Archivist note: This post is from an older recovered archive.
==Initial Post==
((Posted by Maggie Lynwood on May 26, 2010))
Maggie leaned back in her chair, puffing on her pipe contentedly, her hat tipped
lazily back on her head. What was left of the roast rabbit’s leg was hanging in tatters from the bone, a few stray potatoes and carrots crowded beneath it like refugees. The sky was just starting to lighten in the east, casting a soft gray pall behind the usual fogbank rolling in off the Vernian. Mr. Tenk was picking at his teeth with a fragment of bone and Pocket was smacking his lips contentedly.
It’s almost like family, Maggie thought wistfully, pulling her pipe out of the corner of her mouth and reaching across the table to snag another carrot out from under the roast. A muffled thump drew all three’s attention toward the opening that functioned as the forge’s door.
Tenk gestured at the other two and stood to go have a look himself, ducking out of sight and then returning a moment later with a small package.
“Wot’s that then?” Pocket asked, sitting up to reach for another sliver of roast.
“It’s from Pip.” Tenk said, untying the string and opening up the top of the box.
“Pip?” Maggie said languidly, stretching, “He ought to have joined us.”
Tenk gazed down into the box, his lips compressing in a firm, grim line. Slowly he closed it and tied it shut again, “Yes,” he said after a long moment, “Yes, he should have.”
==Comments (page 1)==
*Comment by Gabriell Anatra on May 26, 2010 at 11:40pm
Ew. A pound of flesh indeed.
makes a note to avoid making deals with the mayor if at all possible
*Comment by Grendel Footman on May 26, 2010 at 11:52pm
so that’s why he wanted the leg
*Comment by Valice Davi on May 27, 2010 at 12:39am
turns pail upon reading
O_O…!!!..uh…um…oh dear.
*Comment by Tepic Harlequin on May 27, 2010 at 2:41am
oh Mr Tenk! it’s very bad manners to eat anything that talks, you should always ask first, if it talks, you invite it to dinner, if it don’t, it is dinner….
*Comment by Cyan Icewolf (Cyan Rayna) on May 27, 2010 at 7:06am
When I read roast rabbit leg I didn’t think THE rabbit leg… Ewwww!
*Comment by Bookworm Hienrichs on May 27, 2010 at 7:48am
……
Note to self: Do not get on the Clockwinder’s bad side!
*Comment by Buffy McAuley on May 27, 2010 at 7:49am
Now that’s really having someone for dinner.
*Comment by Pippin Jollygoodfellow on May 27, 2010 at 9:11am
Pip took the spectacles Underby won from the mayor, and placed them inside a scarf, folded it over, and smashed it with a hammer. He stared at the scarf grimly.
Bill peeked over the flour covered counter. “What’s that then?” he asked.
Pip looked at him, but said nothing. He picked up the scarf carefully and placed it inside a small box, and closed the lid. “Here.” he said to Bill. “Take this to the clockwinder’s forge. Give it only to Mr Tenk.”
Bill took the box, and ran to the door. “Will there be a cookie in it for me?”
Pip stared at the boy.
Bill ran away into the night, and Pip walked to the back of the bakery and watched the flames in the ovens.
*Comment by Queer Hermit on May 27, 2010 at 9:11am
Father instructed me to go to Babbage and watch and learn from its citizens. I wonder if He foresaw this occurring. Cannibalism of the defeated is a known custom in the East in the backward regions. I must admit I am surprised to see it performed here.
*Comment by Father Ora Moonwall on May 27, 2010 at 9:15am
Cannibalism? It’s a rabbit.
When is your birthday? I shall purchase you a dictionary.
==Comments (page 2)==
*Comment by Emperor Crumb on May 27, 2010 at 9:22am
When I was a lad we would have tied him in chains, painted him with honey, and tossed him over the city wall. The minerbugs would have taken care of him in an afternoon.
These young people today don’t know how lucky they have it.
*Comment by Cyan Icewolf (Cyan Rayna) on May 27, 2010 at 9:43am
Father, it’s only a rabbit when it hops around on four legs and doesn’t speak… or well blow things up. I would think anyone wanting to eat me would be considered a cannibal too.
*Comment by Ianthe Farshore on May 27, 2010 at 10:04am
Waste not, want not!
*Comment by Sheryl Skytower on May 27, 2010 at 10:06am
did it taste like chicken?
*Comment by Softpaw on May 27, 2010 at 10:08am
..I..am going to be sick now..
