Re: Child Witchcraft Allegations On the Rise

[Guest guest]

Several things seem to be going on here.

1. Population is expanding faster than the economy thus increasing poverty.

2. Lots of children are only potentially useful on the farm, and then only consume for the first 8 or so years of their lives. In times of high disease and infant mortality more children might offset population losses, but historically only when the major crisis passes.

3. Charlatans are traveling about preying on the weak and the ones nobody wants: the surplus of children.

In Europe, before the Industrial Revolution began but after the Black Death, the cities began to fill up with people leaving the farms looking for better jobs. For many reasons the populations exploded creating many unwanted children. For a very long time the poor parts of majors cities were teeming with cast off children. Few came to a decent end. Dickens wrote much about them and they even appear in Sherlock Holmes stories around 1900. "A Modest Proposal" is one of the less subtle and highly satirical pieces to address this issue.

During the Middle Ages and especially the "Witch Craze" that swept through parts of Continental Europe saw many, many charlatans wandering the countryside. The so-called witch-hunters would come into a town and look for witches. Often they would arrive saying they had been drawn to the place or perhaps even sent by God. This would frighten the people and get them looking at each other because surely if God sent them here then witches must be about. By a little acting, a little bluffing and charisma, and maybe some bribes or payment for information, witches are eventually found. Through the public spectacle of what can only be jokingly called a trial the witch confesses and is killed. The town gives the witch-hunter money and prayers of thanks and off he goes to the next town. Some of these hunters were even sanctioned by the Catholic Church. Of course, it is unlikely they actually killed anyone in league with the devil because they could probably avoid detection if they wanted, but plenty of unpopular citizens, elderly women and other weak and vulnerable types ended up dead.

Whenever their is a chance to separate gullible people from what money they may have, someone will turn up to exploit the situation. We've seen it in this country from the roving "faith healers" who would hold revivals, get the folks riled up enough to fill the collection plate and then skip town, to the purveyors of colored, sometimes poisoned, "medicinal" waters, to the modern weight loss gurus, autism cure quacks, etc. Push people into a corner and they'll likely buy anything, which is what con men from witch-hunters to wannabe dictators count on.

In a message dated 7/17/2010 11:57:57 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Contrary to wide-held perceptions in the West, child witchcraft in Africa is not an ancient "African tradition" but a relatively modern phenomenon dating back 10-20 years, says report author Aleksandra Cimpric. Before this, elderly people, and particularly women, tended to be accused.The increase in accusations seems partly associated with the growing economic burden of raising children, linked to urbanization, separation of families and the weakening of family structures, says UNICEF's Theis; it is reinforced by the emergence of Pentecostal or revivalist churches in many of the affected countries.Exploitative pastor-prophets claiming to be able to identify witches and offering exorcisms provide additional legitimization for witchcraft accusations. Their lucrative vocation complements the work of traditional healers, who also fight against the malevolent forces of the "other world", the report noted. In a televised case in Nigeria, "Bishop" Sunday Ulup Ay in Akwa Ibom state in the southeast made a personal fortune through exorcisms, charging $261 per child. He has since been arrested.

[Guest guest]

" Whenever their is a chance to separate gullible people from what money they may

have, someone will turn up to exploit the situation. "

What astounds me are that people are so gullible. With or without education,

there is a thing called common sense. Can't adults figure out the difference

between what the truth is and what a con looks like?

Administrator

[Guest guest]

Has anyone else but me noticed that one of the ways for a child to get

accused of witchcraft (according to the article) is if the child is

gifted?

What explains -- and what happens to -- a society that has spent 20+

years killing off the smartest/potentially most competent members of

its next generation?

Kate Gladstone

[Guest guest]

AHA! You noticed!

It is sometimes believed in primitive cultures that for a child to " come by "

knowledge that is beyond the " normal " level we would expect to see is unnatural.

What most people do not realize is that children can suck in data at different

rates, and of course, if you factor in a high intelligence and/or the ability to

process information, it means that some children can seem very very smart, and

they are.

Children are exposed to all kinds of stimuli. Somehow, adults seem to develop a

tunnel vision which limits their information intake. Children tend to absorb

much more generally, and some children can absorb and process vast amounts of

information.

My reading ability has been audited periodically throughout my life and I have

been tagged as being a fast reader with very high conprehension. Raven reads

much faster than I do, however. In fact, she is the first person I have ever met

who can read faster than I can.

All this simply means she has excellent reading and comprehension skills.

But of course in primative societies, such a huge intelligence would be met with

suspicion rather than respect.

