (trains) which were electrically driven and connected all of the cities. In addition, great carriers flew through the air from city to city. Communication was by means of electrical energy. Va-nah was divided into ten great divisions each controlled by a Jemadar. It was basically a communistic state. Then came a popular saying of “no learning is better than a little.” From this developed a secret society known as “The Thinkers.” The Thinkers, or Kalkars, overthrew the Jemadars killing everyone of nobility. A few of the noble classes escaped to the mountains founding cities like Laythe. The Kalkars lacked any intellectual powers which resulted in a barbarism where there was no more learning or repairing of anything. The Va-gas, which had been bred like cattle, revolted and formed their own social groups. The U-gas are superior intellectually but are out numbered by the Kalkars by one thousand to one.
Hoffmeyer -- Shifty neighbor of Julian 9th who complains of increased cost of coal during the Kalkar occupation of Earth. He is a renegade who curries favor with the oppressors in return for economic security. Julian buys a beautiful bay stallion from him. (see: Red Lightning) [MMa]
Hoos -- Openings in the lunar craters which lead from Va-nah, the inner moon, to the outer lunar world. Means “hole” in the tongue of the Va-gas. [MMa]
hounds -- Shaggy unspecified breed of pack
dogs used by the clans of Red Hawk; used to guard their herds against
coyotes, wolves, lions, and hellhounds. They will join other clans
hounds in times of great danger, but if one wanders into a neighboring
pack, it will be torn to pieces. [MMa]
International Peace Fleet --
Police force which patrolled the Earth after the fifty year Great War.
Its goal was “to prevent the preparation for war.” [MMa]
Jarth, Jemadar -- A Kalkar who is Emperor of the United Teivos of America. He rules from Washington, DC He appoints a new tax collector to the Oak Park ‘teivos,’ and confiscates the St. John house for the headquarters for that area. (ERB lived in three homes in Oak Park before moving to California, and J. Allen St. John of Chicago was the foremost illustrator of ERB first editions... so this story has interesting associations.) [MMa]
Jasoom -- Barsoom word for Earth, the third planet from the sun. [SATMM]
Javadar -- Title for “prince” among the lunar races. Julian 5th was known in Laythe as “Ju-lan Javadar.” [MMa]
Jay, Lt. -- Crew member aboard The Barsoom under the command of Julian 5th. He was an Air School classmate of Lt. West. [MMa]
Jemadar -- The term has a number of meanings like: King; Chieftain; Emperor; and ruler of a great city. Used by both the U-gas and the Kalkars. (Analogous to the “Jeddak” of Barsoom.) [MMa]
Jemadar of America -- Title given to Julian 20th, the Red Hawk, when the desert tribes and the coast tribes of the ancestral Americans, the Julians and the Or-tis, join forces against the Kalkars, 2430 A.D. [MMa]
Jemadar of Jemadars -- Literally: Emperor of Emperors. Title Orthis bestows upon himself as he attempts to bring Va-nah, the inner moon, under his control. [MMa]
Jemadav -- “Empress” in the language of the lunar races. [MMa]
Johansen, Peter -- “A long, lanky man who smiled with his mouth; but never with his eyes.” He is the farmer-villain who informs against Julian 8th and his family for owning a forbidden relic, the American flag. He also is responsible for turning in Old Samuels for being at the illegal church. He has always desired Julian 9th’s mother, Elizabeth James. Julian 9th eventually kills him. He is a central character to move the plot line forward and create tension. [MMa]
Joliet -- An ancient district abandoned after a plague, through which Julian 9th travels to reach the mines where his father is imprisoned. [MMa] (Site of Illinois penitentiary where Billy Byrne, the Mucker, is sentenced to life imprisonment for a murder he did not commit.) [M]
Judge Advocate General of the Navy -- Controls the laws and courts of the military. Julian 5th hopes that Orthis will be tried before this body, court-martialed, and executed for his sabotage of The Barsoom. [MMa]
Ju-lan-fit -- Name by which Julian 5th in known in the lunar city of Laythe. The Laytheans pronounce 5th as “fit,” and they believe that ‘fit’ is a title. Julian leads them to believe that title is “prince.” The Laytheans also call him ‘Ju-lan Javadar’ (q.v..) and ‘Earth Man’ (q.v..) [MMa]
Ju-lan Javadar -- Name by which Julian 5th in known in the lunar city of Laythe. (see: Javadar) [MMa]
Julian 1st -- Born in 1896; graduated from West Point; married 1916; “... major at 22, was killed in France on Armistice Day.” [MMa]
Julian 2nd -- Born in 1917; killed in battle in Turkey in 1938. [MMa]
Julian 3rd -- Born in 1937; killed in the line of duty in 1992; Admiral of the Air and Commander of the International Peace Fleet. He tells the story of Julian 5th in The Moon Maid as if he is Julian 5th. And he tells the story of Julian 9th in The Moon Men as if he is Julian 9th. (Remember -- “there is no such thing as Time.” ) [MMa]
Julian 4th -- Born in 1970; killed in the line of duty with the International Peace Fleet. [MMa]
Julian 5th -- Born in 2000 A.D.;
graduated from the Air School at 16 and assigned to the International Peace
Fleet; Captain of the ill-fated The Barsoom and narrator of The Moon Maid.
He has blonde hair. MMa]
Orthis convinces the Kalkars that he can help them
conquer all of Va-nah. He calls himself Jemadar of Jemadars.
