Vincent van Gogh SunflowersVincent van Gogh ReaperEdmund Blair Leighton Off
The student wizards had run back to the Great Hall, where Cutangle and Granny Weatherwax were still locked in the magical equivalent of Indian arm wrestling. The flagstones under Granny were halfmelted and cracked and the table behind Cutangle had taken root and already bore a rich crop of acorns.
One of the Granny led him out into the passage and around the corner to a window-seat. She sat down, leaning her broomstick against the wall. Rain drummed heavily on the roofs outside, and a few zigzags of lightning indicated a storm of Ramtop proportions approaching the city.
"That was quite an impressive display," she said: "You nearly won once or twice there."students had earned several awards for bravery by daring to tug at Cutangle's cloak .... And now they were crowded into the narrow room, looking at the two bodies. Cutangle summoned doctors of the body and doctors of the mind, and the room buzzed with magic as they got to work. Granny tapped him on the shoulder. "A word in your ear, young man," she said. "Hardly young, madam," sighed Cutangle, "hardly young." He felt drained. It had been decades since he'd duelled in magic, although it was common enough among students. He had a nasty feeling that Granny would have won eventually. Fighting her was like swatting a fly on your own nose. He couldn't think what had come over him to try it.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Amedeo Modigliani the Reclining Nude
Amedeo Modigliani the Reclining NudeAlphonse Maria Mucha SummerAlphonse Maria Mucha Spring
eminence. He represents his tribe in all his dealings with the outside world, which the average Zoon long ago gave up trying to understand. Zoon tribes are very proud of their Liars.
Other raceswill be people at will worry, yesno?"
"I expect Granny will come looking for me," said Esk, "but I don't think she will worry much. Just be angry, I expect. Anyway, I'm going to Ankh-Morpork. You can put me off the ship -"
"- boat -"
"- if you like. I don't mind about the pike."
"I can't do that," said Amschat.
"Was that a lie?" get very annoyed about all this. They feel that the Zoon ought to have adopted more suitable titles, like "diplomat" or "public relations officer". They feel they are poking fun at the whole thing. "Is all that true?" said Esk suspiciously, looking around the barge's crowded cabin. "No," said Amschat firmly. His junior over a tiny ornate stove, giggled. His three children watched Esk solemnly over the edge of the table. "Don't you ever tell the truth?" "Do you?" Amschat grinned his goldmine grin, but his eyes were not smiling. "Why do I find you on my fleeces? Amschat is no kidnapper. There
eminence. He represents his tribe in all his dealings with the outside world, which the average Zoon long ago gave up trying to understand. Zoon tribes are very proud of their Liars.
Other raceswill be people at will worry, yesno?"
"I expect Granny will come looking for me," said Esk, "but I don't think she will worry much. Just be angry, I expect. Anyway, I'm going to Ankh-Morpork. You can put me off the ship -"
"- boat -"
"- if you like. I don't mind about the pike."
"I can't do that," said Amschat.
"Was that a lie?" get very annoyed about all this. They feel that the Zoon ought to have adopted more suitable titles, like "diplomat" or "public relations officer". They feel they are poking fun at the whole thing. "Is all that true?" said Esk suspiciously, looking around the barge's crowded cabin. "No," said Amschat firmly. His junior over a tiny ornate stove, giggled. His three children watched Esk solemnly over the edge of the table. "Don't you ever tell the truth?" "Do you?" Amschat grinned his goldmine grin, but his eyes were not smiling. "Why do I find you on my fleeces? Amschat is no kidnapper. There
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Edgar Degas The Rehearsal
Edgar Degas The RehearsalEdgar Degas The Bellelli FamilyEdgar Degas At the Races
me, little one. It's only old Granny."
The hump didn't uncurl.
Granny bit her lip. She was never quite certain about children, thinking of them - when she thought about them at all - as coming somewhere between animals and people. She understood babies. You put milk in one end and kept the other end as clean as possible. Adults were even easier, because they did the feeding and cleaning themselves. But in between was a world of experience that she had never really enquired about. As far as she was aware, you just tried to stop them catching anything fatal and hoped that it would all turn out all right.