Administrator

Has anyone else but me noticed that one of the ways for a child to get

accused of witchcraft (according to the article) is if the child is

gifted?

What explains -- and what happens to -- a society that has spent 20+

years killing off the smartest/potentially most competent members of

its next generation?

Kate Gladstone

[Guest guest]

Re:

> ... in primtive societies, such a huge intelligence would be met with

suspicion rather than respect.

Do you really think that happens *only* in primitive societies?

A scientist/science-writer named Cliff Pickover asked people on the

Internet: " Suppose you have the opportunity to determine the IQ of

your child, before your child is born. Which IQ do you choose? " The

choices were 100, 120, 140, 160, 180 -- and he also gave space for

comments.

You can see the results here -- and note that the very first

commenter said that he wouldn't want his child to be " too

intelligent. " Later in his comment, be said that he himself had been

that intelligent as a child (the level of intelligence that he

wouldn't want his own kid to be able to equal)

Some of the other comments were similar.

Kate Gladstone

[Guest guest]

No, many can't. That is why con men have always been with us and always will be. Politicians too.

In a message dated 7/17/2010 5:23:14 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

What astounds me are that people are so gullible. With or without education, there is a thing called common sense. Can't adults figure out the difference between what the truth is and what a con looks like? Administrator

[Guest guest]

Yes it is. This is also a long tradition in human societies. Japan had a saying that sums it up: The nail that stands up gets hammered down. Something like that anyway. The point is that anyone in a village who tries to better themselves gets put in their place. Some escape this fate and that is how humanity has managed to reach its current conditions. Had it not been for the Enlightenment and the early open Greek society, it is likely we'd still be pre-industrial.

You see the same thing happen in nations where Marxism has run its course. Russia, China, North Korea, Vietnam and especially Cambodia. The best and brightest are typically killed off or made to flee. It is a little known fact but in during the Tet Offensive, the US and ARVN military weren't the only targets. Communist hit teams rampaged through village and city alike with list of smart people (teachers, doctors, businessmen, etc.) and killed them. Same thing happened in the Korean War with thousands of murdered civilians being found when we pushed the Communist forces back. Pol Pot simply killed a third of Cambodia's entire population. Following in the footsteps of the Patron Saint Stalin who murdered at least 20 million and a third of the Ukrainian population before WWII even began.

Killing off the smart people makes it easier for the incompetent to rule. This is so in primitive farming village to the biggest nations.

Has anyone else but me noticed that one of the ways for a child to getaccused of witchcraft (according to the article) is if the child isgifted?What explains -- and what happens to -- a society that has spent 20+years killing off the smartest/potentially most competent members ofits next generation?Kate Gladstone

[Guest guest]

And there are plenty of those countries aren't there? Good scenarios, too. Most likely if I suspected I was being set up, I'd just leave. I'd probably put the mill in its old order again, that is if the miller had been decent, but not complete the upgrades.

Another possible plot is: the people want the mill upgraded and have agreed to reward them for getting that done. However, they are in fact planning on NOT paying him for his work but will use the strong guy to drive the smart guy away once the work is done. This happens a lot even today. Someone will complete contacted work and but some excuse is found to not pay or to pay less. Happens a great deal I understand to writers in Hollywood. I know I once submitted a show idea but because I hadn't filled out the right forms, they were going to take my idea and not pay me or even give me credit for it. I just had to sign these papers they sent me which would legitimize their theft of my idea, though it wasn't phrased that way it is what it was. I never sent the papers back but kept them for several years in case they tried to make the show anyway. They never did.

This is not an original plot -- just read the history of any country that complains about "brain drain."Having a strong big guy beat up a smart little guy, then having the big guy take the smart little guy's improvements and "give them to the people [who were fans of the big guy]," was Standard Operating Procedure under Nazism and Stalinism (among other -isms).Kate Gladstone

[Guest guest]

Re: 

And there are plenty of those countries aren't there? Good scenarios, too. Most likely if I suspected I was being set up, I'd just leave. I'd probably put the mill in its old order again, that is if the miller had been decent, but not complete the upgrades. What if *you* had been the miller all along? (another variant)If your neighbors had always gotten by with hand-querns (or no ground grain at all -- just boiled grain for porridge) until you'd invented/built a mill and used it to trade with your neighbors

         (you grind their grain if they want: faster and finer than they can do at home -- and in return they help meet your needs with what they grow, make, or earn via the extra time and energy they now have) --     and now your neighbors decide (or the big man tells them) that what you invented or built is *theirs* because they all eat from it --

if *you* were the miller (as well as mill-improver) and they were running you out of town, why *not* smash the mill before you left?

