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The Game of Rat and Dragon
Future humanity has found the secret of faster-than-light travel, but it comes with great dangers. To minimize these dangers, man can pilot ships through the up-and-out with cats as their partners. Underhill shares his mind with his cat-partner, the Lady May, and must travel to the terrible open places between the stars. Only by working together can they defend themselves and the ship's passengers against the dragons in the emptiness of space.
15 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1955
23 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Cordwainer Smith
227books312followersPseudonym of:
Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger
Linebarger also employed the literary pseudonyms "Carmichael Smith" (for his political thriller Atomsk), "Anthony Bearden" (for his poetry) and "Felix C. Forrest" (for the novels Ria and Carola).
Linebarger was also a noted East Asia scholar and expert in psychological warfare.
Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger
Linebarger also employed the literary pseudonyms "Carmichael Smith" (for his political thriller Atomsk), "Anthony Bearden" (for his poetry) and "Felix C. Forrest" (for the novels Ria and Carola).
Linebarger was also a noted East Asia scholar and expert in psychological warfare.
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March 12, 2023
Cordwainer Smith's The Game of Rat and Dragon first appeared in Galaxy Science Fiction in 1955 and became one of the most beloved and anthologized short-stories in all of science fiction - one prime reason: the central role given to cats.
Cordwainer frames his tale thusly: When ships travel well beyond our solar system, through far distant outer space, they encounter strange creatures, invisible to the human eye, called Dragons. Dragons will either kill humans or cause instant insanity. Dragons are formidable foes that can only be destroyed by intense light. Since Dragons move way too fast for human reactions, a quicker, more perceptive creature is needed to sense their presence � and this lightning fast creature is a cat.
The tale features four pinlighters, humans who are capable, via a special headset (Pin-set), to communicate telepathically with cats. Each pinlighter partners with one cat and these four teams will protect a spacecraft, the cats traveling alongside the ship, each in its own tiny capsule. Then, after given the order from their teammate, a cat will fire a stream of light (a kind of nuclear bomb) which, if successful, will destroy a dragon.
Much of the charm of the tale derives from the feelings each human has for their feline partner. Here the narrator reflects on the relationship a pinlighter by the name of Underhill has with his cat: “The Lady May was the most thoughtful partner he had ever met. In her, the finely bred pedigree mind of a Persian cat had reached one of its highest peaks of development. She was more complex than any human woman, but the complexity was all one of emotions, memory, hope, and discriminated experience � experience sorted through without benefit of words.� As perhaps to be expected, toward the end of the tale, when Underhill is in a hospital room, an attractive female nurse (back in the 1950s, nearly all nurses were women) isn't exactly thrilled about a handsome man of adventure being more concerned about a female cat than a woman.
And why the title The Game of Rat and Dragon? Here's the answer: the unseen deadly force out there in deep outer space is viewed as a dragon by humans but a rat by the cats. Which brings us to a key philosophic issue: since the cats sense a rat and humans sense a dragon, what is the true nature of this "something out there underneath space itself which was alive, capricious, and malevolent"?
Recognizing this force labeled “alive, capricious, and malevolent" could turn out to be our very first contact with an alien lifeform, might there be a more creative and productive way of dealing with it? True, so far the force has caused nothing but death and insanity but might this be a consequence of humans invading their dimension of space? Perhaps something like the Voyager 1 space probe could be sent. Just a thought.
And what is the nature of a dragon? It entirely dependent on a particular culture. In the medieval period in Europe, the dragon was likened to the devil, a bearer of evil and death. Yet in China, as the author was acutely aware, a dragon symbolizes good luck, strength, and health. With this in mind, we might see Cordwainer Smith has given us a tale of warning, cautioning humans that dealing with unseen, unknown forces in the universe is all in the perception. Perhaps humanity would be wise to view what we encounter in other worlds with humility and caution.
The Game of Rat and Dragon can be read online:
American author Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger aka Cordwainer Smith, 1913-1966
September 24, 2021
Crazy cats in space story. Well written, based on an interesting SF concept, and fun!
October 1, 2015
This short piece is a classic Golden Age science fiction story set in Cordwainer Smith's fascinating fictional universe. The author had a deep interest in psychoanalysis which is probably reflected in this work. It remains one of his very best stories. The Project Gutenberg edition uses the original magazine version which includes the illustrations.
December 12, 2023
"The Game of Rat & Dragon" (1955) by Cordwainer Smith. My favorite Smith classic, which is to say one of the best SF shorts ever. Hasn't dated one bit in well over a half-century. Meow!
Rereads: many. Don't miss!
Link to the original publication in 1955, Galaxy magazine (copyright expired):
Kindle edition, with original illustrations, which are fun
-- html ed.
Rereads: many. Don't miss!
Link to the original publication in 1955, Galaxy magazine (copyright expired):
Kindle edition, with original illustrations, which are fun
-- html ed.
