I thought that I’d take a few minutes to go into some of the things in the book that DON’T involve guns for once, just for fun. Some of the terms that are used, things like that. I’ll try not to have spoilers…
The term Hame is used throughout the book. It’s never really explained and honestly it doesn’t seem to need an explanation for the purposes of the story, but some of you might have idly wondered what it means. A Hame is a typical dwarven residence consisting of a common room connecting two or more family apartments. Each of these apartments has it’s own sitting room and two or more bedrooms. These are multi-family residences where meals are taken communally in the common room but each family has it’s own, separate quarters. The families occupying a Hame may or may not be related.
Sax-knife, sax, etc.- any of a variety of stout, single-edged knives carried by every adult dwarf and many of the humans in the Rifleman’s world. Blades are six to ten inches in length and they are not fitted with a guard. Sheaths are usually- though not always- suspended horizontally, edge-up, below the belt in front with the hilt very close to the person’s strong hand. The form of these knives is very simple but they are often elaborately decorated, with engraved blades, carved handles etc. The sheaths have a metal frame along one edge that is usually elaborately engraved and the leather is usually tooled in knot-work patterns.
Above is a fairly typical ‘sax-knife.’ These knives are not just a symbol of adulthood, but also a form of expression, wealth and taste. They are also a clue as to the origins of humans in the Rifleman’s world…
At one point in the book a simple method is described to use few people and some very simple tools to raise a multi-ton stone slab easily and relatively quickly. This method is real and actually works!
Anyway, just a little early-morning geekiness for you all to enjoy.