There are no whores in Scaithe’s Ebb, or none that consider themselves as such, although there have always been many women who, if pressed, would describe themselves as much-married, with one husband on this ship here every six months, and another husband on that ship, back in port for a month or so every nine months. The mathematics of the thing have always kept most folk satisfied; and if ever it disappoints and a man returns to his wife while one of her other husbands is still in occupancy, why, then there is a fight–and the grog shops to comfort the loser. The sailors do not mind the arrangement, for they know that this way there will, at the least, be one person who, at the last, will notice when they do not come back from the sea, and will mourn their loss; and their wives content themselves with the certain knowledge that their husbands are also unfaithful, for there is no competing with the sea in a man’s affections, since she is both mother and mistress, and she will wash his corpse also, in time to come, wash it to coral and ivory and pearls. Neil Gaiman
About This Quote

One can say that this is a heart-warming story of a sailor whose wife dies and he returns to her grave after nine months. The wife is dead, but his other wives continue to be faithful and the sailors' wives comforted. There are no whores here, because sailors love their wives and thus there is no competition for them. This is because we should not always follow the same path in life, we should adapt to changes and shapes and try different things while keeping our original passion alive.

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