The Rule of Names
Encyclopedia
"The Rule of Names" is a short story
by Ursula K. Le Guin
, first published in the April 1964 issue of Fantastic
, and reprinted in collections such as The Wind's Twelve Quarters
. This story and "The Word of Unbinding
" convey Le Guin's initial concepts for the Earthsea
realm, most importantly its places and physical manifestation, but not the characters appearing in the novels. Both stories also help explain the underpinnings of the Earthsea realm, in particular the importance of true name
s to magic
.
, and opens with the schoolteacher
, Palani, introducing the concept of naming to her pupils: people have one name as children, then are given their adult name at puberty, but this name must be kept private as it can be used by magicians to cast spells on the person. Sattinsmen are very superstitious. They believe that to wish a neighbor "good morning" will change the weather for the worse; that dragon
s are fond of eating maidens; that two wizards in one town are trouble. Their resident magician is a fat, incompetent man nicknamed "Underhill" because he lives in a cave outside the village.
One day, a stranger from the Archipelago
arrives on the island
. The locals dub him Blackbeard. He hires a village lad called Birt to guide him to Underhill's home. Once there, Blackbeard reveals that he is a mage, searching for the treasure of his ancestors, which was stolen by a dragon. He believes Underhill to be a wizard who defeated the dragon and made off with the treasure.
The two enchanters engage in a shapechanging battle, ending with Underhill in dragon's form. Blackbeard uses his secret weapon by using Underhill's true name, Yevaud, in a spell which will lock him into his true form. This proves effective, but not as Blackbeard expected; Underhill proves to be the dragon who stole the treasure of Pendor, and so his true form is the dragon. Yevaud devours Blackbeard. Birt flees the island, taking his love Palani with him. With his true identity revealed, and with his predatory dragon nature reinforced by being called by his true name, Yevaud wreaks havoc on Sattins.
In A Wizard of Earthsea
, Ged
knows this tale as an ancient bit of lore and makes a desperate gamble based on it.
The story underscores the importance of language to the entire Earthsea cycle. In particular, the use of "names" in the title, along with the use of "word" in "The Word of Unbinding" solidifies this message in the first two Earthsea stories. Specifically, within the Earthsea realm, knowing another man or dragon's true name gives one power over them; as a corollary, sharing one's true name with another is an act showing complete trust.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin is an American author. She has written novels, poetry, children's books, essays, and short stories, notably in fantasy and science fiction...
, first published in the April 1964 issue of Fantastic
Fantastic (magazine)
Fantastic was an American digest-size fantasy and science fiction magazine, published from 1952 to 1980. It was founded by Ziff-Davis as a fantasy companion to Amazing Stories. Early sales were good, and Ziff-Davis quickly decided to switch Amazing from pulp format to digest, and to cease...
, and reprinted in collections such as The Wind's Twelve Quarters
The Wind's Twelve Quarters
The Wind's Twelve Quarters is a collection of short stories by Ursula K. Le Guin first published by Harper & Row in 1975.Le Guin describes the collection as a retrospective. It includes many stories which had been published previously or expanded into novels. Others take place in locations that...
. This story and "The Word of Unbinding
The Word of Unbinding
"The Word of Unbinding" is a short story by Ursula K. Le Guin, first published in the January 1964 issue of Fantastic, and reprinted in collections such as The Wind's Twelve Quarters. In this story, the Earthsea realm, which was later made famous by A Wizard of Earthsea, was first introduced...
" convey Le Guin's initial concepts for the Earthsea
Earthsea
Earthsea is a fictional realm originally created by Ursula K. Le Guin for her short story "The Word of Unbinding", published in 1964. Earthsea became the setting for a further six books, beginning with A Wizard of Earthsea, first published in 1968, and continuing with The Tombs of Atuan, The...
realm, most importantly its places and physical manifestation, but not the characters appearing in the novels. Both stories also help explain the underpinnings of the Earthsea realm, in particular the importance of true name
True name
A true name is a name of a thing or being that expresses, or is somehow identical with, its true nature. The notion that language, or some specific sacred language, refers to things by their true names has been central to philosophical and grammatical study as well as various traditions of magic,...
s to magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
.
Plot summary
The story is set on Sattins Island, a small rural island among the Islands of EarthseaIslands of Earthsea
The Islands of Earthsea are the hundreds of named islands, groups of islands, and unnamed islets that make up the lands of the largely oceanic fantasy world of Earthsea in the stories of Ursula K. Le Guin.-List of Islands and Places:...
, and opens with the schoolteacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, Palani, introducing the concept of naming to her pupils: people have one name as children, then are given their adult name at puberty, but this name must be kept private as it can be used by magicians to cast spells on the person. Sattinsmen are very superstitious. They believe that to wish a neighbor "good morning" will change the weather for the worse; that dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
s are fond of eating maidens; that two wizards in one town are trouble. Their resident magician is a fat, incompetent man nicknamed "Underhill" because he lives in a cave outside the village.
One day, a stranger from the Archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
arrives on the island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
. The locals dub him Blackbeard. He hires a village lad called Birt to guide him to Underhill's home. Once there, Blackbeard reveals that he is a mage, searching for the treasure of his ancestors, which was stolen by a dragon. He believes Underhill to be a wizard who defeated the dragon and made off with the treasure.
The two enchanters engage in a shapechanging battle, ending with Underhill in dragon's form. Blackbeard uses his secret weapon by using Underhill's true name, Yevaud, in a spell which will lock him into his true form. This proves effective, but not as Blackbeard expected; Underhill proves to be the dragon who stole the treasure of Pendor, and so his true form is the dragon. Yevaud devours Blackbeard. Birt flees the island, taking his love Palani with him. With his true identity revealed, and with his predatory dragon nature reinforced by being called by his true name, Yevaud wreaks havoc on Sattins.
In A Wizard of Earthsea
A Wizard of Earthsea
A Wizard of Earthsea, first published in 1968, is the first of a series of books written by Ursula K. Le Guin and set in the fantasy world archipelago of Earthsea depicting the adventures of a budding young wizard named Ged...
, Ged
Ged (Earthsea)
Ged , is the true name of a fictional character in Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea realm. He is introduced in A Wizard of Earthsea, and plays both main and supporting roles in the subsequent Earthsea novels...
knows this tale as an ancient bit of lore and makes a desperate gamble based on it.
Literary significance and criticism
Susan Wood points out that it was during the early 1960s when Ursula K. LeGuin was selling stories such as "The Word of Unbinding" and "The Rule of Names" that she "was an accomplished writer, expressing valuable insights with grace and humour."The story underscores the importance of language to the entire Earthsea cycle. In particular, the use of "names" in the title, along with the use of "word" in "The Word of Unbinding" solidifies this message in the first two Earthsea stories. Specifically, within the Earthsea realm, knowing another man or dragon's true name gives one power over them; as a corollary, sharing one's true name with another is an act showing complete trust.