Granny, in fact, was at a loss, but she knew she had to do something.
ventured.
There was no perceptible effect.
"Eskarina Smith, if you don't behave this minute I will give you such a smack!"
Esk poked her head out cautiously.nasty wolfie fwiten us, den?" she hazarded. For quite the wrong reasons, this seemed to work. From the depths of the ball a muffled voice said: "I am eight, you know." "People who are eight don't curl up in the middle of the snow," said Granny, feeling her way through the intricacies of adult-child conversation. The ball didn't answer. "I've probably got some milk and biscuits
"There's no need to be like that," she said.
When Smith reached the cottage Granny had just arrived, leading Esk by the
me, little one. It's only old Granny."
The hump didn't uncurl.
Granny bit her lip. She was never quite certain about children, thinking of them - when she thought about them at all - as coming somewhere between animals and people. She understood babies. You put milk in one end and kept the other end as clean as possible. Adults were even easier, because they did the feeding and cleaning themselves. But in between was a world of experience that she had never really enquired about. As far as she was aware, you just tried to stop them catching anything fatal and hoped that it would all turn out all right.
Granny, in fact, was at a loss, but she knew she had to do something.
ventured.
There was no perceptible effect.
"Eskarina Smith, if you don't behave this minute I will give you such a smack!"
Esk poked her head out cautiously.nasty wolfie fwiten us, den?" she hazarded. For quite the wrong reasons, this seemed to work. From the depths of the ball a muffled voice said: "I am eight, you know." "People who are eight don't curl up in the middle of the snow," said Granny, feeling her way through the intricacies of adult-child conversation. The ball didn't answer. "I've probably got some milk and biscuits
"There's no need to be like that," she said.
When Smith reached the cottage Granny had just arrived, leading Esk by the
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Salvador Dali The Transparent Simulacrum of the Feigned Image
Salvador Dali The Transparent Simulacrum of the Feigned ImageSalvador Dali The Disintegration of the Persistence of MemorySalvador Dali The CrucifixionMark Rothko Orange and Yellow
'It's very patient and it never gives up. That's sapient pearwood you're dealing with. It'll let you think it's forgotten you, then one day you'll be walking along a dark street and you'll hear these little footsteps behind you – shlup, shlup, they'll go, then you'll start running and they'll speed up, shlupshlupSHLUP—'
'Shut up!'By late afternoon they came to the crest of a hill and looked down on the broad valley of the upper Smarl, the longest river on the Disc. It was already half a mile across, and heavy with the silt that made the lower valley the most fertile area on the continent. A few wisps of early mist wreathed its banks.
'Shlup,' said Rincewind. He felt Weems jerk upright in the saddle. shouted Weems.'It's probably already recognised you, so —''I said shut up!'Herrena turned around in her saddle and glared at them. Weems scowled and pulled Rincewind's ear until it was ight in front his mouth, and said hoarsely, I'm afraid of nothing, understand? This wizard stuff, I spit on it.''They all say that until they hear the footsteps,' said Rincewind. He stopped. A knifepoint was pricking his ribs. Nothing happened for the rest of the day but, to Rincewind's satisfaction and Weems' mounting paranoia, the Luggage showed itself several times. Here it would be perched incongruously on a crag, there it would be half-hidden in a ditch with moss growing over it.
'It's very patient and it never gives up. That's sapient pearwood you're dealing with. It'll let you think it's forgotten you, then one day you'll be walking along a dark street and you'll hear these little footsteps behind you – shlup, shlup, they'll go, then you'll start running and they'll speed up, shlupshlupSHLUP—'
'Shut up!'By late afternoon they came to the crest of a hill and looked down on the broad valley of the upper Smarl, the longest river on the Disc. It was already half a mile across, and heavy with the silt that made the lower valley the most fertile area on the continent. A few wisps of early mist wreathed its banks.
