One of the more familiar archetypes of Earth culture is the figure of the Elder, the gift-giver, the bearer of ancient knowledge: the Wizened Old Man.  A staple of culture since at least the days of Homer, the Wizened Old Man has helped along narratives by imparting warnings, dispensing information, and offering counsel during trying periods.  This figure has taken various forms down through the years, has mutated in different ways, but the idea remains the same.  One knows it when one sees it.  Here is Running Downhill’s take on the ten greatest Wizened Old Men of all time.  [Editor’s note: We here at RD realize that, yes, occasionally, this figure is female, but that’s a different list for a different time.  Also, we realize that this list is skewed a little towards modern culture, but that’s just because we don’t read much].

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