May 23, 2014
This can't be taken on it's own without losing a lot. All of the stories about the underpeople, their place in the worlds and their eventual uprising, all tie closely together. This story reminds me so much of Niven, but in reality, I'm pretty sure I'm completely reversed on the subject. The best ideas are carried over into a grand scale, but wait... the grand scale is right here...
Like I said, these stories should never be taken on their own. They are short, but very broad in scope and implications.
Like I said, these stories should never be taken on their own. They are short, but very broad in scope and implications.
October 19, 2022
I'm a dog person, so cats are instinctively the enemy. I tend to avoid stories (and jokes and memes and puns and etc...) about cats. Hence, this is decidedly a bad place for me to start reading Cordwainer Smith.
I liked this set up, despite the cats, but I still thought the narrative was plain. Apparently, there's much more to this short story than I would have noticed on my own. Which is one of my favourite things about our Science Fiction Book Club. I enjoyed reading what others got out of this story more than I enjoyed the story.
For me, it felt like reading a description about this story was near enough to the same experience as reading the story. Perhaps I'd have enjoyed it more, then, if I hadn't read anything it before starting. Too late now for me, but perhaps not for you, which is why this review says practically nothing of worth.
It seems that this story fits into a larger universe of 'Instrumentality' stories and I would be keen to have a look further into those.
"After all these years, nobody knows whether we have souls or not."
"But I saw one once."
One last useless aside; I hadn't realised that Cordwainer Smith was a real person, a distinct author. I had mistakenly presumed it was one of Harlan Ellison's pseudonyms. Well, finding new SF authors is always great for adding bulk to Mount TBR.
I liked this set up, despite the cats, but I still thought the narrative was plain. Apparently, there's much more to this short story than I would have noticed on my own. Which is one of my favourite things about our Science Fiction Book Club. I enjoyed reading what others got out of this story more than I enjoyed the story.
For me, it felt like reading a description about this story was near enough to the same experience as reading the story. Perhaps I'd have enjoyed it more, then, if I hadn't read anything it before starting. Too late now for me, but perhaps not for you, which is why this review says practically nothing of worth.
It seems that this story fits into a larger universe of 'Instrumentality' stories and I would be keen to have a look further into those.
"After all these years, nobody knows whether we have souls or not."
"But I saw one once."
One last useless aside; I hadn't realised that Cordwainer Smith was a real person, a distinct author. I had mistakenly presumed it was one of Harlan Ellison's pseudonyms. Well, finding new SF authors is always great for adding bulk to Mount TBR.
September 20, 2020
This is a Golden Age of SF short story, which was nominated for Hugo in 1956, lost to a story by . It was by first meeting with SF by and I plan to read more by him. I read is as a part of monthly reading for September 2020 at The Evolution of Science Fiction group.
The story starts in the middle of the overall plot and we see a man wearing some kind of strange device used for pinlighting (a term we are not aware at the start), making it because of a girl nearby, whose only phrase was "Meow." As the story progresses (still on the first page), we see that pinlighting is done with a pin-set, it allows to see the whole Solar system and it is extremely exhaustive. Then we are spoon-fed infodumps what it is all about. I won’t open all cards, but there is a way of faster-than-light travel called planoforming and it has its dangers because in this version of hyperspace are monsters and pinlighting together with Partners is used to fight them.
A very unusual story for the 1950s, with an interesting reveal. Maybe a bit dated, but less than many others. Also I think the ending was too abrupt, but the story wet my interest in other works by the author.
The story starts in the middle of the overall plot and we see a man wearing some kind of strange device used for pinlighting (a term we are not aware at the start), making it because of a girl nearby, whose only phrase was "Meow." As the story progresses (still on the first page), we see that pinlighting is done with a pin-set, it allows to see the whole Solar system and it is extremely exhaustive. Then we are spoon-fed infodumps what it is all about. I won’t open all cards, but there is a way of faster-than-light travel called planoforming and it has its dangers because in this version of hyperspace are monsters and pinlighting together with Partners is used to fight them.
A very unusual story for the 1950s, with an interesting reveal. Maybe a bit dated, but less than many others. Also I think the ending was too abrupt, but the story wet my interest in other works by the author.
May 13, 2010
3.0 to 3.5 stars. A wild short story set in Cordwainer Smith's "Instrumentality of Mankind" universe. This story focuses on the telepathic connection between pilots and cats as they make interstellar travel safe by killing "dragons" with projections of light.
November 18, 2019
My introduction to Cordwainer Smith, recommended by a fellow S-F aficionado. This is a short story which originally appeared in the magazine, “Galaxy Science Fiction� [1955] (by the way, I’d recommend the Project Gutengerg original version, which is accompanied by contemporary illustrations).
the premise is that in Earth’s far future, it is possible to achieve faster-than-light speed in deep space, a process called “planoforming.�. To do so, a starship essentially becomes two-dimensional and thus has much less “drag.� Problem is, deep space is populated by beings, called “dragons,� that can destroy these ships Because of the Sun’s light, dragons are not able to inhabit our Solar System. Even with atomic weapons, the ships are helpless because the dragons� ability to detect and respond to these weapons is much faster.