'Shlup,' said Rincewind. He felt Weems jerk upright in the saddle. shouted Weems.'It's probably already recognised you, so —''I said shut up!'Herrena turned around in her saddle and glared at them. Weems scowled and pulled Rincewind's ear until it was ight in front his mouth, and said hoarsely, I'm afraid of nothing, understand? This wizard stuff, I spit on it.''They all say that until they hear the footsteps,' said Rincewind. He stopped. A knifepoint was pricking his ribs. Nothing happened for the rest of the day but, to Rincewind's satisfaction and Weems' mounting paranoia, the Luggage showed itself several times. Here it would be perched incongruously on a crag, there it would be half-hidden in a ditch with moss growing over it.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Benjamin Williams Leader A Fine Day on the Thames
Benjamin Williams Leader A Fine Day on the ThamesAlexei Alexeivich Harlamoff The Flower GirlsAlexei Alexeivich Harlamoff Literary Pursuits of a Young LadyJean Fragonard The Swing
'Oh,' said Rincewind, deflating a bit. 'Oh, right. Right then. Good. Perhaps we'd better be off, then.'
He scrambled up and brushed the snow off himself.
'Only I think we should wait until morning,' added Twoflower.
'Why?'
'Well, because it's freezing cold, we don't really know where we are, the Luggage has gone missing, it's getting dark—'
Rincewind paused. In the deep canyons of his mind he thought he heard the distant rustle of ancient paper. He had a horrible feeling that his dreams were going to be very repetitive from now on, and he had much better things to do than be lectured by a bunch of ancient spells who couldn't even agree on how the Universe began —'Oh, shut up,' said Rincewind wearily. 'I don't suppose there's anything to eat around here?'
The giant stones were black and menacing against the dying green light of sunset. The inner circle was full of druids, scurrying around by the light of several bonfires and tuning up all the necessary peripherals of a stone rams' skulls on poles topped with mistletoe, banners embroidered with twisted snakes and so on. Beyond the circles of firelight a large number of plains people had gathered; druidic festivals were always popular, especially when things went wrong. Rincewind stared at them.
'What's going on?'A tiny dry voice at the back of his brain said: What things?'Oh, shut up,' he said.'I only said it's freezing cold and—' Twoflower began.'I didn't mean you, I meant me.''What?'
'Oh,' said Rincewind, deflating a bit. 'Oh, right. Right then. Good. Perhaps we'd better be off, then.'
He scrambled up and brushed the snow off himself.
'Only I think we should wait until morning,' added Twoflower.
'Why?'
'Well, because it's freezing cold, we don't really know where we are, the Luggage has gone missing, it's getting dark—'
Rincewind paused. In the deep canyons of his mind he thought he heard the distant rustle of ancient paper. He had a horrible feeling that his dreams were going to be very repetitive from now on, and he had much better things to do than be lectured by a bunch of ancient spells who couldn't even agree on how the Universe began —'Oh, shut up,' said Rincewind wearily. 'I don't suppose there's anything to eat around here?'
The giant stones were black and menacing against the dying green light of sunset. The inner circle was full of druids, scurrying around by the light of several bonfires and tuning up all the necessary peripherals of a stone rams' skulls on poles topped with mistletoe, banners embroidered with twisted snakes and so on. Beyond the circles of firelight a large number of plains people had gathered; druidic festivals were always popular, especially when things went wrong. Rincewind stared at them.
'What's going on?'A tiny dry voice at the back of his brain said: What things?'Oh, shut up,' he said.'I only said it's freezing cold and—' Twoflower began.'I didn't mean you, I meant me.''What?'
Monday, March 2, 2009
Arthur Hughes The Long Engagement
Arthur Hughes The Long EngagementArthur Hughes The King's OrchardGeorge Inness OctoberAlbert Bierstadt Valley of the Yosemite
but then we're threatened, also at a vast expenditure of magic-"
"Yes, I thought it would be something like seaweed," agreed Rincewind. "They certainly taste like seaweed would taste if anyone was masochistic enough to eat seaweed."
"-and then we're manhandled by guards and thrown in here-"
"Pushed gently," corrected Garhartra.
"-which turned out to be this amazingly rich room and there's all this food and a man saying he's devoting his us happy," Twoflower concluded. "What I'm getting at is this sort of lack of consistency."
