I liked this story all right, not my favorite. I didn't care for the title which seemed to make the flute much more vital to the story than I really considered it. I don't disagree with Cutter's and eytanz's negative reactions, but I found it entertaining enough, particularly trying to figure out whether or not these mythical emotional source objects actually exist or whether they're just a figment of the religion. I like how open-ended the story is. I can see at least three valid interpretations:
1. The girl has no artifact. The girl is a good cook for the reason's her parents say. The artifacts may or may not actually exist, but in case, she does not have one.
2. These artifacts do have meaning, and the girl does have one, but the rival is just using a long con to get it. The rival has succeeded in wooing her to learn her secrets and dumps her at a later stage. In the retrospective section at the end, the narrator says that he has never returned to where the two of them live together, which seems to imply that they DO live together, but he never says whether he just assumes they have stuck together or whether he has evidence.
3. These artifacts do have meaning, and they do have the effect that they promised. But one of the aspects of the artifact of Appreciation is Newfound Love. Although these two consider themselves objective observers of their philosophy, the real appeal is that they can catalog and experience these emotions. But Newfound Love is such an appealing lure that by seeking it out they have caused themselves to abandon their general collecting pursuit because they Appreciate what they have rather than endlessly seeking what they don't. (This is the interpretation that I prefer, makes sense in context, and is amusing to me)
I read this one for the first time a few weeks ago in Cat Rambo's Near+Far story collection. Was interesting to hear it in audio, and to go through the story again. Since I knew how it ended I was watching for clues of it. Was particularly interested in the parent's reaction of encouraging sympathy which makes sense given what the rival was saying about him.
I did like that the ending was no-one made a big fuss about gay marriage.
Kind of gay marriage anyway--she might become male or neuter at some point in the future again. I'd think the interspecies aspect would be more problematic.