Orthis manufactures weapons for them, and they successfully take over cities
like Laythe with the use of mortars and hand grenades. After ten
years Orthis had totally convinced the Twentyfour, as well as all of the
Kalkars, of his plan to attack Earth. It took another fourteen years
for the Kalkars, under the direction of Orthis, to build a fleet of ships
to actually carry out the mission. In 2050 a Kalkar fleet of one
thousand great ships carrying one hundred thousand Kalkars and a thousand
Va-gas arrived on Earth. Earth’s pitifully armed troops were no match
for Orthis’ electronic rifle. The planet is quickly subdued.
Orthis and Julian 5th are killed when Orthis blows up his own ship.
Many of Earth’s political and labor factions throw in with the Kalkars.
They use the air ships to transport more Kalkars to Earth at the rate of
seven million a year. However, without the intelligence of
Orthis, the Kalkars have no idea how to repair their ships as they break
down nor do they have any concept how to build new ones. Soon all
the air ships were lost or abandoned.
Julian 7th – Protagonist of Swords Against the Moon Men. Grandson of Julian 5th who led the first expedition to Va-nah and once nearly defeated the Kalkars. Julian 7th is but a mere trainer of horses for his ruthless lunar masters when he unexpectedly receives a mysterious transmission from the planet Barsoom. The desperate plea from the Red Planet hurls Julian 7th upon a quest to the heart of Va-nah. There, with the unlikely help of a lunar tyrant’s daughter and a fierce alien quadruped, he must make contact with a lost Barsoomian ambassadorial mission and forge an alliance with the Warlord of Mars himself to stand against the Moon Men, or the inhabitants of both Earth and Barsoom will find themselves forever in the thrall of the Kalkars. [SATMM]
Julian 8th -- Consort of Elizabeth James and father of Julian 9th, hero of Part II of the story. [MMa]
Julian 9th -- Great-great-grandson of Julian 5th and his wife, Princess Nah-ee-lah of Va-nah; born on January 1, 2100 in the Chicago teivos; starts the revolution to end Kalkar rule; and killed in 2122 by the Kalkar butcher. Narrator of The Moon Men. [MMa]
The Kalkars continue to be unintelligent and oppressive rulers. The infrastructure of the country is in disrepair with no knowledge how to rebuild or repair anything. Executions by firing squad were common at first but with the loss of knowledge of manufacturing arms and ammunition, the executions were no longer carried out by a firing squad. The condemned had their throats cut by an executioner known as the Butcher. Further evidence of the demise of munitions is: once Julian 9th’s life was saved when a Kalkar’s rifle misfired. Money is not used; instead, the barter system is used in all transactions. They have an arbitrary taxation system which causes undue hardship on the conquered people, who are starving in some of the teivos. The Kalkars don’t seem to realize that with less and less people growing food that there will be less for all. The Kalkars fear that ‘night trading’ will cheat them out of taxes so the punishment for such an offense is ten years in the coal mines. They are governed by The Twenty Four, a derivation of The Twentyfour. The name comes to stand for power, government, and tyranny. Jemadar Jarth, a Kalkar, is Emperor of the United Teivos of America. He rules from Washington, DC. The Kalkars own all the land and one must receive permission from the Teivos to work a piece of property. When a person dies their land and all of their personal property reverts to the control of the Teivos. The Twentyfour have outlawed all marriages. The Kalkars will sometimes take Earth females as their “women,” who they continually abuse. The abuse of Yank females has become so horrific that many couples often kill their new born baby girls so they will not have to go through the terrors that the Kalkars meet out to them. They do adhere to the law that if a person (Kalkar or Yank) asks a female to be his woman, she has thirty days to pick a mate of her own choosing or be bound to that individual. Religion has also been banned. The Kalkar police force is known as the Kash Guard.
Julian 15th -- Ancestor chieftain of Julian 20th “who had driven the Kalkars across the valley below just one hundred years before I was born...” (The western edge of the continental United States is the last stronghold of the Kalkars as the third part of the trilogy opens.) [MMa]
Julian 18th -- Grandfather of the Red Hawk who “rode alone almost to the sea” in 2408; where he discovered rich lands for his desert people. He died of wounds received from a Kalkar invasion. [MMa]
Julian 20th -- The Red Hawk, Chief
of Chiefs, and leader of fifty clans; hero and the narrator of the last
part of the trilogy, The Red Hawk. He ends the rule of the Kalkars
and unites the feuding houses of Julian and Or-tis when he marries a true
Or-tis, Bethelda. He becomes the first Jemadar of America.
[MMa]
Kalkars -- A lunar race of warriors, primitive in looks and thoughts, at constant war with Laythe, the city of Nah-ee-lah, the Moon Maid. They are governed by the Twenty four (q.v.) Their name derives from a corruption of a word meaning “The Thinkers.” (This is ironic because they are anything but thinkers.) With the help of Orthis they invade and occupy Earth for nearly 400 years. In Red Hawk’s time they are a half-caste race some almost full-blooded Yank (q.v.) and vary from six to eight feet in height. [MMa]
The popular saying of “no learning is better than a little” developed a secret society known as “The Thinkers.” The name Kalkar is derived from a corruption of a word meaning “The Thinkers.” The Thinkers, or Kalkars, overthrew the Jemadars killing everyone of nobility. The Kalkars lacked any intellectual powers which resulted in barbarism on Va-nah. They have close set eyes which are watery, fishy, and vary from blue to brown. They have hooked shaped noses. Above their low foreheads is flaxen hair that varies from light blonde to black. They walk with a noticeable stoop, and their large feet gives them an awkward gait. Their clothing is a tunic made of leather which “scarce comes to the knees.” On their feet they wear soft leather sandals. They carry knives in a scabbard from a shoulder belt. Their weapons of choice are swords and slender lances. They do bathe but do not care for it. The Kalkars seem to have only two fears: Zo-al and falling into a crater’s abyss. They believe there is no reincarnation for individuals falling into a Hoos. They are governed by the Twentyfour, whose jurisdiction is extended to Earth during the lunar conquests. The Twentyfour govern all aspects of Kalkar life down to slave ownership. Slaves are branded for identification purposes.
