ATDTDA (2): Drave (39.14)

[Tim Strzechowski]

"We can teach you," said one of them, who seemed to be in charge, introducing himself only as Drave" (p. 39).



The Drava (German: Drau, Slovenian, Croatian and Italian: Drava, Hungarian: Dráva) is a river in southern Central Europe. It rises in South Tyrol, Italy and flows east through East Tyrol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia (145 km), and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and Hungary, before it joins the Danube near Osijek. It has a length of 725 km (450 mi).

The Drava flows through Lienz, Spittal an der Drau, Villach, Dieschitz and Ferlach in Austria, Dravograd, Vuzenica, Muta, Ruše, Maribor, Ptuj, and Ormož in Slovenia, Varaždin and Osijek in Croatia, and Barcs in Hungary. The Drava is navigable for about 90 km from Èaðavica in Croatia to its outfall.

The main tributaries of the Drava are: the Gail in Austria, the Mislinja and Dravinja in Slovenia, and the Bednja in Croatia from the left; and the Gurk in Austria, and the Mur (near Legrad) in Croatia from the right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drava

See also:

http://www.fromoldbooks.org/Wood-NuttallEncyclopaedia/d/drave.html


"Drave"

old imp. of Drive . [Obs.]

from Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, ed. by Noah Porter, published by G & C Merriam Co., 1913..

http://www.answers.com/topic/drave-2



A-and cf. the Pynchonwiki:

Possibly a back formation from 'Dravidians,' referring to David Koresh's Branch Davidians. Another possibility is that Pynchon had in mind the Scottish noun "drave," which the OED defines as a "fishing expedition in which several men take part, each supplying a net and receiving a share of the profits made. Later, A haul (of fish); also, a shoal." This resonates with the evangelical role that Drave plays (Cf. Matthew 4:18, where Jesus addresses Peter and Matthew, "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.") 
 
http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_26-56#Page_39