*Comment by Jedburgh Dagger on May 27, 2010 at 10:11am
Webster says that cannibalism is “the eating of the flesh of an animal by another animal of the same kind”…
*Comment by Mr Underby on May 27, 2010 at 10:16am
See? No troll was consumed, so the clockwinder is off the hook in that regard.
*Comment by Cyan Icewolf (Cyan Rayna) on May 27, 2010 at 10:46am
sighs at people making technicalities on whether Furries are not considered people
So I would assume if Father Moonwall wanted the eat Mr. Tenk it wouldn’t be considered cannibalism either then?
*Comment by Father Ora Moonwall on May 27, 2010 at 10:51am
That would suggest Mr Tenk is not a man. Interesting suggestion. Perhaps I did not place enough importance on this story of “bone fever”. I shall pay him another visit after I check in on this Pip.
*Comment by Sheryl Skytower on May 27, 2010 at 10:59am
I think his replacement leg should have a machine gun in it.
just suggestin’
– ;)
==Comments (page 3)==
*Comment by Jedburgh Dagger on May 27, 2010 at 11:11am
It doesn’t say people, it said species. I didn’t say I agreed either, I was arguing the point of Cannibalism as defined by Webster.
*Comment by Cyan Icewolf (Cyan Rayna) on May 27, 2010 at 11:48am
wonders if Webster thought about Furries
I understand. Dictionaries seem to forget about other similar species.
((I know it wasn’t you but it’s fun to be argumentative sometimes :3 ))
*Comment by Queer Hermit on May 27, 2010 at 2:26pm
I agree with your argument Master Cyan. Shall we all agree to the term “sentient species” rather than animals. It makes it a touch more civilized which is the purpose of Babbage I should hope.
Father Moonwall, I was taught English in a girl’s finishing school in Britain. I *know* how to choose my words so that they have the greatest impact upon the hearer.
*Comment by Gabriell Anatra on May 27, 2010 at 2:38pm
Technically it isn’t cannibalism. It is, however, mutilation, and that’s almost as serious in most legal senses, at least in theory. In practice it seems to depend primarily upon money, power, and popularity.
I wouldn’t worry about it. If it is seen as legal . . well, you are a predator species that is known for eating people on occasion. Go with it. Provided you have the financial and social means to get away with it.
*Comment by Mr Underby on May 27, 2010 at 2:38pm
Miss Hermit, I’m afraid I must take issue with your referral to areas in the East which still commit ritualistic cannibalism as “backwards”.
Each culture has their own worldview, and until a great genius like Dr O invents a “worldviewometer” these views remain in the shadowy realm of the subjective, and certainly not in the crystal clear objective.
I would imagine many in these so-called “backwards” societies would see much in our culture which they would object to. Do your views trump theirs because we have air ships and steam power?
Ritualist cannibalism has a strong and varied history on this planet; perhaps it is unwise of one to chastise others before trying it oneself.
*Comment by Roland Dorchester on May 27, 2010 at 2:47pm
Are there laws in New Babbage related to this matter? How was the hobbling decided on, and did Mr Kuroe agree to it? It seems to me to be an enormous infringement on his personal rights. If the rights of an individual are thrown away when one is imprisoned, then we truly are barbarians.
This act was performed by all of us, without our consent.
*Comment by Cyan Icewolf (Cyan Rayna) on May 27, 2010 at 3:09pm
Well it does seem it was some sort of arrangement with Mr. Tenk and Mr. Kuroe had some sort of arrangement for it, but still eating it… Ewwwwww!
As for Sentient Species, Ms. Hermit, I do think that fits much better. Now if only we could tell Mr. Webster that one.
I am getting overly curious why he decided to eat a rabbits leg. I mean I have heard they bring good luck, well the non sentient ones, but never thought that eating it would transfer that luck… and of course it’s never lucky for the rabbit.
*Comment by Mr Underby on May 27, 2010 at 3:26pm
It is part of their culture.
*Comment by Grendel Footman on May 27, 2010 at 5:48pm
he may walk and talk, but is still made of rabbit I suppose
((no wonder there’s never any cow or chicken furries))
*Comment by Mr. Tenk on May 27, 2010 at 6:54pm
((its not like you would know about this unless you were invited. you would not understand.))
*Comment by Cadmus Lupindo on May 28, 2010 at 12:42am
Mmmm Hasenpfeffer. Long pig is not as good, but it will do when stranded on an island.