 

Another possible plot is: the people want the mill upgraded and have agreed to reward them for getting that done. However, they are in fact planning on NOT paying him for his work but will use the strong guy to drive the smart guy away once the work is done. ...or the classical Marxist variant: The strong fellow calls a town meeting and sells the town (including especially the smart fellow) on the notion " From each according to his ability, to each according to his need -- therefore, Mr. Smart Fellow and anyone else with some ability, any ability at all ... now all your ability belongs to us because we're needy. If you have an ability, as far as that ability goes it makes you the slave of anyone in town who feels a need to get something FROM you and TO them. "

And of course the smart fellow has a little Aspie kid-- probably the same kid who once saw the Emperor's procession pass by, and said " He has no clothes! " -- who sneaks out from school to see what's going on, then climbs the podium and tugs at the strong fellow's pants and says:

" What if we turned it around, Mr. Strongman? What if it was 'To each according to his ability, from each according to his need'? Then if you gave stuff TO a guy in return for using his abilities, you could also get stuff FROM the same guy in return for the things he needs ... "

.... but of course no one listened; they just sent him back to the village school to draw pictures of the Emperor's new clothes until he got each and every button absolutely, perfectly correct.

Kate Gladstone

[Guest guest]

" Killing off the smart people makes it easier for the incompetent to rule. This

is so in primitive farming village to the biggest nations. "

It's the only resort brutes have to gain and keep power.

Administrator

[Guest guest]

If smart people would use their noggins, they would corral the brutes and

control the situation that way. JMHO.

Raven

>

> " Killing off the smart people makes it easier for the incompetent to rule.

This is so in primitive farming village to the biggest nations. "

>

> It's the only resort brutes have to gain and keep power.

>

>

> Administrator

>

[Guest guest]

" Which leads to another funny thing. Suppose the smart guy was just trying to

figure out how to make a better process to make everyone's life in the village

better, like and improvement to the mill that ground their grain. Seeing him

thinking and working might scare a lot of primitive people since they might

wonder what else might be going on in that mind. Smart guy is trying to help the

village and not hurt anyone. On the other hand, the villagers might turn to the

strong man thinking surely he might protect them from the dangerous smart guy.

Don't they bother to think that perhaps the strong man, while maybe not as smart

as the smart guy, thinks too? Maybe he's cunning enough to learn to manipulate

the people without them realizing it and gains power over them? So, they all run

the smart guy out of the village, big guy at the head of the column and they

love big guy for saving them. Now he's the hero and pulling their strings while

the village loses the better mill. "

Always a good point. I think as Aspies, we can relate to being run out of

whatever metaphorical village we happen to inhabit. Even among Aspies, sometimes

the smartest of us get run off.

Administrator

[Guest guest]

Another variation is if your mill had long been in operation and the people more or less depended on it. Since millers historically kept a share of the grain brought to them for grinding as payment (because peasants didn't normally handle cash money, only the merchants and upper classes, until comparatively recently). This share was either used by themselves or trade with other merchants for things they needed, as the peasants themselves did because of the whole not using cash thing. Suppose one day someone, maybe the strong man, gets the idea that the mill belongs to the people and it is wrong for the miller to keep a share but should grow his own grain like everything else. So, an angry mob shows up at the mill to announce the mill belongs to the people now and the miller can't profit anymore from it but must grow his own crops AND still run the mill. Never mind that running the mill is more than just pouring in grain but knowing how to maintain the machinery, keeping away rats, etc., etc. What is the miller to do then? Stay and see the mill decline for which he will be blamed? leave and let the people figure out how to run it? burn it down and run?

Good point also about the Emperor's Clothes. Most people will go along with just about anything. I've seen shows about the herd mentality and it is easy to get swept up if you aren't careful. Here in the states there are ads about identity theft where fake stores and banks are set up. People come in being told they can get free money or something. Many will sit there and reveal all manner of information from Mother's Maiden name, to Social Security Number, and even hair or other DNA samples. Funny how people get swept along like that.

If your neighbors had always gotten by with hand-querns (or no ground grain at all -- just boiled grain for porridge) until you'd invented/built a mill and used it to trade with your neighbors (you grind their grain if they want: faster and finer than they can do at home -- and in return they help meet your needs with what they grow, make, or earn via the extra time and energy they now have) -- and now your neighbors decide (or the big man tells them) that what you invented or built is *theirs* because they all eat from it --if *you* were the miller (as well as mill-improver) and they were running you out of town, why *not* smash the mill before you left?

