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Fantasy Fan, v. 2, issue 4, whole no. 16, December 1934
Page 58
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58 THE FANTASY FAN, December, 1934 which he had addressed and heeded his beckoning. His thoughts were always far away, and his prayers were offered to the pale fancies of dusk. Then one day past noontide Aphlar rose from his earthern chair and strode down the rock mountain-side. His eyes, heeding not the rotten, stone-walled city, held steadfastly to the river. When he drew near its muddy brink he paused and looked up the bosom of the stream. A small object floated near the rushes, and this Aphlar rescued with tender and curious care. Then, wrapping the thing in the folds of his robe, he climbed up again to his cave in the hills. All day he sat and gazed upon the object; rummaging now and then in his musty chronicles, and muttering awful syllables as he drew faint figures on a piece of parchment. That night the gibbous moon rose high, but Aphlar did not climb above his dwelling. Queer night birds flew past the cavern's mouth, chirped eerily, and fled away into the shadows. Many days passed before the council sent their messengers of murder; but at last the time was thought ripe, and seven dark-browned men stole away to the hills. Yet when that grim seven ventured within the cave they saw not the wise man Aphlar. Instead, small blades of grass were sprouting in his natural chair of earth. All about lay papyri dim and musty, with faint figures drawn upon them. The seven shuddered and left forthwith when they beheld these things, but as the last man tremblinly withdrew he saw a round and unknown thing lying on the ground. He picked it up, and his fellows drew close in curiousity; but they saw upon it only alien symbols which they could not read, yet which made shrink and quaver without knowing why. Then he who had found it cast i quickly over the steep precipice beside him, but no sound came from the slope below whereon it should have fallen. And the thrower trembled, fearing many things that are not known but only whispered about. Then, when he told how the sphere he had held was without the weight of a thing of stone should have; how it was like to have floated on air as the thistledown floats; he and the six with him slunk as one from the spot and swore it was a place accursed. But after they had gone a nail crawled slowly from a sandy crevice and slid intently over to where the blades of grass were growing. And when it reached the spot, two slimy feelers stretched forth and bent oddly downward, as if eager to watch for the ever winding river. Then End Subscribe to THE FANTASY FAN only a dollar a year Insure yourself of your copy on a limited number are printed and the supply does not last long Tell Your Friends About TFF Help to increase our circulation
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58 THE FANTASY FAN, December, 1934 which he had addressed and heeded his beckoning. His thoughts were always far away, and his prayers were offered to the pale fancies of dusk. Then one day past noontide Aphlar rose from his earthern chair and strode down the rock mountain-side. His eyes, heeding not the rotten, stone-walled city, held steadfastly to the river. When he drew near its muddy brink he paused and looked up the bosom of the stream. A small object floated near the rushes, and this Aphlar rescued with tender and curious care. Then, wrapping the thing in the folds of his robe, he climbed up again to his cave in the hills. All day he sat and gazed upon the object; rummaging now and then in his musty chronicles, and muttering awful syllables as he drew faint figures on a piece of parchment. That night the gibbous moon rose high, but Aphlar did not climb above his dwelling. Queer night birds flew past the cavern's mouth, chirped eerily, and fled away into the shadows. Many days passed before the council sent their messengers of murder; but at last the time was thought ripe, and seven dark-browned men stole away to the hills. Yet when that grim seven ventured within the cave they saw not the wise man Aphlar. Instead, small blades of grass were sprouting in his natural chair of earth. All about lay papyri dim and musty, with faint figures drawn upon them. The seven shuddered and left forthwith when they beheld these things, but as the last man tremblinly withdrew he saw a round and unknown thing lying on the ground. He picked it up, and his fellows drew close in curiousity; but they saw upon it only alien symbols which they could not read, yet which made shrink and quaver without knowing why. Then he who had found it cast i quickly over the steep precipice beside him, but no sound came from the slope below whereon it should have fallen. And the thrower trembled, fearing many things that are not known but only whispered about. Then, when he told how the sphere he had held was without the weight of a thing of stone should have; how it was like to have floated on air as the thistledown floats; he and the six with him slunk as one from the spot and swore it was a place accursed. But after they had gone a nail crawled slowly from a sandy crevice and slid intently over to where the blades of grass were growing. And when it reached the spot, two slimy feelers stretched forth and bent oddly downward, as if eager to watch for the ever winding river. Then End Subscribe to THE FANTASY FAN only a dollar a year Insure yourself of your copy on a limited number are printed and the supply does not last long Tell Your Friends About TFF Help to increase our circulation
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