Weber Franz, who swears by Cosmos, has to abandon ship just above a terrestroid planet and his impeller powerpack expires while landing him on the surface. Thus, he has no alternative but to risk death by sampling the air...
...which is warm and moist;
aromas of earth and life are pungent;
despite the sky-covering clouds, vision is clear;
"...a brilliantly feathered bird..." squawks. (p. 117)
Thus, four senses are addressed immediately and, very soon, the natives give him a feast of meat, vegetables, fruit and potent beer - so his life-long exile is going to be good? But what does the oft-repeated "teucan" mean? This short story, like Weber's short life, has an ending but I do not think that we an call it a surprise ending. Weber descended from heaven and:
"The god of life is reborn each year - but first, he must die." (p. 134)
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Weber should have realized he had literally fallen into the mythology of the aliens he was stranded among. And of how dangerous that could be for him.
Ad astra! Sean
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