Kamadar -- Roughly analogous to an English Duke. Title of Ko-vo, a commander of the guard among the U-gas of Va-nah. [MMa]
Kash Guard -- Kalkar police force of the lunar conquerors of Earth, stationed at the Great Lakes near the ruins of Chicago during the time of Julian 9th. It could mean one or ten thousand men. “Kash Guard” became an idiomatic phrase to explain or describe any general condition or situation on Earth. (Analogous to “That’s life.”) [MMa]
keld -- A lunar year, equal to 272 days of Earth time. (see: ula) [MMa]
Kolrado -- Colorado; introduced as an ancient America territory which is mined for metals used in the manufacture of swords, knives, and lance tips by the deserts clans of the Red Hawk. [MMa]
Kolrados -- The Americans dwelling in the ancient territory of Kolrado. They visit the clans of Red Hawk, Julian 20th, once every two years to trade metal for implements of war. Their language is slightly different from Red Hawk’s clans. Communication is made through a combination of common sounding words and sign language. [MMa]
Ko-tah -- A Javadar, prince, of Laythe who aspires to the throne and wishes to marry Nah-ee-lah, beautiful daughter of Sagroth, Jemadar of this lunar city. He has Sagroth assassinated. However, before he can take over the city, he is killed by Julian 5th. [MMa]
Ko-vo -- A Kamadar, duke, and commander of the guard of Laythe, the crater city of Nah-ee-lah, the Moon Maid. He meets Julian and Moh-goh upon their escape from the Kalkars’ City No. 337 (q.v.) [MMa]
Kuvan Tal --
A padwar in the guard of the Jeddak of Jeddaks, the Warlord of Barsoom
assigned to a diplomatic mission on Va-nah from Barsoom. [SATMM]
Lacus Somniorum -- Moon crater alluded to by Julian 5th as The Barsoom passed close to the moon on the way to Mars. (see also: Mare Crisium) [MMa]
Laythe -- City of Va-nah, the inner moon. The U-ga city of Nah-ee-lah, the Moon Maid, ruled by her father Sagroth. [MMa]
Its location is hidden to protect the U-gas from
the Kalkars. It is built on the outside of a cone shaped mountain
which is one mile high -- an old volcano who’s top has blown off.
The crater site is on a broad plateau surrounded by mountains taller than
the Himalayans. The base of the mountain is six miles in diameter.
The city is built in layers up the side. The Kalkars build their
cities similar, but the U-ga’s cities are more elaborate in architecture
and carvings. The city terraces up the side of the mountain so that
there are many levels. The terraces are broad, well cultivated, and
is where they breed Va-gas. The terraces also contain many pools
and waterfalls which contain public baths, much like ancient Roman baths.
The baths are continuously fed by icy mountain waters. It is here
the U-gas socialize and participate in swimming and diving -- their national
sport.
Ko-toh’s dwelling spreads out for a quarter of a mile
along a terrace. It is two stories high with numerous towers and
minarets. The facade is elaborate and has beautifully carved decorations
of the lives of Ko-toh’s ancestors.
Sagroth’s palace completely encompasses the
summit of the crater. The terrace below contains statues of all the
rulers of Laythe. It has three paths with three staircases that lead
up to the palace itself. The palace has a huge gate of stone at it’s
entrance who’s carvings look like lacework from a distance. The gate
is protected by fifty Imperial Guards who have a circle of imperial design
over their left breast. Sagroth’s Throne Room has a dais at the far
end with three thrones upon it. The center throne is for the Jemadar
and the other two are for the Jemadav and the Nonovar.
Levy, Nellie -- Neighbor of Julian 9th who was “taken” by the Kash Guards during the Kalkar occupation of Earth. [MMa]
Lonay -- Name of the old but wise pack leader of Red Hawk’s tribal hounds. Remarkably, he would tell the pack where they were to guard or attack with a series of barks and little human intervention. [MMa]
Luna -- Latinized name for the “moon.” [MMa] (Again: Tarzan and the Valley of Luna was the title for All-Story’s 1920 publication containing chapters 14-24 of the story we know as Tarzan the Untamed. [TU]
Lunar 8th Ray -- Buoyancy element stored in the tanks of The Barsoom on it’s ill-fated voyage in 2026. [MMa]
Lu-thans -- Powerful Va-gas tribe of
quadruped creatures of Va-nah, the inner lunar world. They are defeated
by the No-van tribe in a terrific battle. [MMa]
Mars Day -- June 10, 1967; the day on which radio communication was established between Earth and Mars. [MMa]
Mik-do -- The honorable ancestor or Mikado of the pygmy race of “Nipons” who live in the canyons above Santa Monica in 2430; The Nipons call him the first Nipon. He is a giant from a island in the middle of the sea. When they die, the Nipons believed they will join Mik-do on that island. The Nipons consider their Mik-do eternal. (This is ERB’s projected image of the West Coast Japanese in a futuristic society.) [MMa]
mines, the -- Kalkar punishment for night trading is to be sent to work in the coal mines south of Joliet. The usual term is ten years for night trading. No one ever returns from the mines. There are many escapes from the poorly guarded mines, but the escapees are always informed upon by the area farmers because the farmers are killed by the Kalkars if the prisoner is not recaptured. [MMa]
Moh-goh -- Name of the Laythean Paladar, a Count, who is a prisoner of the Kalkars and accompanies Julian 5th in the escape to Laythe. [MMa]
Moh-lah-kars —A crablike creature the size of a wolf with six eyes forming a half-moon on a beaked head who guards the entrance to Vathayne. [SATMM]
Montana goats -- Long-haired goats, Angoras, raised by Julian 8th’s family. [MMa]
