Craster's wives
Craster's wives are nineteen free folk women wed to Craster, who dwells with them in a keep in the haunted forest, beyond the Wall.[1]
Contents
History
Some of Craster's wives are also his daughters.[2] Any sons are sacrificed by Craster to the cold gods of the wood after they are born,[3] while he keeps his daughters and marries them once they are of age.[3] The women wear ragged deerskins and help Craster on his homestead.[3]
Craster's wives are interested in Ser Waymar Royce when the ranger visits Craster's Keep.[3]
Recent Events
A Clash of Kings
Craster begrudgingly allows the Night's Watch to stay at his keep overnight during their great ranging beyond the Wall. The black brothers are warned beforehand not to talk to Craster's wives, although Gilly beseeches Samwell Tarly to help her. Sam sends her to Jon Snow, who tells her that the Night's Watch is pressing north, heading towards danger.[3] Dywen boasts of having slept with three wives during the night.[3]
A Storm of Swords
Chett considers having Craster killed and claiming the wives for himself, but his plotting is interrupted by the fight at the Fist.[4]
After the mutiny at Craster's Keep, some of the younger wives are raped in the loft by mutineers. Rolley of Sisterton falls and breaks his neck while climbing toward the women.[2] Dyah catches two horses, and Ferny encourages Sam to flee with Gilly and her newborn son for the Wall.[2] The fate of the other wives is unknown.
A Feast for Crows
Aboard the Cinnamon Wind Gilly helps Sam comfort the dying Maester Aemon by singing a nonsense song she learned from some of Craster's other wives. It soothes Aemon and helps him sleep.[5] Gilly and her son make it to Oldtown with Samwell.[6]
Known wives
Quotes
Any man lays a hand on my wives, he loses the hand.[3]
—Craster to the Night's Watch
—one of Craster's wives to Jeor Mormont
The wide world is full of people wanting help, Jon. Would that some could find the courage to help themselves.[3]
—Jeor Mormont to Jon Snow
Except for Gilly, Sam could hardly tell the women apart. Some were old and some were young and some were only girls, but a lot of them were Craster's daughters as well as his wives, and they all looked sort of alike.[2]
—thoughts of Samwell Tarly
References
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 33, Samwell II.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 23, Jon III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Prologue.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 35, Samwell IV.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell V.