The International Chessoid Tomorrow's Muse Today !

T.I.C. reluctantly presents:

The recently discovered Edward de Vere production of

H.J.R. Murray in Hell

as performed by
The Little Company of Goddesschess PlayersO

Act i - Scene xiii (Yet another dark and stormy night in the endless tale of H.J.R. Murray's tormented soul - as we find it buried somewhere beneath the castle's south-facing parapet - clinging to a large book, floating precariously over brackish waters, naked, alone, in the cold, driving rain... etc., etc., etc...)

H.J.R.: Ouch! O.K!. Enough! So I lied - a bit - maybe... Ouch! So what if it was the Game of the Goddess after all!. One tiny little 900 page fib. But is that any reason to put me down here with the likes of Hislop, Henry Kissinger, Goebbels, Milly Vanillie and all these others? Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!.........

Goddess Avenger: Well, of course you know H.J.R, we, of The WEAVE, say - Yes! - and we aren't the only ones!! Nya ha ha hah ah aha ha and hoooiee! Pavle, fetch me my pitchfork please!

Pavle: As you wish - and with great pleasure, mon chou! I shall return anon...

(Pavle returns - but without the trident. Instead he is holding another object in his hand.)

Pavle: Regrettably madame, the trident is unavailable for your use at this time. It appears as though Mr. Culin and Mr. Pennick are in some dispute as to who will apply it next. They are casting lots to determine the issue even as we speak. Take instead this Pesh en Kef.

Goddess Avenger: Oh yes, the Pesh en Kef!! How delightfully and cleverly well chosen my dear Pavle. That will do very nicely all the same. Did you not say that this sacred implement once belonged equally to Inanna, Hermes, Thoth and Ganesha?

Pavle: No, that was not I madame, but the monumental matter has been foreclosed upon by others. Nonetheless, do you not make note of the deep resemblance between the Pesh en Kef and the al-pil of ancient Indian chess iconography? I am told it has great ceremonial significance among ancient Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek and Vedic traditions.

Goddess Avenger: I note it well. It is not foreign to me and for my immediate purpose will serve far better than any common trident. Now H.J.R. open wide and prepare to recite your 42 Negative Confessions.

H.J.R. I will confess nothing!

Goddess Avenger: Then you and your big book will fry like so many others. Tsk! Confess, or forever be regarded as the Darth Vader of Chess!

H.J,.R. Nevah! Better to rule in the dung of Historical Determinism than to serve the Goddess Archetype!

Goddess Avenger: So be it H.J.R. (sigh) We will try again tomorrow, and tomorrow and.... but, by Demeter! - I have had quite enough of your foolishess for one day. Now you and all these others here - Mr. Hegel, Mr. Marx - you too Casaubon - all of you stiff necked buffoons and overturned scribes - Bottoms UP! and back on your heads for another 23 hours!

(Aside: Such shenanigans! But, dear Goddess! I am almost late for my romantic date with a dark skinned pawn!)

Pavle: Not so, madame. Not by my watch. Indeed, you are never late with that - nor have ever you been known to be anything but early! It is only mere mortals who judge themselves and others by hands of the clock or rules of thumb. Little do they know...

Goddess Avenger: Well said, my good sir. By my troth, we have been at this game of judgement much longer than most clock punchers would ever dare imagine. Now my carriage, if you please Pavle - the elephant drafted one today in honour of your four-fold wisdom - and my cape of stars, if you can find it... An Indian Boy lingers and languishes - and we cannot keep him tarrying long!

Pavle: The elephants await! As for your cape, I search each alter for the clasp. T'was fair when I beheld it last. That much-borrowed bauble knows no dark, undistant past...

 

(To be continued - endlessly....)