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Gorean Games, Fun, and Sports
Betting
Watching us there were a few children, some men, some slave girls. As soon as
Kamchak had agreed to Albrecht's proposal the children and several of the slave
girls immediately began to rush toward the wagons, delightedly crying "Wager!
Wager!"
Soon, to my dismay, a large number of Tuchuks, male and female, and their male
or female slaves, began to gather near the worn lane on the turf. The terms of
the wager were soon well known. In the crowd, as well as Tuchuks and those of
the Tuchuks, there were some Kassars, a Paravaci or two, even one of the Kataii.
The slave girls in the crowd seemed particularly excited. I could hear bets
being taken. The Tuchuks, not too unlike Goreans generally, are fond of
gambling. Indeed, it is not unknown that a Tuchuk will bet his entire stock of
bosk on the outcome of a single kaiila race; as many as a dozen slave girls may
change hands on something as small as the direction that a bird will fly or the
number of seeds in a tospit. NOMADS OF GOR-, Pages 65-66
As I did so I passed several chained slaves girls kneeling on a stone tier. They
were doubtless girls in training, and reasonably well advanced in training. They
had been brought to see the races, that they might be pleased and stimulated,
that they might return to their training refreshed and recreated. They were
clearly enjoying themselves, and some were making bets, the stakes being
pleasure beads from the contents of the jewelry and cosmetic box allotted to
each, usually kept in her cell. They were fastened together wrist to wrist by
slave bracelets. At each end of the line there was a guard. The slaves wore
light, hooded cloaks, the length of which, when they stood, would fall slightly
above the hem of their brief slave livery. The garments had rather large sleeves
and fastened with a cord under the chin. It protected them from the sun to some
extent but even more from the glances of the curious. Some of the girls, judging
by the stripes on the hoods and cloaks were White Silk, and others Red Silk. The
White Silk Girls, of course, having been released from the house, would have
been placed in locked, iron belts. The girls were neither of the House of Cernus
nor of Portus, but of one of the several lesser houses on the Street of Brands.
ASSASSIN OF GOR-, (5) Page 147
Red savages, on whole, are fond of jokes and gambles. Their jokes, to be sure,
might sometimes seem a bit eccentric or rude to more civilized folk. A favorite
joke, for example, is to tell a young man that his kaiila offer to the parents
of his prospective woman has been refused, thus plunging him into despair, until
with roars of laughter, he is informed that it has been accepted. This type of
thing, incidentally, does not count, culturally, as a violation of truth
telling, a practice which the red savages take with great seriousness. Gambling,
too, is of interest to the savages. Common games are lots, dice and stone
guessing. Betting, too, may take place in connection with such things as the
fall of arrows, and the appearance and movements of animals, particularly birds.
Kaiila races, perhaps needless to say, are very popular. An entire village is
likely to turn out to watch such a race. What was going on, further, could not
be clearly understood unless it is understood that the Dust Legs knew and
respected, and liked, Grunt. Such a game they would not have played with a
stranger. Theoretically, one supposes, a high bid might be made on what lay
concealed beneath the hide and then the hide, the bid accepted, might be
withdrawn to reveal a wench as ugly as a tharlarion, but the Dust Legs knew, in
the practical context, that Grunt would not do this to them. They understood, in
the context, that he would be sure to put something not only good, but very
good, beneath that hide. Similarly, since bids are almost always lower on an
unseen commodity, he would be, in effect, making them a gift. The Dust Leg
refused, with great drama, to go higher than two hides for what lay beneath the
hide. Grunt, he made it clear, must now either accept or reject that offer. It
was, of course, accepted, and Grunt, with some flair, threw off the hide.
Margaret, suddenly exposed, cried out with fear. She blinked against the light
and made herself, lying on her side, as small as possible. Curled naked on the
grass, revealed, terrified, owned, she was exquisite. The two friends of the
Dust Leg shouted out with pleasure and, striking him about the shoulders and
back, congratulated him on his good fortune. Margaret cringed at their feet. The
Dust Leg, more than pleased, tried to get Grunt to accept at least one extra
hide for the girl, but this, of course, Grunt magnanimously refused to do. A
bargain struck was, after all, a bargain to be adhered to. He was, after all,
was he not, a merchant? Margaret was jerked to her knees and the Dust Leg tied
his beaded collar on her throat. He then bound her small wrists tightly before
her body with a long thong and, pulling her to her feet, led her away, by the
free end of the thong, followed by his friends, to his kaiila. SAVAGES OF
GOR-, Pages 227-228
Kudos to you, Mr. Norman for writing the Gorean series!
A rich, yet utterly simple saga; a world, a time, a people;
those of the Counter-Earth .. the planet .. Gor.
Thank you!
The material presented herein was researched and compiled by me,
naia{Saul}.
The material referenced comes from John Norman's Gor Series, The
Counter-Earth Saga.
This is a work in process.
Please, do not take, copy, duplicate, or use this work as your own.
If you find it valuable enough to share, please .. share the link to this
page.
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