The Slig became a widely known creature in ‘Dune’ as its meat received favor in the sight of the emperor himself. Though the Slig looked disgusting with slimy fluids all over its body, its meat was the best tasting meat in all of the Padishah empire.
Slig – Definition
The Slig was a creature created by the Tleilaxu. The slig got considered one of the ugliest creatures known to man because of its multiple mouths and slimy body. Sligs are a hybrid of giant slugs and pigs; they became loved for the quality of their meat.
Sligs got so loved that the emperor, Shaddam IV, considered them his favorite meat. However, though the slig tasted delicious, the Tleilaxu never ate them because of their strict religious views.
The Relevance of the Slig in the Dune Universe
Though the Slig got barely mentioned in the Dune series, it had a few relevant roles in Dune’s sequels. During the Kralizec, Gaxhar, a farmer living outside the city of Bandalong, got tasked by the Tleilaxu to rare Sligs. After the Tleilaxu got defeated by the Honored Matres, Gaxhar began working for the sisterhood, providing them with Slig meat.
When the Honored Matres fought against the Tleilaxu, Uxtal, the lost Tleilaxu scribe fled from battle and tried seeking refuge in Gaxhar’s farm. Uxtal hid under the feeding trough of the Sligs in a bid to evade the Honored Matres. However, Gaxhar saw him and decided to kill him. Gaxhar fed Uxtal o the Sligs and later ate a slig meal with his friends.
The Tleilaxu and the Slig
Though the creature got created by the Tleilaxu, they never ate it. To the Tleilaxu, Sligs were animals of uncleanliness and pollution. Hence it was forbidden among the upper ranks of the patriarchal order. However, Sligs got sold to other humans, including the Padishah emperor. Emperor Shaddam Iv loved to eat Slig as it was his favorite type of meat. Alongside the emperor were the members of the Imperium who also loved Slig. Due to its taste, Slig meat got called: “the sweetest meat this side of heaven.”
Description of the Slig
The Slig was an animal considered among the ugliest creatures in existence. The creature possessed multiple mouths, and its skin secreted a slimy liquid that was obnoxious to everyone that saw it. Though the animal looked horrible, its flesh was tender and sweet when cooked; this made the slig a delicacy for everyone except the Tleilaxu.
Glossary Terms Associated with the Slig
Here is a list of words associated with the Slig:
- Powindah: Powindah is a term used by the Tleilaxu to describe people not born into their culture and religious beliefs. Because the Tleilaxu were a fanatical patriarchal society, they had a strict cultural system that included not eating the Slig. Powindahs, as they referred to others, were those who did not believe in their faith. The word got used to derogate or belittle others.
- New Sisterhood: The new sisterhood got created by Murbella and is the merger of both the Bene Gesserit and the Honored Matres. After the death of Darwi Ordrade, Murbella, a former Honored Matre, decided to merge both sisterhoods for better control and strength against the enemy.
FAQs
What is the slug thing in Dune called?
The slig is a creature that got created by the Tleilaxu. The slig had one of the sweetest meat in the known universe. The slig was an ugly creature with a slimy body and multiple mouths, yet, its meat was one of the most delicious in the Padishah empire. Though it was a delicacy, the Tleilaxu considered the slig an unclean creature and thus, never ate it.
Who is Gaxar?
Gaxar was a Slig farmer tasked by the Tleilaxu to rare the sligs. After Bandalong got invaded by the Honored Matres, the Tleilaxu fell, and Uxtal escaped to Gaxar’s farm. On discovering he hid in a trough for feeding the sligs, Gaxar fed Uxtal to the sligs, and that same day, he ate a slig meal with his friends.
What term did the Tleilaxu use to refer to those who ate sligs?
Because they were an extremely xenophobic society, the Tleilaxu saw other humans as unbelievers. The term used by the Tleilaxu to describe those who were not a part of their culture was Powindah; this word got translated as ‘non-believer.’ The Tleilaxu had a strict culture that excluded certain foods like sligs.
What is a slig in Dune?
A slig is a genetic hybrid of a giant slug and a pig. The creature got created by the Tleilaxu. Sligs became popular throughout the universe as they got considered the most delicious meat known to man. Slig meat became so popular that it was the favorite meat of the emperor.