Moon Maid, the -- Another named used for Nah-ee-lah, daughter of Sagroth, Jemadar of Laythe. She is of the U-ga race. When the Kalkars overrun Laythe she leaves Va-nah for Earth with Julian 5th. Also the title of Part I of the trilogy; also used in reference to all three parts of the trilogy. [MMa]
Mur-lak -- The mur-laks are a plant that silently sneaks up on its sleeping prey, sometimes as a small lizard or a worm. Its body discharges a sweet flowery aroma that deadens the senses of its prey, rendering its victim unconscious. Then the mur-lak extends a grass-like stem, at the tip of which is a slender needle. This pricks the victim's flesh to (1) inject a poison into the prey that keeps it asleep and (2) take a sample of its blood. From the blood the plant learns the essence of its victim then the mur-lak transforms into its victim's twin. [SATMM]
Nah-ee-lah -- The Moon Maid, daughter of Sagroth, Jemadar of Laythe, of Va-nah, the inner lunar world. She is of the U-ga race. She is about eighteen years old with a marble whiteness to her skin. She has hair of raven glossy blackness, black eyebrows in pencil arches, black eyes, and cheeks of deep cream. She wears a sleeveless tunic that scare comes to the knees.When the Kalkars overrun Laythe she leaves Va-nah for Earth with Julian 5th. They marry and have a son, Julian 6th. [MMa]
Nallah -- Sister of Julian 20th, the Red Hawk, in 2430. [MMa]
Neeta -- Sister of Julian 20th, the Red Hawk, in 2430. [MMa]
Nipons -- Race of Japanese pygmies encountered by the Red Hawk in the canyons above the Santa Monica coastal regions. “Saku” is their leader. They are three feet tall and go naked. They are slant-eyed. They are a happy free people that believed they will join Mik-do on a island when they die. They are independent from Kalkar rule. They will fight the Kalkars when necessary but prefer to avoid direct confrontation. The Kalkars pretty much leave them alone. They live in teepees which are lashed together at the top and are covered with a patchwork of sewn animal skins. Their principal weapons are bows and arrows. They have dogs and tiny woolly horses. The horses are half normal size with huge bellies, uncouth heads, and enormous ears. They look like they are part sheep, part horse, and part long eared desert rabbit. (see also: Saku and Mik-do) [MMa]
No-Ma-Ro – A Va-gas member of the Sa-thans and sidekick to Julian 7th. [SATMM]
Nonovar -- “Princess” in the language of the U-gas of Va-nah, land of the inner moon. [MMa]
Norton, Ens. -- Seventeen year old ensign aboard The Barsoom under the command of Julian 5th. He graduated top in his class. The knowledge he gained from his association with Orthis allows him to successfully repair The Barsoom so they can return to Earth. [MMa]
No-vans -- A tribe of Va-gas, quadruped
creatures of Va-nah, by whom Julian 5th and Orthis are captured. They later
also capture Nah-ee-lah, the Moon Maid. The No-vans are ruled by
a chieftain named Ga-va-go (q.v.). [MMa]
Oceanus Procellarum -- Crater of the moon described by Julian 5th as The Barsoom passed close to the moon on the way to Mars. [MMa]
Okonnor -- American warrior of pure blooded descent, who as one of Raban, the giant’s, men. He helps capture the Red Hawk and then helps to free him. [MMa] (Note: This is one of ERB’s variations of Verner’s Law to suit a futuristic society.)
ola -- A lunar time period equal to six hours and thirty-two minutes of Earth time. (See: ula) [MMa]
Old Bridge, The -- Ruined bridge near the farm of Julian 8th and family; a local landmark of 22nd century Chicago. [MMa]
Old Glory -- A forbidden relic of the 22nd century Earth; the American flag of his forefathers, saved by Julian 8th to hand down to his posterity as a means of keeping their racial heritage alive. It had been carried to the Argonne (Flag of Argon) during the Great War. (See also: Flag) [MMa]
On to Chicago! -- Slogan of the prisoners of the Kalkar coal mines after they killed all of the guards. [MMa]
“Onward Christian Soldiers” -- Title of a Christian hymn written by Martin Luther, a 16th monk, whose writings caused a great religious movement called the Reformation, the object of which was to reform the Roman Catholic Church, which led to the establishment of Protestant churches. The song was sung at the illegal church service attended by Julian 5th and Juana St. John. [MMa]
Opollonius -- Volcano on the surface of the moon mentioned by Julian 5th when The Barsoom passes close to the surface. Possibly a typo for “Apollonius,” greatest of the Greek mathematicians (flourished 247-205 BC) who introduced the standard terms used in modern study of celestial mechanics such as; ellipse and parabola. Apollonius did research in Lunar Theory, and one of the volcanic craters of the moon is named for him. [MMa]
opsidian -- Stone indigenous to the inner moon. Described as a lava glass with which Julian 5th and Nah-ee-lah use to cut a tree and fashion a pole in order to gain entrance to the tunnel that they think leads to Laythe. [MMa]
Orthis, Lt. Commander -- Air School classmate and rival of Julian 5th; the brilliant villain of The Moon Maid. His descendants are at war with the descendants of Julian for fifteen generations until Julian 20th , the Red Hawk marries Bethelda, an Or-tis descendant. (See also: Or-tis) [MMa]
Or-tis -- Lunar name for the
arch-fiend Orthis, Jemadar of Jemadars of Va-nah; also the name of
his descendants; in the history of Julian 9th, Or-tis appears
as a commander of the Kash Guard, Brother General Or-tis. In the
Red Hawk’s time the Jemadars are from the house of Or-tis. All the
Or-tis families are of pure American blood until a villainous uncle, with
Kalkar blood, has the true Or-tis assassinated and becomes a false Or-tis.
