Contributed by Calvin Willruth
And it came to pass that before the sun was risen, the night orderly went forth out of his place to the abode of the birdmen and roused them in his turn.
And he said, "Tis the fourth hour and briefing comes before the dawn."
And he retreated in haste for he was wise in the ways of the birdmen.
And the birdmen cursed him loud and long, for his tidings were of no great joy.
For the Sweep cometh they knew, and only the keen were glad.
And the keen were few
And the keen grew fewer at the fourth hour of each day.
And there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth and great unhappiness in that place.
And a fear for their commissions was in them.
And they went.
And as they went there cometh unto them he of the great intellect who was known as the I.O.
But he was known by other names also
And one of the birdmen said unto him, "What is this thou hast done unto me?" "Wherefore hast thou beguiled me?"
And the I.O. said, "Thus is it done in our country."
And holding up a ribbon of blue and of gold he spake: "Fulfil this week and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve us another seven years."
But the birdmen trundleth of saying, "What manner of poppycot is this whereof he speaketh? The law of averages geteth us all in the end. So be it."
"Verily, verily", sayeth the others, "Amen."
For they were not happy in the service that day and the pouches of their eyes giveth witness.
And they went to the Holy of Holies called Briefing Room.
And as they entered therein, each in his turn looketh upon the wall which hath the map.
And behold, they looketh at the handwriting on the wall, for such it is.
And after each looketh at the lines thereon they sayeth one to another "This cannot be."
But soon one cometh among them known as Horseback who sayeth, "It is so."
And all is quiet as the tomb of the prophet.
And he gathereth his flock unto his bosom and speaketh earnestly of courses and of times and of D for dinghy damn you.
And they looketh upon his countenance but compreheneth him not.
But he is wise and comprehendeth for them all.
Then he sayeth, pointing to the map, "Behold this heap and this pillar which I have cast between thee and the Forts. This heap be witness and this pillar be witness that I shall not pass over this heap to them lest the petrol giveth out."
"For the A.S.R. maketh not light of early revillie."
And all that were there waggled their heads with gusto saying, "Verily, it is so."
And then the Horseback sendeth messengers before him to his brother Prune in the land of Raf.
"Forsooth," sayeth he, "The Spits will be welcome 'ers the sun setteth this day."
And it came to pass that he knew whereof he spake.
And the Horseback telleth them, "Begone, for the hour of pressing draws nigh."
And thus they goeth to the jeeps and the jeeps to the dispersals.
And some goeth to the small house in panic.
And others goeth to the big house in greater panic.
And the head birdan chooseth his flock for the day and some he husbandeth for yet another day.
And some whom he leaveth behind secretly rejoiceth and praise the Lord.
And those who goeth are called one's and two's and are given colors by which each knoweth the other.
And the number one shareth his jam and cocoa with the number two saying, "The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another."
And thus they drank saying, "Cheers", one to the other.
And it came to pass that each of the birdmen went forth to his bird and was amazed at what was contained therein.
But at the hour of pressing each of the winged monsters draweth the breath of life and thundereth forth in power and majesty; save one which goeth not.
And the birdman there beateth it with his hands and kicketh it with his feet but it goeth not.
Thus he stayeth home and writeth the necessary forms.
But all else goeth to the proper place to fly away and he of the checkered flag sendeth them off.
And all flyeth off save one who prangeth for lack of revs.
"Woe betide he who prangeth," sayeth the words of the prophet. "For he curseth himself and his children and his children's children.
And the birds went on their journey and come to the land of the people of the east, and all was serene.
And he who is known as Colgate talketh to Horseback of ten plus and twenty plus.
But the others ignore him thinking he speaketh of the balloon barrage and chuckleth each to himself.
And it came to pass the the Fourth were clobbered beyond the heap as was the custom in those days.
But all was serene with our birdmen.
And someone sayeth, "Thou hast a Focke Wulf on thy tail."
And each of the birdmen goeth this way and that way to see whereof he speaketh and each is lost unto the others.
And one sayeth, "Where are thou, Red one?"
And the other replyeth, "Lo!" I spinneth out and am lost unto thee."
And another sayeth, "Whither goest thou, Red one?"
And Red one answereth, "Home, for my cockpit hath smoke."
And yet another talketh of homings.
And the Horseback sayeth, "Whence be ye? For 'tis the time the big friends (for as such they were known as in those days) be gathered together and shepherded to the waters."
But the others heareth him not or heedeth him not, for each thinketh only of getting the hell out of that place.
And they goeth home by divers routes, each roosting in his own good time.
And again they gathereth unto the Holy of Holies where Horseback telleth them of the bad show.
And he giveth them hell in general.
So be it.