"Jack Vance - The Many Worlds of Magnus Ridolph" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

A: Because the steles of the other tumbles would surpass ours in size, did we not fight and win victories.
(Note: the stele is a composite tree growing in each tumble. Each victory is celebrated by the addition of a
shoot, which joins and augments the main body of the stele. The Rock River Stele is 17 feet in diameter,
and is estimated to be 4,000 years old. The Rose Slope Stele is 18 feet in diameter, and the Shell Strand
Stele is almost 20 feet in diameter.)

Q: What would happen if warriors from Frog Pond Tumble cut down Rock River Stele?

Sam 192 made no sound. His wattles blew out; his head bobbed. After a moment he turned, marched out
of view. Into the screen came a man wearing shoulder tabs of Commonwealth Control. He looked after
Sam 192 with an expression of patronizing good humor that Magnus Ridolph considered insufferable.

"The Kokod warriors are well known through the numerous sociological studies published on Earth, of
which the most authoritative is perhaps the Carlisle Foundation's Kokod: A Militaristic Society,
mnemiphot code AK-SK-RD-BP.

"To summarize, let me state that there are 81 tumbles, or castles, on Kokod, each engaged in highly
formalized warfare with all the others. The evolutionary function of this warfare is the prevention of
overpopulation on a small world. The Tumble Matrons are prolific, and only these rather protean
measures assure a balanced ecology.

"I have been asked repeatedly whether the Kokod warriors fear death. My belief is that identification with
the home tumble is so intense that the warriors have small sense of individuality. Their sole ambition is
winning battles, swelling the girth of their stele and so glorifying their tumble."

The man spoke on. Magnus Ridolph reached out, speeded up the sequence.

file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Ja...20Many%20Worlds%20of%20Magnus%20Ridolph.html (6 of 132) [10/18/2004 3:43:07 PM]
 THE MANY WORLDS OF MAGNUS RIDOLPH by Jack Vance




On the screen appeared Shadow Valley Inn - a luxurious building under six tall parasol trees. The
commentary read: "At Shadow Valley Inn, genial co-owners Julius See and Bruce Holpers greet tourists
from all over the universe."

Two cuts appeared - a dark man with a lowering broad face, a mouth uncomfortably twisted in a grin; the
other, lanky, with a long head sparsely thatched with red excelsior. "See" and "Holpers" read the sub-
headings.

Magnus Ridolph halted the progression of the program, studied the faces for a few seconds, then allowed
the sequence to continue.

"Mr. See and Mr. Holpers," ran the script, "have ingeniously made use of the incessant wars as a means of
diverting their guests. A sheet quotes odds on each day's battle - a pastime which arouses enthusiasm
among sporting visitors."