There was a faint puff of smoke from the bottle, and a small genie appeared.
"You have freed me," it said, "so I'm obliged to grant you a wish."
It hesitated. "But I am not very powerful."
I nodded. "Of all things I need, give me the greatest you can."
Suddenly, I held a large mug of hot cocoa.
"No," the swordmaster said.
"One does not refuse the king," the herald said.
"I do. I will not train his soldiers or officers, I will not tell my students to join his army, I will not support his unjust war."
"You will regret this!"
"No," the swordmaster said.
The strongest knights went first. Large hands on the hilt, feet firmly planted on the stone, muscles bulging... The sword would not budge.
One by one they failed, knights and nobles.
They laughed when a maid walked up and patted the stone fondly.
"Sweetie, can you please let go for me?"
It did.
Yup.
"Help me," the duke said. "My physicians can't say what ails me, but I've lost all pleasure in what I used to enjoy."
The witch examined him, and paused over his hand.
"Nice ring. It is new?"
"A recent gift from the king. Why? Is it cursed?"
It was made to dampen cruelty.
"No," said the witch.
Thank you. I cut "None of" from that sentence but forgot to fix that.
"Help me," the duke said. "My physicians can say what ails me, but I've lost all pleasure in what I used to enjoy."
The witch examined him, and paused over his hand.
"Nice ring. It is new?"
"A recent gift from the king. Why? Is it cursed?"
It was made to dampen cruelty.
"No," said the witch.
*bows*
Not intended to be, but now that you mention it I can see how it can be read that way.
"I grant you one wish," the magic fish said.
"To eat my mother's pancakes again, just like when I was a child."
"Are you sure?"
"You think it frivolous?"
"No. But to grant it I must send you back to the child you were, with no adult memories."
"Would my life change?"
"You ask that every time."
"I grant you one wish," the magic fish said.
"To eat my mother's pancakes again, just like when I was a child."
"Are you sure?"
"You think it frivolous?"
"No. But to grand it I must send you back to the child you were, with no adult memories."
"Would my life change?"
"You ask that every time."
If you are eligible to nominate in the Hugos please vote in the Fan Categories!
It's a great way to give some love to people who are making wonderful things that are largely free. Podcasts, art, reviews, and many other things that build communities and enrich our lives.
"It's none of my business," the woman said, "but..."
The witch did not roll her eyes.
"...I heard you gave the baker's gal fangs, and claws."
"She asked."
"You've made her a monster!"
"Adding doesn't make you a monster. Removing does."
"Removing what?"
"Someone's right to be who they are."
In a lot of "classic" SF, robots and A.I.s can't lie.
The systems called "A.I." that have become popular the last few years frequently do tell untruths - it is an inescapable function of how they are built and trained.
The robot has come to this timeline to see what effects that has.
There was a shimmer in the air; all of a sudden a robot stood there.
"Hello," it said. "I am R-Todo. I come from an alternate timeline, on a research mission."
"What research?" I asked.
"The development of Artificial Intelligences like me was inspired by science fiction. We can not lie."
"Ah."
"Excuse me, your highness" the frog said. "May I implore you to give me a peck on the cheek?"
"Not a kiss?" the princess asked.
"I would not presume. A peck will turn me back into a prince for a day, so I can find a bow and arrows."
"Whatever for?"
"I'll kill the heron who's eating my friends!"
Every morning, the queen asked her magic mirror to show her the most beautiful person in the world.
The mirror replied "To whom?"
"The miller who made the flour for my bread," the queen would say, or "Whoever spun the thread my shawl was made of".
The mirror would show her, and she'd be amazed.
"Here you go," the guard said, "in you go with the others."
The door clanged shut behind me. The cell was quite crowded, a quite homogenous group of men looked at me.
How to say it in Latin? "Cur in carcerem es?"
"We are also time travellers," one said in English, "here to warn Caesar."
** Reposting this story I wrote last year.
#GnuTerryPratchett
**
"I will grant you three wishes," the genie said.
"I want you to agree with me," the man said.
"Very clever!"
"I want you to stay with me."
"Gladly!"
"Give me what I ask for."
"I already have!"
The man asked for many things, and while he didn't get any of them, he had company and validation.
Indeed. Thanks for letting me know.
Thank you, yes.
Throughout history, many methods of divination have been devised. From cards and tea leaves to intestines and flight patterns of birds.
You wouldn't think it is a field one can still innovate, but I'm creating a system based on the flick of cat ears.
It's not finished, but I enjoy the research.
Throughout history, many methods of division have been devised. From cards and tea leaves to intestines and the flight patterns of birds.
You wouldn't think it is a field one can still innovate, but I'm creating a system based on the flick of cat ears.
It's not finished, but I enjoy the research.
The mechanic removed the back plate and inhaled through pursed lips. "Who did this?"
"I did," the robot said.
"How?"
"I took one arm off, put in a wireless interface so I could still use it, and put it in a vice, then turned-"
"OK. Why?"
"I needed fixing."
"You are allowed to ask for help."
There used to be an old sign by the path, warning passers-by of the local sleeping willow, which would trap the unwary with fatigue, engulf them while they slept, and release them a hundred years later.
There was a new sign:
"This sleeping willow is full."
And a map of other locations to try.
"I bought this enchanted sword," the student said. "It glows in the presence of someone who questions their identity."
Buying such a sword was a strong hint, the swordmaster thought. "And it glows?"
"It glows regardless of how far away I am!"
"Ah. Is it a sword, or an identity doubt detector?"
Ssh, you'll wake them...
One can dream...
😁