(see also: Orthis, Lt. Commander) [MMa]
Pandora’s Box -- In Greek mythology, a woman given a box by Zeus from which all human ills escaped when she opens it. In The Moon Maid Julian 5th describes their close passing of the moon as “a veritable Pandora’s box of thrills...” [MMa]
Pasadena -- Kalkar camp near the banks of a once mighty river, on an ancient American site fifty miles west of the battlefield where Julian 20th was captured. (It relates to the Southern California city of Los Angles County, at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.) [MMa]
People’s Glory -- Warship serving as a Earth to Moon shuttle carrying about 500 men in cramp quarters. [SATMM]
Providence -- A manifestation of divine care or direction; At the start of Julian 5th’s history he states: “But it seems Providence never intended that the world should be without calamities.” [MMa] (An observation: In Part I Providence is the only mention of God -- In Part II God is freely mentioned by the pure Americans -- In Part III God seemed to have been replace by the Flag. - DJA)
Pthar -- The name of a “coal baron”
in the days of the Kalkar occupation of Earth; he was a Kalkar who
marries and mistreats a “renegade Yank” and whose little girl is saved
from a mad bull by Julian 9th. [MMa]
radar -- Writing in 1919, ERB gives a prediction concerning the development of radar: “About 1940 had come the perfection of an instrument which accurately indicated direction and the distance of the focus of any radioactivity with which it might be attuned.” (Observation supplied by Forrest J. Ackerman.) [MMa]
Radio Bomb -- Small
boxlike handheld devices that transmit a signal
to a small, lightweight, radium-fueled missile to which was attached a
deadly explosive. When in combat, the flier releases the handheld missile,
controlling its ailerons and guiding the bomb to its target with startling
precision. The explosive missiles are often directed to chase down
strategic targets, such as the infantry commander, who, even when mounted
on Va-gas, rarely succeed in evading the buzzing terror from the sky.
[SATMM]
Rain Cloud -- Sixteen year old brother of the Red Hawk, Julian 20th, who was courageous but disliked bloodshed: “I consider Rain Cloud braver than I, for I knew that he would do well the thing he hated, while I would be only doing well the thing I loved.” His intellectual questioning of commonly held knowledge, like the ‘flat Earth belief’ of the clans, gives hope that mankind will return to the advancement of civilization when the Great Feud is over. [MMa]
Rattlesnake, the -- A war chief among the clans of the Red Hawk, Julian 20th, in 2430 A.D. [MMa]
Red Hawk -- War chief of the 25th century A.D. Chief of Chiefs over fifty clans. It is the name of Julian 20th. He wears the single feather of the red-tailed hawk, symbol of his clan. He has black hair and wears a buckskin thong headband. He has a mother, two brothers, and two sisters. He is born in the year 2414 A.D., tracing his direct line of ancestry back 514 years to Julian 1st, born 1869. The Red Hawk was the original title of Part III of the Moon Maid trilogy. It was first published in All-Story Weekly in three installment, September, 1925. [MMa]
Red Hawk’s People -- They are a desert people numbering one hundred clans. Their skin is bronzed, and they are beardless. They wear painted insignias of their clan on the foreheads, cheeks, and breast. The signs are painted in colors which include orche, blue, white, and scarlet. They eat well on beef, mutton, venison, bear, fish, potatoes, beans, corn, figs, dried grapes, and dried plums. They wear buck deer breeches wide about the hips and are skin tight above the knees. Their boots are soft and tied at the calf of the leg. They wear sleeveless vests which are decorated with stone or metal -- some in definite designs. A symbol of the clan hangs from the headband of the chiefs and warriors. The warriors are armed with a light lance, about eight feet in length; a knife; a straight two edged sword; a short bow found under the right stirrup; and a quiver with arrows at the saddlebow. Oval shields which cover from the neck to the kidneys are carried on their backs . The shields are decorated with a picture of the clan sign and have parts of that symbol decorating it’s edges. They use hounds to protect their herds of pigs, cattle, sheep and horses. They have but one goal in their lives - to drive the Kalkars into the sea. Unlike Julian 9th people who could see the ruins of civilization like trains and planes, Red Hawk’s people don’t believe the stories the slaves tell of iron horses which pulled tents of iron and of men flying through the air. They believe the world is flat, and that if you sailed far enough into the great sea, you would fall off the edge. They bow down to the Flag. Their religion is that of the Flag.
