Spell # 20

[witch_ofthewest]

With the lack of anything else to busy myself with, I think of making an apple pie. I do hope there are apples on this ship not including those in my room.

On a completely different subject, master Aang made me ponder the subject of names. I was quite fascinated with his, and I do reckon there are other odd and interesting names since most

Comments

[tothekolkhoz]

Ivan: Russian form of Greek Ioannes, meaning "God is gracious."

[witch_ofthewest]

A religious name, in a way mine is too.

[tothekolkhoz]

A shame I'm not much of a God's man.

[witch_ofthewest]

I am anything but God's woman, myself.

[tothekolkhoz]

I like the name, though. It was the name to many Russian rulers.

[witch_ofthewest]

Great ones, I take it?

[tothekolkhoz]

Yes, amongst them Ivan III the Great and Ivan IV the Terrible. The latter was the first tsar of Russia.

[witch_ofthewest]

Why was the first great and the other terrible?

[tothekolkhoz]

Ivan III was a Grand Prince of all Russia, he tripled the territory of the state, and built the basis of what soon became the Russian state. He had one of the longest reigns in history of Russia. Ivan IV lived through changes from a local medieval nation state to a small empire and finally an emerging regional power, becoming the first Tsar of a powerful nation, known as the Tsar of all Russia since then. Гро́зный​ (the Terrible), however, is more associated with power, might and strictness, and not so much with horror or cruelty.

[witch_ofthewest]

Both did great things, then.

[tothekolkhoz]

Yes, they were both very impressive rulers.

[witch_ofthewest]

Then I can see why master Ivan likes his name.

BLOOD, MOST LIKELY

[tothekolkhoz]

I'm not sure yet.

OH MAN

[witch_ofthewest]

I shall go with Ivan, then.