《Jellyfish》作者： - Mike Resnick 【EPUB】

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1992 by Mike Resnick All rights reserved. First appeared in Isaac AsimovsScience Fiction Magazine August 1992. For the personal use of those who havepurchased the ESF 1993 Award anthology only.THE LOTUS AND THE SPEAR by Mike Resnick Once many eons ago there was an elephant who climbed the slopes ofKirinyaga which men now call Mount Kenya until he reached the very summitwhere Ngai ruled the universe from His golden throne. quotWhy have you sought me outquot demanded Ngai. quotI have come to ask you to change me into something elsequot answered theelephant. quotI have made you the most powerful of beastsquot said Ngai. quotYou need fearneither the lion nor the leopard nor the hyena. Wherever you walk all My othercreatures rush to move out of your path. Why do you no longer wish to be anelephantquot quotBecause as powerful as I am there are others of my kind who are morepowerfulquot answered the elephant. quotThey keep the females to themselves so that myseed will die within me and they drive me away from the water holes and thesucculent grasses.quot quotAnd what do you wish of mequot asked Ngai. quotI am not surequot said the elephant. quotI would like to be like the giraffe for thereare so many treetops that no matter where he goes he finds sustenance. Or perhapsthe warthog for nowhere can he travel that there are no roots to be found. And thefish eagle takes one mate for life and if he is not strong enough to defend her againstothers of his kind