Red Lightning -- Beautiful bay stallion bought from Hoffmeyer (q.v.) and trained by Julian 9th. When the horse’s reputation as a killer endangers Hoffmeyer’s life, Julian trades one goat for him. The name Red Lightning is perpetuated, and we find Julian 20th, Red Hawk, also riding a black maned bay stallion of this name -- the 30th direct descendant of Julian 9th’s horse. The Great Chiefs blanket is carried behind the saddle. (Note: ERB was a great horse trainer and relates in his unpublished autobiography a similar case in which he conquered a killer-horse with love thus transforming him into the envy of the stables. His fictional heroes frequently catch and tame wild horses, as in the case of “Ace” in Caspak.) [MMa]
Red Plant -- The planet Mars also known as Barsoom. [MMa]
Rock, the -- A war chief of the clans of the Red Hawk, Julian 20th. Other chiefs included the Wolf, the Coyote, and the Rattlesnake. [MMa]
Ro-than – Tu-Lav’s son, the Javadar of Vathayne. [SATMM]
Roo-dens -- The Roo-den is a carnivorous tree, that reproduces by dropping a netting of vegetable matter, with spiked fruits serving as weights. The roots of the tree can sense an oncoming creature then when its victim is under the tree’s branches the tree releases its net capturing the victim. The netting is pulled tight pinning the victim to the ground. An acid dissolves the flesh, bones, and organs of the victim creating food for the tree. [SATMM]
Rustic Canyon -- Ancient American site above Santa Monica Canyon by the Pacific where the Red Hawk, Julian 20th, rides on his bay stallion, Red Lightning, in his escape from the Kalkar Capitol, in 2430 A.D. [MMa]
rympth -- A five foot long snake with
four legs, found on Va-nah, the inner lunar world; it has a flat
head with a single eye in the center of it’s forehead. It is poisonous
as food. The inhabitants of Va-nah use the term in derision when
applied to another human being, much as “jalok” is used in Pellucidar and
“calot” on Barsoom. [MMa]
Saku -- Name of the Chief of the Nipons, a pygmy race of Japanese ancestry living in the West Coast canyons near Santa Monica, California in 2430 A.D. He is three feet tall with wrinkled brown skin. He is slant-eyed and has stiff hair that goes in all directions. [MMa]
Salt Creek -- Location of a tax collection station and market place southwest of the Oak Park teivos (q.v.) into which Juana St. John was born. [MMa]
Sa-thans -- A tribe, now vanished, of Va-gas that included No-ma-ro. [SATMM]
slaves -- In Part I, The Moon Maid, they are old retainers who stay with the U-gas even in exile after the Kalkar uprising. In Part III, The Red Hawk, they are so-called by the Kalkars, or what the ancients called “In-juns.” They have tribal names which they use only amongst themselves. Names like Hopi, Navaho, Mojave, Apache, and Yaqui. They tell stories of iron horses which pull tents of iron and of men flying through the air. Red Hawk’s people do not believe these stories. Amongst the clans of Red Hawk the slaves, native American Indians, are weavers, potters, and farm workers. One of them predicts to Red Hawk that, like the mountains, they will still be there after all the Yanks and Kalkars are dead and forgotten. [MMa]
Samuels, Moses -- Name of the kindly Jewish tanner of the earth commune and neighbor of Juana St. John and Julian 9th. He is tortured to death by the Kalkars for information about the secret church. His death is avenged many time over by his friends during the revolution. Also known as “Old Samuels” or “Samuels the Jew” or simply “Moses” to his friends. [MMa]
San Juan -- Ancient American battle in which Julian 8th ancestors fought bravely. He recalls this as he is frustrated over his own submission to the Kalkar rule. [MMa]
Santa Monica Canyon -- Ancient Pacific site visited by Red Hawk, Julian 20th, in 2430 A.D. during his escape from the Kalkars, invaders of the Earth. [MMa]
Sasoom - - The Barsoom word for Jupiter, the fifth planet from the sun. [SATMM]
Secchi -- Volcano on the surface of the moon mentioned by Julian 5th when The Barsoom passes close to the surface. Named after Angelo Secchi, Italian astronomer (1818-1878), a pioneer in identifying the volcanoes of the moon. [MMa]
Secretary of Commerce White -- Name of Earth government official. At the start of The Moon Men he has just died and the President has asked the storyteller, ERB, to replace him. [MMa]
Secretary of Peace -- Earth official of the International Peace Force to whom Julian 5th attempts to report the sabotage of Orthis aboard The Barsoom only to find that Orthis has also sabotaged the radio transmission device. [MMa]
Sheehan, Molly -- The name of the ‘woman’ (marriages are illegal) of Jim Thompson, best friends and neighbors of Julian 9th family. She plays the violin at the secret church. [MMa]
Sinius Roris -- Crater of the moon described by Julian 5th as The Barsoom passed close to the moon on the way to Mars. [MMa]
Soor -- Name of the cowardly Kalkar tax collector of the conquered races of Earth during the time of Julian 9th. He is a small man with massive red hair. He has thin nose and small close set eyes. He causes Julian to be arrested and brought before Brother General Or-tis. [MMa]
St. John, Juana -- pronounced ‘Whanna.’
Name of the chosen mate of Julian 9th during the Kalkar occupation of Earth.
She wears a tunic, breeches and boots. She has a wide headband with
numerous tiny shells forming a pattern.She survives his death, carrying
his child in her womb. [MMa]
Teean – A month on Barsoom. [SATMM] [See “Guide to Barsoom” by John Flint Roy, 2012, chapter V, page 119.]
teivos -- A geographical district or locale (usually a city) of the Kalkars; Julian 9th relates: “I was born in the teivos of Chicago, January 1st, 2100.” A second meaning is the administrative body of The Twentyfour (q.v.). Also used capitalized. [MMa]
Thinkers, The -- Name for the revolutionaries who overthrow the central government of the dominant lunar race of Va-nah and drive the nobility into exile, destroying learning and initiates a dark age of barbarism. The word Kalkar derives from the Luna word for thinkers. [MMa]
Thompson, Jim -- Name of a farm neighbor and best friend of Julian 9th and his family. His “woman” is Molly Sheehan -- marriage having been declared illegal by the Kalkar conquerors in the 22nd century A.D. [MMa]
tor-ho -- Savagereptilian carnivore of Va-nah with a cat-like face and head; it is about two feet high with sharp curved fangs, four legs, no hair, poisonous talons, and poisonous bite. Bloodthirsty, it will attack anything but mainly feeds upon rympth and flying toads. Also spelled “tor-hos.” [MMa]
Tu-lav -- the Jemadar (Emperor) of Vathayne. [SATMM]
Twentyfour, The -- Governing body of the Kalkars of Va-nah whose jurisdiction was extended to Earth during the lunar conquests. [MMa]
Twenty Four, The -- Derivation of The Twentyfour (q.v.); in The Moon Men it becomes a name that stands for power, government, and tyranny. [MMa]
Tycho -- Volcano on the surface of
the moon mentioned by Julian 5th when The Barsoom passes close to the surface.
