Monday, 10 May 2021

Home

"Gypsy." (And an interior illustration from Astounding, January 1950.)

Where Erling lives:

a small stone and timber house; 
sand sloping to the sea;
windy trees;
lawns;
gardens;
cultivated fields;
boathouse;
dock;
sailboat;
wife, Alanna;
young sons, Einar and Mike;
leaping fire;
dancing, chuckling flames;
ruddy glow;
whistling wind rattling the door;
roaring sea;
Erling's story of his space voyage - sun-seared One, misty jungled Two, dry mountainous Four, civilized Five, desolate outer planets, stars beyond;
wind singing outside a warm dry house;
memories of old times in the Traveler...

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I like that interior illustration for "Gypsy," for ASTOUNDING, Jan. 1950. Just as I like the illustration you found for the magazine version of HUNTERS OF THE SKY CAVE.

Erling had no rational reason for being dissatisfied with Harbor! That stellar system not only had a VERY terrestroid planet, one of the other planets was the home of another intelligent race. There should have been centuries worth of work, exploration, and discovery in that system alone.

Ad astra! Sean