[Guest guest]

This is true.

In a message dated 7/18/2010 2:17:24 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

It's the only resort brutes have to gain and keep power. Administrator

[Guest guest]

That's what the British Magna Carta and the US Constitution tried to do. Both were attempts to limit the power and brutality of the government. Both have been hated by the power junkies and their kissing cousins the money junkies. Republics have always been hated and never last more than about 200 years. England is far down the road to dictatorship and the US is sprinting to catch up, indeed is running so fast we'll have a systemic heart attack before long and fall down. All the same, the power junkies and brutes will still rule. Teetering economy to loot or ashes to rake through, just as good to them.

If smart people would use their noggins, they would corral the brutes and control the situation that way. JMHO.Raven

[Guest guest]

Indeed. Some of my childhood friends would have nothing to do with me by middle school because by then it was clear I was smarter than them. Funny thing was then at another school, a few of the other smart kids and rejects would come to me. Not all mind you because I didn't understand group dynamics, but a few times I ended up with quite a few followers. In high school it was a smaller number and some of them had other friends as well, which wasn't a problem mind you, so I did spend a lot of time on my own.

Anyway, I think you're right. We do get pushed aside.

In a message dated 7/18/2010 2:57:53 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Always a good point. I think as Aspies, we can relate to being run out of whatever metaphorical village we happen to inhabit. Even among Aspies, sometimes the smartest of us get run off.Administrator

[Guest guest]

wrote;Killing off the smart people makes it easier for the incompetent to rule. This is so in primitive farming village to the biggest nations.my comment;"Different is dead" from the Sci Fi Novel 'The People" and "the People, No Different Flesh" by Zena In these novels, groups of Space Aliens whose planet is collapsing physically flee to Earth, arriving in Pioneer Times in the USA. These Aliens are peaceable, educated, and physically human; but have different mental/psychic abilities which fearful, ignorant, earth people think are witch-craft. Some of the Aliens are murdered, others escape and live as primitive country folks, raising their children to deny their abilities; a very few of the original children are taken in by earth people/pioneer families who help them to accept and use their abilities, while keeping their difference hidden, some are scattered and live at the margins of earth society, example using their ability in a traveling carnival sideshow; some manage to survive and become

adapted to earth society while using their abilities amongst their people. One descendant of the Aliens had married an earth person and had two children. The children are teens when their parents die in an accident, and they search for more of the Aliens descendants to help them with their abilities. (one of these teens can sense thoughts and emotions but this ability is tormenting her)rl 'My cat Rusty is a servant of the Living God....'adapted from a poem by Smart

[Guest guest]

I might have heard of these but never read them. The plot sounds familiar.

You even see this kind of thing in the Lord of the Rings series. Gandalf the Wizard is probably one of the most powerful beings on the planet but he usually goes in the appearance of a traveling merchant or the like so people won't suspect him. This comes up sometimes in stories I write. A character I have written about in the past but not in a while is a wizard. Even though magic is known in the world, that doesn't mean wizards are always welcome. In part that is because of the power they wield but also because of the few bad ones who do evil things and taint them all (although many more regular folks do terrible things all the time). As such, my character rarely dressed like a wizard and while he could use a sword to a degree, he preferred to avoid unnecessary fights in part to avoid using magic and maintaining his cover. In later stories he becomes very powerful and still maintains that pattern again to avoid frightening people.

I've also written other stories about normal folks who are just smarter or otherwise different from others. Usually they are on the outside looking in or just plain leave because they get fed up with the way things are. I'll see if I can find one of those that was published and if I do I'll post it here.

"Different is dead" from the Sci Fi Novel 'The People" and "the People, No Different Flesh" by Zena In these novels, groups of Space Aliens whose planet is collapsing physically flee to Earth, arriving in Pioneer Times in the USA.

[Guest guest]

;

if you can find your story, I would enjoy reading it.

Stories of those who are different, and adapt enough to have some sort of productive/satisfactory (to them) life fascinate me.

rl

'My cat Rusty is a servant of the Living God....'

adapted from a poem by Smart

To: FAMSecretSociety Sent: Mon, July 19, 2010 1:42:51 AMSubject: Re: Re: Child Witchcraft Allegations On the Rise

I might have heard of these but never read them. The plot sounds familiar.