Named after Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer (1546-1601), who helped identify
the craters of the moon. [MMa]
ula -- Lunar time period of Va-nah equal to a sidereal month and measured by the period during which the lunar craters (Hoos) are illuminated. Each ula is divided into a hundred sub-divisions called “ola” (which lasts about six hours and thirty-two minutes Earth time). Ten ula constitute a lunar year or “keld” (equal to 272 days of Earth time). [MMa]
Utaws -- Desert race which trades metal goods to the clans of the Red Hawk, Julian 20th. Their metal is used chiefly for the shoeing of horses, since the quality of the metal to the clan’s of Red Hawk is inferior to that of the Kolrados (q.v.). [MMa]
United Teivos of America -- Kalkar
term for the United States of America during their occupation. Jarth
is the Jemadar, emperor, during the time of Julian 9th. [MMa]
Their profile is much like the North American Indian.
They have a lavender hue skin which is almost purple in some cases.
They avoid water and bathe only out of necessity. Their main diet
is “flesh” which can be U-ga or Kalkar, but most often is the flesh of
the Va-gas themselves, either from their own tribe or from enemy tribes
-- they are cannibals. Va-gas meat that can not be used immediately
is wrapped and buried as it will stay fresh almost indefinitely.
They supplement their diet with fruits, herbs, and nuts. They can
survive only on these supplements when no flesh is available; although,
they get very testy when deprived of flesh for any length of time.
Two tribes are known by name: the No-vans
who captured Julian 5th, Orthis, and Nah-ee-lah; and the Lu-thans,
a powerful tribe who is defeated by the No-vans.
The Va-gas have clothing over their bodies that
ends just above the knees and has a geometric design on the end of each
leg. The females clothing is less ornate and the young go naked.
The males are fierce warriors with harnesses and breaching straps crossing
each side which ends at a collar. A circular ornament covers where
the straps cross. From the right side hangs a knife in a sheath,
and from the left is a short spear that is carried in a boot. The
spear is about six feet in length with a crescent shaped hook-arm backwards
on one side and a short sharp point at right angles opposite of the crescent
on the other side. They are very adroit with spears and will thrown
them backwards using the hook-arm to pin an enemy to the ground.
The males are fierce warriors weighing from
250 to 300 pounds. They raise up on their hind legs to fight and
use weapons in both fore-paws. They can run at great speeds
even with weapons in both fore-paws. They have been seen “...clearing
spaces of one hundred feet in a single bound...” They follow
the orders of a chief, who is the strongest and most brutal of the group,
but he must also be intelligent enough to find food for the tribe and protect
them from enemies and storms. When the tribe gets to be large and
successful, they also tend to become different about security making them
vulnerable to attack from other tribes.
The females are smaller than the male.
They have udders with four to six teats; having litters up to six.
The females make up 5/6 of the adult population because the males are constantly
being killed in battles. The females are prized as breeders
so they are never eaten as food. The three main causes of death in
females are: 1. killed by other tribes in a battle; 2.
jealously; and 3. child birth. The gestation period varies
greatly upon the climate of the time as well as the availability of flesh
as food.
The children mature very quickly and are
nursed for a short time. Once their molars appear, they become meat
eaters. About 2/3rds of the children born are male. The males
quickly adopt vicious games and play activities. This training is
necessary to become a ruthless fighter because a wounded warrior will have
his throat cut immediately and become food for the tribe. They don’t
even wait until the battle is over to dispose of their fellow creatures.
Their language (indeed, seems to be the
only language on Va-nah) is described as a song, almost operatic.
Their language is sung to a five-note scale (A; B; C; D; and E), each pitch
carrying a different meaning to the word or syllable intoned. Using
the word gu-e-ho, an unidentified word, as an example: ‘Gu’ sung
in A means something different than sung in E; ‘Gu’ sung in A followed
by ‘e’ sung in G means something different other than ‘Gu’ sung in D followed
by ‘e’ sung in A. Thus, there are 27 possible meanings to a three
syllable word depending how it is sung and in what order. No words
are longer than three syllables with most of them being two syllables in
length.
Living on their own in the lowlands they are
fierce and nomadic tribes. They live in rectangular huts.
The huts’ high peaked roofs are shingled with broad round leaves.
There is but a single opening into the hut covered by a hanging.
The interior walls are decorated with weapons, skulls of enemies, and bones.
They seem to have little, if any, religious
beliefs. One common belief in Va-nah is in Zo-al. Zo-al
is mythological. He is considered to be a “great beast” who lives
in the depths of the lunar craters and when angry; “Makes the air
run away ...” --wind; “... water to fall where there is no water...”
-- rain; “... great noise...” -- thunder; and “...
light that devours...” -- great balls of fire that travel across
the land destroying everything in it’s path. A storm could last for
days with lower areas like gullies and valleys completely filling with
flood waters. Zo-al is a deification of lunar electrical storms.
All inhabitants of Va-nah are terrified by Zo-al.
