Heradel
Bill Peters
Autarch
Posts: 2620
Part-Time Psychopomp.
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« on: September 28, 2008, 04:18:25 pm » |
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PodCastle Miniature 013: The Fable Of The OstrichBy Peter S. BeagleRead by Stephen Eley (of Escape Pod) Once upon a time, in a remote corner of Africa, there was a young ostrich who refused to put his head in the sand at the slightest sign of danger. He strolled around unafraid, even when lions were near, cheerfully mocking his parents, his relations, and all his friends, every one of whom believed absolutely that their only safety lay in blind immobility. “It makes you invisible, foolish boy!” his father was forever shouting at him in vain. “You can’t see the lion — the lion can’t see you! What part of Q.E.D. don’t you understand?”Rated G. Hakuna matata. (Except for ostriches.)
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JoeFitz
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« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2008, 05:47:21 pm » |
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Okay. Not bad. Didn't take itself so seriously and the moral was actually pretty insightful.
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Rain
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« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2008, 08:06:47 am » |
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Nice story but could probably benefit from being a few minutes shorter
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« Last Edit: September 29, 2008, 02:29:55 pm by Rain »
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eytanz
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« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2008, 09:18:40 am » |
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These fables are getting progressively longer, aren't they? At this rate, the sixth Beagle fable will probably have to wait for the next PC Giant slot.  Overall, the story was good, but it really felt like it was a five minute story streteched onto a 15 minute story. The moral, however, was brilliant, and very fitting. |
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« Last Edit: September 29, 2008, 09:25:23 am by eytanz »
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Hilary Moon Murphy
Palmer
Posts: 57
Proving the inherent superiority of purple hair
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« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2008, 02:02:52 pm » |
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I liked this one. It was funny and I was not expecting the moral.
Hmm
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Ocicat
Crazy Poll Cat
Hipparch
Posts: 1121
Anything for a weird life.
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« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2008, 04:20:21 pm » |
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I find the moral gives considerable insight into the current political race...
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ryos
Palmer
Posts: 60
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« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2008, 04:22:49 am » |
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Am I the only one who wants the moral to *not* be true? Stupidity always wins...say it ain't so! :p
I loved the eldest lion's reaction. "Who knew?" Who knew they would actually fall for it; who knew it would actually work? Of course, it wouldn't actually work, and the whole thing is utterly ridiculous. As a fable/grown-up children's story, it works very well.
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hatton
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« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2008, 07:28:54 am » |
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Unlike the other fables, I wasn't too big on this one. Sure, it was cute and witty and expressed the animal kingdom in an interesting way, but I can't see the lionesses not going through like gardeners in an ostrich-patch!
On a different note, has anyone noticed that all of the fables so far seem to have a message of impending doom and a single creature designated to try and save it's fellows?
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zZzacha
Peltast
Posts: 100
Did I just say that?
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« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2008, 07:47:08 am » |
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These fables are great! Great stories with very witty jokes, I love them.
Steve also does a great job with the reading, he gives such great character to the characters in the stories!
Can we expect more of these? Yes?!?
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It is never too late to be what you might have been.
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Rachel Swirsky
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« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2008, 01:14:04 pm » |
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One more.
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Windup
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« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2008, 10:40:38 pm » |
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One more.
OK, so we all need to be set for that "last cookie in the bag" sensation when the next miniature comes out...  |
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My whole job is in the space between "should be" and "is." It's a big space...
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zZzacha
Peltast
Posts: 100
Did I just say that?
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« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2008, 05:45:18 am » |
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One more.
OK, so we all need to be set for that "last cookie in the bag" sensation when the next miniature comes out... And hope that there will be more cookie bags like this one every once in a while |
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It is never too late to be what you might have been.
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MacArthurBug
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« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2008, 10:14:33 am » |
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Fabulous! I actually laughed in public. Normally I can contain it- this time I scoffed, I giggled, I burbled. I made people stare! Awesome!
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Oh, great and mighty Alasdair, Orator Maleficent, He of the Silvered Tongue, guide this humble fangirl past jumping up and down and squeeing upon hearing the greatness of Thy voice.
Oh mighty Mur the Magnificent. I am not worthy.
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Rachel Swirsky
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« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2008, 12:41:36 pm » |
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And hope that there will be more cookie bags like this one every once in a while Well, not from Beagle. That's all he wrote. I pitched to try to get four fables from another fairly famous (though not in our genre) writer, but have thus far run into a barrier with his agent. We may get one (and unfortunately, probably only one), but it's not really likely at this point. |
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stePH
Actually has enough cowbell.
Hipparch
Posts: 3124
L, do you know, gods of death love apples?
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« Reply #14 on: October 06, 2008, 09:50:25 am » |
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Fabulous! I actually laughed in public. Normally I can contain it- this time I scoffed, I giggled, I burbled. I made people stare! Awesome!
George Hrab's podcast makes me do that quite often. No EA story has yet, though. |
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God masturbates every time you kill a kitten.
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Zathras
Guest
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« Reply #15 on: October 30, 2008, 05:25:07 pm » |
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LIstened to all the fables today. This was my favorite. I can't imagine anyone else reading it. Perfect job on the reading, Steve.
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Unblinking
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« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2009, 12:53:56 pm » |
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I found it really hilarious when the lion kept calling him Lunch as a form of address, especially with an adjective in front like "Respectable Lunch". I had to laugh out loud each time I heard it, which got me some funny looks at Little Caesar's where I was getting a pizza. But isn't the whole ostrich head-burying just a myth? I mean, they'd suffocate themselves by burying their heads. And I couldn't imagine an ostrich "quickly" burying it's entire body in the ground. And if the lioness's are there to guard the old lion from attackers, where were they when the ostrich showed up? But if I stop asking questions and just accept it as a silly story, then I enjoyed it. Respectable Lunch, hehe |
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