You even see this kind of thing in the Lord of the Rings series. Gandalf the Wizard is probably one of the most powerful beings on the planet but he usually goes in the appearance of a traveling merchant or the like so people won't suspect him. This comes up sometimes in stories I write. A character I have written about in the past but not in a while is a wizard. Even though magic is known in the world, that doesn't mean wizards are always welcome. In part that is because of the power they wield but also because of the few bad ones who do evil things and taint them all (although many more regular folks do terrible things all the time). As such, my character rarely dressed like a wizard and while he could use a sword to a degree, he preferred to avoid unnecessary fights in part to avoid using magic and maintaining his cover. In later stories he becomes very powerful and still maintains that pattern again to avoid frightening people.

I've also written other stories about normal folks who are just smarter or otherwise different from others. Usually they are on the outside looking in or just plain leave because they get fed up with the way things are. I'll see if I can find one of those that was published and if I do I'll post it here.

In a message dated 7/18/2010 7:18:53 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, renaissanzelady@ yahoo.ca writes:

"Different is dead" from the Sci Fi Novel 'The People" and "the People, No Different Flesh" by Zena In these novels, groups of Space Aliens whose planet is collapsing physically flee to Earth, arriving in Pioneer Times in the USA.

[Guest guest]

I found it and it is very short. I think it was an experiment in very short fiction, a full story in under 200 words or something like that. A very useful exercise really since it teaches one to be concise.

This story came to me while watching a documentary about ancient peoples. Part of that program was about a horse tribe that predated the Mongols. I can't spell the name now but it is in the story. I actually had a lot of requests to tell more of this character's story, but unfortunately, this seemed to be one of those "one off" stories that tell themselves and that's it, no more will come.

A Journey Begins

Storke

1999

A lone rider pause below the crest of a low ridge, careful not to silhouette himself against the moonlit sky, gazing back on last time at his homeland. Even at night the stark beauty of the endless, open plains awed him. His clan had always called this wilderness home, but now he had to leave it, forever. As his eyes came to rest on the faraway smoke rising above his people's encampment, a shudder of sadness shook him. Igasho, who from youth wanted to ride to the ends of the plains and see what lay beyond, did not want to leave like this.

His people were horse herders who depended on their horses for their lives, and wealth. His own father had raised the finest horses in the tribe, brining respect, and envy. When one of his herd produced the finest foal seen in years, the tribal chief wanted the foal for his own son. When they came to collect it, however, they found the foal, Kohana, had already deeply bonded with Igasho. The chief, being a wise man, knew when not to interfere with nature's will. Nevertheless, his son Malek coveted that horse and burned to have it, and schemed for years to take it. And so for years their fathers maintained an uneasy peace between the two feuding warriors.

But when the chief was struck down by illness and died and his son claimed power for himself, Igashio, long made an outcast by Malek's machinations, found his life in constant peril. Indeed, for during a battle with a rival clan, Malek struck. Owing to Malek's poor ability, his clan was losing, until Igasho and his father, riding side by side, struck into the enemy and turned the tide. shing his lance, Malek charged after the valiant pair, rallying warriors close behind. Time froze for an instant as Malek's lance pierced not an enemy, but the back of Igasho's father. A shocked hush claimed the battlefield, the sole movement being Malek hurling his spear at Igasho. Kohana's alertness saved his master, stunned with hoor and hate, from being impaled. Malek drew his axe, ready to finish his rival, only to turn and flee back to the encampment, pursued by the spears and lances of both clans, the battle forgotten at the sight of such cowardice and dishonor.

Igasho stood over the body of his father, surrounded by some of the older warriors of his own clan, while the disgusted enemy rode from the field. Respectfully, the body of the murdered warrior was placed upon his horse and promises of a proper burial made. Igasho had to trust them, for he knew returning home would mean death. Remounting Kohana, he watched his kinsmen carrying his father away. leaving him alone on the bloody field.

That night, he had stolen into the camp and to the tent of an old friend. There he found sympathy, but little else: Malek was chief and they had to follow him, no matter how much they hated him. Igasho had considered challenging Malek and killing him in a fair duel. Slowly shaking his head, he had let that idea go:without his friends' support, it would have been suicidal. The best they could do was to tend his wounds and provide him with all the food they could spare. His wounds tended and bundles collected and nothing left to say, he stalked out of the tent and melted into the night.

Kohana stamped the ground and his rider caressed the horse's strong neck, soothing them both. With a long sigh, he drew up his cloak tightly about him against the cold, whipping wind and, fiercely clutching his bronze tipped lance, the young Pazyryk warrior galloped away from his home, riding eastward across the great Siberian plain.