In captivity, the U-ga and the Kalkars breed
the Va-gas as sleek, fat, content, stupid, and unimaginative livestock
.
Va-nah -- Name for the inner world of the moon used by it’s inhabitants. [MMa]
Va-nah is lit by a soft defused light which comes from
the radium content of the soil and rocks, and from the sunlight coming
through the Hoos. The interior has no horizon line as if you are
in the bottom of a great bowl (much like that of Pellucidar). No
shadows are cast on the ground, and there is no night time. Because
the plant life is in all stages of development from seedling to withering,
it is impossible to tell a particular season or time a day. The middle
areas are at a constant eighty degrees Fahrenheit with a few degrees difference
from summer to winter; however, there is a great temperature difference
between the mountain areas and the valleys. The mountains, with five
mile drops, are covered with verdure and are snow and ice capped.
The clouds are fleecy, but there are frequent wind storms due to the unequal
crater openings and an unequal absorption of heat from the sun. These
storms are quite violent and cause fear amongst the inhabitants who personify
the storm with the name Zo-al. Centrifugal force and gravity keep
the atmosphere’s visibility to about fifty miles. Va-nah contains
strange forests with strange trees, some of which carry fruit of different
sizes, forms and colors. The smaller plant life is in
pale hues of lavenders, violets, pinks, and yellows. The grasses
are pink which turn flesh color at maturity. Flowers are complex
forms and are of pale and delicate shades. Low shrubs bear fruit
which are berry like and are of an unknown nutritional value. There
are three oceans of undetermined size. The water from streams and
rivers is fit for human consumption. There is a singular race of
people who have two basic groups of peoples: the U-gas and the Kalkars.
The Va-gas are considered to be animals by the people of Va-nah; however,
they are capable of speech and form social groups on their own. Three
other life forms identified are reptilian in nature: the tor-ho, the rympth,
and the flying toads.
There are many tunnels through the craters which
lead to cities. They are located below the rims of the craters which
makes access to them hazardous. The tunnels are spherical in shape
being formed by bubbles in the lava. They generally lead upward.
They are well ventilated with the walls and ceilings lit by radium in the
rocks. One of the tunnels which leads to the Kalkar City No. 337
cul-de-sacs in a circular chamber. The chamber contains a rostrum
with a desk and a chair which is carved with unearthly breasts and reptiles.
Furthermore, it is filled with chairs in a rows and has a center aisle.
The purpose of this chamber is unknown.
Val-eev-mah the Jemadav (Empress) of Vathayne. [SATMM]
Vathayne - - An ancient city constructed long before the rise of the Kalkars. [SATMM]
Vathayneans – resident of Vathayne.[SATMM]
Victor’s Day -- Celebration of peace by the Anglo-Saxon race, following over fifty years of war beginning 1914 and ending 1967. [MMa]
Vonbulen -- Name of the villain who tries to steal Julian 9th “hereditary pen” (corral) in the Kalkar market place. He moved his pigs and grain into the stall. He has a large mustache like the tusks of a boar. He is bodily evicted by Julian. [MMa]
Voo-rah-nee – The princess (Nonovar) of Vathayne. Tu-Lav’s daughter. [SATMM]
Vulture, the -- The eighteen year old younger brother of the Red Hawk, Julian 20th, and a valiant warrior among the desert tribes of 2430 A.D. [MMa]
West, Lieutenant -- Air School classmate of Lt. Jay and crew member aboard The Barsoom under the command of Julian 5th. [MMa]
West Point -- United States Military Academy; located at West Point, New York; it is commonly referred to as “West Point”. Julian 1st graduated from there as well as numerous important American military leaders dating back to 1802. [MMa]
wether -- Sheep -- strictly speaking -- a wether is a male sheep castrated before sexual maturity. Livestock taken to market by Julian 9th in the days of the Kalkar occupation of Earth. [MMa] (Tarzan and his party at Athne are served drugged wether stew for breakfast.) [TMag]
Wolf, the -- A chieftain of the clans of Red hawk, Julian 20th, described as a “sinewy well built man of fifty, with piercing gray-blue eyes beneath straight brows.” Kalkar scalps hang from his blanket. Each chief wears the clan’s symbol from their headbands; thus, a wolf’s tail hangs from the headband of the Wolf. He played a key role in the battle of Canjon Pass (q.v.) which is the beginning of the end for Kalkar rule. [MMa]
Worth, Betty -- Dennis Corrigan’s “woman” and member of the illegal underground church of Julian 9th. (Marriage vows have been forbidden by the Kalkar conquerors of the Earth. ERB uses the same formula for his Venus series.) [MMa]
Wright, Andrew -- Name of a neighbor
of Julian 9th and Juana St. John in the days of the Kalkar oppression.
[MMa]
Zode – An hour in Barsoom
time. [SATMM]
ERBzine GALLERIES
OF COVER AND INTERIOR ART
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MORE ERBzine MOON MAID ARTICLES
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ERBzine Bibliographic Entry: www.erbzine.com/mag7/0767.html Cover and Interior Art ~ Publishing History Lost Text ~ Articles ~ Foreign Art ~ etc. |
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MOON MAID GLOSSARY Compiled by John F. Roy www.erbzine.com/mag2/0243.html |
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by Den Valdron www.erbzine.com/mag14/1491.html |
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by Den Valdron www.erbzine.com/mag15/1512.html |
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By Edgar Rice Burroughs A condensed and slightly rewritten version of THE MOON MAID "Modern Mechanics and Inventions" magazine illustrations. www.erbzine.com/mag60/6024.html |
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George T. McWhorter Appeared in ERBzine in 1999 at: www.erbzine.com/mag3/0390.html |
