The Warlock Rock by Christopher Stasheff Read Free Book Online
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
had thought them mere decoration," Gregory said.
"Nay, they are more. The more I rock, the more I grow; and the more I grow, the wider grow my wheels, till they shall touch the ground as I rock forward, shooting me farther and faster along my way; and the rear pair shall likewise touch and scoot me as I rock back. Thus shall I rock and roll about, full-grown and strong, and fit to pull full many a gig!"
"A small carriage? 'Twould be pleasant to ride in such a chaise," Gregory said wistfully.
"It will take time for thee to grow so big," Cordelia warned the horse.
"Not so long as thou dost think—for as I go about this dial, I shall make the time go faster for me!" Magnus looked quizzically at Fess. "He cannot truly make time speed, can he?"
"No, Magnus, but he can create such an illusion for himself—and will perhaps extend it to the people he meets."
"And he shall gain strength from their belief! So that for him, time will seem to go faster, and he shall grow the greater!"
"All rockers are in a rush to grow up," the horse informed them, "and therefore do I rock without ceasing, day and night."
"Yet they would seek to remain also things of childhood," Gregory pointed out, "as thou art."
"What a wondrous thing, to be a child grown!" Cordelia exclaimed in tones of wonder. Rod shuddered.
"It will indeed," the horse agreed, "and therefore do I rock around the clock." Fess exclaimed, "Full-grown human beings, with the independence and abilities of adults, but the minds and emotions of children? What a chaotic vision!"
Magnus stiffened. "Chaotic? Fess… do I detect outsiders' hands in this?"
"Maybe you do, son," Rod said slowly. "Maybe you do."
"Develop the inspiration," Fess suggested, "and see if you can formulate an hypothesis." Page 30
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Magnus was silent, deep in thought.
"I hesitate to offer a notion," Cordelia said, with that bashful manner of hers that almost guaranteed the other person would ask—and the rocking horse was no exception.
"What thought hast thou in mind?"
"Why, that thou couldst go more quickly an thou didst not depend upon these arcs of wood for travel, but did use thine hooves."
"What!" the horse cried, appalled. "Wouldst thou have me be off my rocker? For shame, damsel!"
"'Twas not well counselled," Geoffrey agreed. "What chance would he have against a full-grown horse?"
"Why, most excellent chance! Is not thy companion just such a one as I, yet full-grown?" The children grew wide-eyed, then turned slowly to Fess.
"In what sense do you mean that?" the robot asked carefully.
"Why, thou art no more real than I—only a model of a horse, and just as much a thing of crafting as I am! Yet thou hast grown, as I do strive to!"
"We are both artificial," Fess admitted, "yet there the similarity ends. My 'brain' is a computer, and yours is only a recorded pattern of responses imposed on you by the mind that engendered you."
"Fess," Magnus said, voice hollow with dread, "hast thou not but now described a program?" The great black horse was silent, immobile. Then he said, "That description is a horrendous oversimplification, Magnus."
"Yet the point is well taken," Gregory pointed out. "Do witch-moss crafters impose some form of program on their witch-moss toys?"
"Toys!" the rocking horse snorted, insulted. "I am no toy, but a thing of great moment!"
"Of many moments, an thou dost hold to a clock," Geoffrey said, eyeing the sundial.
"Nay, such a hobbyhorse as thou wouldst be far more than a toy—thou wouldst be a boon companion." Gregory pouted. "Where wast thou when I did yearn for thee, three years agone?" The rocking horse stared at him, taken aback.
"Peace, brother," Magnus assured him. "We all did wish for such a companion in our nurseries."
"Save Cordelia!"
"Save thyself an thou dost say so!" Cordelia retorted. "I did ride Magnus's hobby more than he did himself!"
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"Nay, they are more. The more I rock, the more I grow; and the more I grow, the wider grow my wheels, till they shall touch the ground as I rock forward, shooting me farther and faster along my way; and the rear pair shall likewise touch and scoot me as I rock back. Thus shall I rock and roll about, full-grown and strong, and fit to pull full many a gig!"
"A small carriage? 'Twould be pleasant to ride in such a chaise," Gregory said wistfully.
"It will take time for thee to grow so big," Cordelia warned the horse.
"Not so long as thou dost think—for as I go about this dial, I shall make the time go faster for me!" Magnus looked quizzically at Fess. "He cannot truly make time speed, can he?"
"No, Magnus, but he can create such an illusion for himself—and will perhaps extend it to the people he meets."
"And he shall gain strength from their belief! So that for him, time will seem to go faster, and he shall grow the greater!"
"All rockers are in a rush to grow up," the horse informed them, "and therefore do I rock without ceasing, day and night."
"Yet they would seek to remain also things of childhood," Gregory pointed out, "as thou art."
"What a wondrous thing, to be a child grown!" Cordelia exclaimed in tones of wonder. Rod shuddered.
"It will indeed," the horse agreed, "and therefore do I rock around the clock." Fess exclaimed, "Full-grown human beings, with the independence and abilities of adults, but the minds and emotions of children? What a chaotic vision!"
Magnus stiffened. "Chaotic? Fess… do I detect outsiders' hands in this?"
"Maybe you do, son," Rod said slowly. "Maybe you do."
"Develop the inspiration," Fess suggested, "and see if you can formulate an hypothesis." Page 30
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Magnus was silent, deep in thought.
"I hesitate to offer a notion," Cordelia said, with that bashful manner of hers that almost guaranteed the other person would ask—and the rocking horse was no exception.
"What thought hast thou in mind?"
"Why, that thou couldst go more quickly an thou didst not depend upon these arcs of wood for travel, but did use thine hooves."
"What!" the horse cried, appalled. "Wouldst thou have me be off my rocker? For shame, damsel!"
"'Twas not well counselled," Geoffrey agreed. "What chance would he have against a full-grown horse?"
"Why, most excellent chance! Is not thy companion just such a one as I, yet full-grown?" The children grew wide-eyed, then turned slowly to Fess.
"In what sense do you mean that?" the robot asked carefully.
"Why, thou art no more real than I—only a model of a horse, and just as much a thing of crafting as I am! Yet thou hast grown, as I do strive to!"
"We are both artificial," Fess admitted, "yet there the similarity ends. My 'brain' is a computer, and yours is only a recorded pattern of responses imposed on you by the mind that engendered you."
"Fess," Magnus said, voice hollow with dread, "hast thou not but now described a program?" The great black horse was silent, immobile. Then he said, "That description is a horrendous oversimplification, Magnus."
"Yet the point is well taken," Gregory pointed out. "Do witch-moss crafters impose some form of program on their witch-moss toys?"
"Toys!" the rocking horse snorted, insulted. "I am no toy, but a thing of great moment!"
"Of many moments, an thou dost hold to a clock," Geoffrey said, eyeing the sundial.
"Nay, such a hobbyhorse as thou wouldst be far more than a toy—thou wouldst be a boon companion." Gregory pouted. "Where wast thou when I did yearn for thee, three years agone?" The rocking horse stared at him, taken aback.
"Peace, brother," Magnus assured him. "We all did wish for such a companion in our nurseries."
"Save Cordelia!"
"Save thyself an thou dost say so!" Cordelia retorted. "I did ride Magnus's hobby more than he did himself!"
Page 31
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