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Conference noted::sf

Title:Arcana Caelestia
Notice:Directory listings are in topic 2
Moderator:NETRIX::thomas
Created:Thu Dec 08 1983
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1300
Total number of notes:18728

79.0. "Books: The Book of Weird" by ROYAL::RAVAN () Mon May 28 1984 14:23

One of my favorite obscure books, "The Book of Weird", by Barbara Ninde
Byfield, is "... a most Desirable Lexicon of the Fantastical, Trolls and
Vampires, Wherein Kings and Dragons, to say nothing of Elves and Gnomes,
Queens, Knaves and Werewolves are made Manifest, and many, many further
Revelations of The Mystical Order of Things are brought to light."

It is an entertaining collection of definitions, some factual and some
literary, for many of the elements of fantasy. A partial sample of
the contents:

	Witches lead disorderly lives, hate salt,
	and cannot weep more than three tears.

	Trolls eat people and, in times of famine, stones.

	Dragons drag; they are lazy, sluggish, and prefer
	to live on their reputations.

	Princesses are subject to evil stepmothers,
	but perform unsavory tasks well (kissing toads, etc.).

	Torturers reek of mutton, cold sweat, and rust.

	It is considered ill fortune if Ravens in residence
	suddenly move out.

	Elves are highly literate, and are fond of souffles, 
	omelettes, popovers, and champagene.

	Ogres have weak eyesight, flat feet, and children
	who are chronically adenoidal and round shouldered.

This book was never very well known and I expect it would be difficult
to come by, but if you're fond of fantasy it would be worth a trip to the
library to see if you can locate it. It was originally published as
"The Glass Harmonica".
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
79.1Glass HarmonicaPROSE::WAJENBERGTue Feb 18 1986 09:1920
    The Book of Weird does indeed deserve to be better-known that it
    is.  I don't know of any other book quite like it.  One might describe
    it as a short reference work for anyone who happens to wander into
    a romantic novel.  By the way, there was a typo in the blurb on
    the back.  It SHOULD read, "... a most Desirable Lexicon of the
    Fantastical, Wherein Kings and Dragons, Trolls and Vampires, to
    say nothing of Elves and Gnomes, Queens, Knaves, and Werewolves
    are made Manifest..."  They transposed two lines.
    
    I first read it around age 13, when it was still "The Glass Harmonica"
    and had to wait a decade or so to encounter it again.  (The first
    book was a library copy.)
    
    Sample:  "Dragons are large, terrifying reptiles which (A) you 
    find it necessary to slay in order to get what you want, but which
    (B) prove surprisingly mortal once you confront them.  After all,
    did you ever hear of anyone who, having met a dragon, DIDN'T slay
    it?"
    
    Earl Wajenberg
79.2mmm hmmm...CLT::BUTENHOFLord KalkinTue Feb 18 1986 13:1819
>                                                          After all,
>   did you ever hear of anyone who, having met a dragon, DIDN'T slay
>   it?"
>   
>   Earl Wajenberg

                     (* Spoiler, albeit vaguely mild *)
        
        Yes, as a matter of fact... Barbara Hambly's Dragonsbane.
        Excellent book on general principals (as, in fact, is everything
        she's written).  In fact, it's not the fact that it wasn't
        killed, but the reasons... and the results... which are
        interesting. 
        
        By the way, lest someone argue... the phrase I'm replying
        to was "didn't slay", not "couldn't slay".
        
        	/dave
79.3Why you always hear of Heros slaying Dragons.HYDRA::BARANSKINever Argue With An Idiot.Wed Feb 19 1986 17:031
Of course, the Heros who fail to slay the dragon, are never heard from!  :-)
79.4Darwin and the DragonPROSE::WAJENBERGThu Feb 20 1986 15:354
    Yes, the unsung, dragon-slain heros might be cited as a case of
    preternatural selection.
    
    ESW
79.5Dragons are an endangered species.LDP::BUSCHMon Mar 28 1988 16:1315
< Note 79.1 by PROSE::WAJENBERG >

<	After all, did you ever hear of anyone who, having met a dragon, 
<	DIDN'T slay it?"
    
Let's not forget "Barrel rider".



Bilbo Baggins, of course.  Actually, I was kind of sad to see the end of Smaug.
He really had character.

Dave
79.6SWAPIT::LAMQ ��Ktl��Wed Feb 14 1990 15:591
    Why was this book originally called the "Glass Harmonica" ?
79.7WhimATSE::WAJENBERGMember, Lewis &amp; Carrol ExpeditionThu Feb 15 1990 08:0411
    Probably sheer whim on the author's part.  It is, after all, a very
    whimsical book.  At the very end of one entry (on valets), she remarks
    that valets may be fond of the music of the glass harmonica.
    
    The glass harmonica, by the way, is a musical instrument consisting of
    several glass tubes or bowls, filled with various levels of water.  You
    play it by wetting your fingertips and rapidly stroking the rims of the
    bowls.  The resulting sound is almost electronic in its purity of tone. 
    I think it was invented by Benjamin Franklin.
    
    Earl Wajenberg
79.8"Here shines the mysterious light."LESCOM::KALLISPumpkins -- Nature&#039;s greatest gift.Thu Feb 15 1990 15:419
    The copy I picked up (used) was _The Glass Harmonica_, which sounds
    better than the newer title.
    
    I recall with some amusement a lot of the entries.  One about
    apprentices pointed out that one of their duties was to keep the
    amillary spheres well dusted, and observed that apprentices were
    not expected to know what amillary spheres were used for.
    
    Steve Kallis, Hr.
79.9I've heard a glass harmonicaNYSBU::LAMQ ��Ktl��Fri Feb 23 1990 15:577
    reply 79.7
    
    I have a friend who plays a glass harmonica, he & his wife play
    simultaneouly.  It give out an almost eerie sound, very similar to some
    sounds made by a synthesizer.
    
    k