"Yar," hardly be a sacrifice if we didn't, would it? But don't worry - it'll be comparatively painless."
"Comparatively? Compared to what?" said Rincewind. He picked up a tall green bottle that was full of sea grape jellyfish wine and hurled it hard at the Guestmaster, who flung up a hand as if to protect himself.
There was a crackle of octarine flame from his fingers and the air suddenly took said Rincewind. "What he means is, are you about to start being generally unpleasant again? Is this just a break for lunch?"Garhartra held up his hands reassuringly."Please, please," he protested. "It was just necessary to get you here as soon as possible. We certainly do not want to enslave you. Please be reassured on that score.""Well, fine," said Rincewind."Yes, you will in fact be sacrificed," Garhartra continued placidly."Sacrificed? You're going to kill us?" shouted the wizard."Kill? Yes, of course. Certainly! It would
but then we're threatened, also at a vast expenditure of magic-"
"Yes, I thought it would be something like seaweed," agreed Rincewind. "They certainly taste like seaweed would taste if anyone was masochistic enough to eat seaweed."
"-and then we're manhandled by guards and thrown in here-"
"Pushed gently," corrected Garhartra.
"-which turned out to be this amazingly rich room and there's all this food and a man saying he's devoting his us happy," Twoflower concluded. "What I'm getting at is this sort of lack of consistency."
"Yar," hardly be a sacrifice if we didn't, would it? But don't worry - it'll be comparatively painless."
"Comparatively? Compared to what?" said Rincewind. He picked up a tall green bottle that was full of sea grape jellyfish wine and hurled it hard at the Guestmaster, who flung up a hand as if to protect himself.
There was a crackle of octarine flame from his fingers and the air suddenly took said Rincewind. "What he means is, are you about to start being generally unpleasant again? Is this just a break for lunch?"Garhartra held up his hands reassuringly."Please, please," he protested. "It was just necessary to get you here as soon as possible. We certainly do not want to enslave you. Please be reassured on that score.""Well, fine," said Rincewind."Yes, you will in fact be sacrificed," Garhartra continued placidly."Sacrificed? You're going to kill us?" shouted the wizard."Kill? Yes, of course. Certainly! It would
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Pino THE DANCER
Pino THE DANCERPino SWEET DREAMSPino SENSUALITYPino MOTHER'S LOVE
wings, Twoflower peered up at the shapes of roosting beasts and tiny men-shaped dots that were somehow walking upside down.
This is a roosting hall, said the dragon in a satisfied tone.
As Twoflower watched, one of the shapes far above detached itself from the roof and began to grow larger...
in front of him in a cold blue flame that streamed in the wind.
He waved the other hand, drunk with terror and magic.
"Ebiris," he intoned. The sound froze into Rincewind watched as Lio!rt's pale face dropped away from him. This is funny, gibbered a small part of his mind, why am I rising?Then he began to tumble in the air and reality took over. He was dropping to the distant, guano-speckled rocks.His brain reeled with the thought. The words of the Spell picked just that moment to surface from the depths of his mind, as they always did in time of crisis. Why not say us, they seemed to urge. What have you got to lose?Rincewind waved a hand in the gathering slipstream."Ashonai," he called. The word formed
wings, Twoflower peered up at the shapes of roosting beasts and tiny men-shaped dots that were somehow walking upside down.
This is a roosting hall, said the dragon in a satisfied tone.
As Twoflower watched, one of the shapes far above detached itself from the roof and began to grow larger...
in front of him in a cold blue flame that streamed in the wind.
He waved the other hand, drunk with terror and magic.
"Ebiris," he intoned. The sound froze into Rincewind watched as Lio!rt's pale face dropped away from him. This is funny, gibbered a small part of his mind, why am I rising?Then he began to tumble in the air and reality took over. He was dropping to the distant, guano-speckled rocks.His brain reeled with the thought. The words of the Spell picked just that moment to surface from the depths of his mind, as they always did in time of crisis. Why not say us, they seemed to urge. What have you got to lose?Rincewind waved a hand in the gathering slipstream."Ashonai," he called. The word formed
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)