;

if you can find your story, I would enjoy reading it.

Stories of those who are different, and adapt enough to have some sort of productive/satisfactory (to them) life fascinate me.

rl

[Guest guest]

I found it and it is very short. I think it was an experiment in very short fiction, a full story in under 200 words or something like that. A very useful exercise really since it teaches one to be concise.

This story came to me while watching a documentary about ancient peoples. Part of that program was about a horse tribe that predated the Mongols. I can't spell the name now but it is in the story. I actually had a lot of requests to tell more of this character's story, but unfortunately, this seemed to be one of those "one off" stories that tell themselves and that's it, no more will come.

A Journey Begins

Storke

1999

A lone rider pause below the crest of a low ridge, careful not to silhouette himself against the moonlit sky, gazing back on last time at his homeland. Even at night the stark beauty of the endless, open plains awed him. His clan had always called this wilderness home, but now he had to leave it, forever. As his eyes came to rest on the faraway smoke rising above his people's encampment, a shudder of sadness shook him. Igasho, who from youth wanted to ride to the ends of the plains and see what lay beyond, did not want to leave like this.

His people were horse herders who depended on their horses for their lives, and wealth. His own father had raised the finest horses in the tribe, brining respect, and envy. When one of his herd produced the finest foal seen in years, the tribal chief wanted the foal for his own son. When they came to collect it, however, they found the foal, Kohana, had already deeply bonded with Igasho. The chief, being a wise man, knew when not to interfere with nature's will. Nevertheless, his son Malek coveted that horse and burned to have it, and schemed for years to take it. And so for years their fathers maintained an uneasy peace between the two feuding warriors.

But when the chief was struck down by illness and died and his son claimed power for himself, Igashio, long made an outcast by Malek's machinations, found his life in constant peril. Indeed, for during a battle with a rival clan, Malek struck. Owing to Malek's poor ability, his clan was losing, until Igasho and his father, riding side by side, struck into the enemy and turned the tide. shing his lance, Malek charged after the valiant pair, rallying warriors close behind. Time froze for an instant as Malek's lance pierced not an enemy, but the back of Igasho's father. A shocked hush claimed the battlefield, the sole movement being Malek hurling his spear at Igasho. Kohana's alertness saved his master, stunned with hoor and hate, from being impaled. Malek drew his axe, ready to finish his rival, only to turn and flee back to the encampment, pursued by the spears and lances of both clans, the battle forgotten at the sight of such cowardice and dishonor.

Igasho stood over the body of his father, surrounded by some of the older warriors of his own clan, while the disgusted enemy rode from the field. Respectfully, the body of the murdered warrior was placed upon his horse and promises of a proper burial made. Igasho had to trust them, for he knew returning home would mean death. Remounting Kohana, he watched his kinsmen carrying his father away. leaving him alone on the bloody field.

That night, he had stolen into the camp and to the tent of an old friend. There he found sympathy, but little else: Malek was chief and they had to follow him, no matter how much they hated him. Igasho had considered challenging Malek and killing him in a fair duel. Slowly shaking his head, he had let that idea go:without his friends' support, it would have been suicidal. The best they could do was to tend his wounds and provide him with all the food they could spare. His wounds tended and bundles collected and nothing left to say, he stalked out of the tent and melted into the night.

Kohana stamped the ground and his rider caressed the horse's strong neck, soothing them both. With a long sigh, he drew up his cloak tightly about him against the cold, whipping wind and, fiercely clutching his bronze tipped lance, the young Pazyryk warrior galloped away from his home, riding eastward across the great Siberian plain.

;

if you can find your story, I would enjoy reading it.

Stories of those who are different, and adapt enough to have some sort of productive/satisfactory (to them) life fascinate me.

rl

[Guest guest]

A good story, both for its moral and for its polished composition.

Administrator

I found it and it is very short. I think it was an experiment in very short

fiction, a full story in under 200 words or something like that. A very useful

exercise really since it teaches one to be concise.

[Guest guest]

A good story, both for its moral and for its polished composition.

Administrator

I found it and it is very short. I think it was an experiment in very short

fiction, a full story in under 200 words or something like that. A very useful

exercise really since it teaches one to be concise.

[Guest guest]

Thanks. I had a good editor at the time and it shows.

In a message dated 7/19/2010 11:00:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

A good story, both for its moral and for its polished composition. Administrator

[Guest guest]

Thanks. I had a good editor at the time and it shows.

In a message dated 7/19/2010 11:00:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

A good story, both for its moral and for its polished composition. Administrator