To deal with this problem, fighter pilots are paired telepathically with cats (I kid you not), who fly small football-shaped ships equipped with miniature nuclear bombs, called “pinlight.� The humans are better at detecting the dragons and the cats are faster at fighting them. For the cats, you see, see the whole thing as a game of, if you will, “cat and mouse,� and thus see the dragons as “rats,� and thus prey.
In this story, four pilots, including two veterans, Underwood and Woodley, as well as a girl and a “priest� warrior, are paired with four cats (referred to as “partners,� giving them equal status despite the obvious species differences), each with its own personality. Pairings are random and different for each mission. The wiring for these connections is referred to as “pin-set.�
I very much enjoyed this story and certainly plan to read more of Mr. Smith’s works. And, of course, I now have even more respect for Vasco da Gamma and Zorro, my two cats (no wonder they’re so haughty and aloof).
the premise is that in Earth’s far future, it is possible to achieve faster-than-light speed in deep space, a process called “planoforming.�. To do so, a starship essentially becomes two-dimensional and thus has much less “drag.� Problem is, deep space is populated by beings, called “dragons,� that can destroy these ships Because of the Sun’s light, dragons are not able to inhabit our Solar System. Even with atomic weapons, the ships are helpless because the dragons� ability to detect and respond to these weapons is much faster.
To deal with this problem, fighter pilots are paired telepathically with cats (I kid you not), who fly small football-shaped ships equipped with miniature nuclear bombs, called “pinlight.� The humans are better at detecting the dragons and the cats are faster at fighting them. For the cats, you see, see the whole thing as a game of, if you will, “cat and mouse,� and thus see the dragons as “rats,� and thus prey.
In this story, four pilots, including two veterans, Underwood and Woodley, as well as a girl and a “priest� warrior, are paired with four cats (referred to as “partners,� giving them equal status despite the obvious species differences), each with its own personality. Pairings are random and different for each mission. The wiring for these connections is referred to as “pin-set.�
I very much enjoyed this story and certainly plan to read more of Mr. Smith’s works. And, of course, I now have even more respect for Vasco da Gamma and Zorro, my two cats (no wonder they’re so haughty and aloof).
February 1, 2013
I read this story in an anthology when I was about 12. Forgot the exact name & author, lost the book, spent the next 25 years looking for it. Re-reading it , I was swept away by the lyrical genius that characterizes Cordwainer Smith's work. Those stories you never forget? This is one.
May 21, 2020
An excellent Cordwainer Smith short story. He was just so damned good.
October 24, 2022
The Game of Rat and Dragon by Cordwainer Smith
During the 1950s there were many science fiction and fantasy stories featuring telepathy and other related powers, and this is one of them. The Game of Rat and Dragon was first published in Galaxy Magazine in 1955.
There is a passing reference to the Instrumentality, the governing or administrative body of most of mankind, so the tale is obviously set in the same universe as many of Smith’s other stories. There is no date mentioned in the story, but the Concordance to Cordwainer Smith by Anthony R. Lewis places the events which take place at around 9000AD.
Without giving too much of the story away, humans have already developed ‘planoform� spaceships which permit faster-than-light travel (it seems to be hinted that these vessels slip into two dimensions and travel ‘under� space between stars in short skips which cover vast distances). However convenient this method of travel may be, humans quickly discover that it comes at a price.
There exist malevolent creatures inhabiting underspace which appear to telepathic humans as the traditional dragons of folklore, and to telepathic cats as rats. These little-understood beings either destroy or deal a massive psychic blow to all on board the ship which renders everyone incurably insane. The reactions of human telepaths are simply not fast enough to protect them or anyone else from these attacks. However, once the dragons' weakness is identified, humans team up with telepathic cats (‘partners�) to fight the deadly denizens of underspace. Of course, you may be able to think of other animals which can react as fast as or even faster than cats, but the author liked cats, and so cats it was. And cats have had a close relationship with humans for millennia, so they were an ideal choice. The story states that no other terrestrial creature could fill the role of the telepathic cats, so they were also the only choice possible within the reference frame of this fictional world.
Telepathic humans are not always paired with the same cats, and they experience different reactions and have different relationships with various feline partners. Anyone who has owned several cats (can you own cats?) should be able to relate easily to the fact that there are huge variations between their individual personalities (My current fat and lazy feline certainly would not be suitable as a fighter against dragons!). The principal human male character enjoys a special bond with a particular female cat, and it is this relationship which adds an elusive layer of poignancy to the story, and becomes the focus for the ending.
This ending is somewhat cryptic, but seems to me to foreshadow the relationship between Lord Jestocost and the feline-derived underperson C'Mell some seven thousand years later in the Instrumentality chronology (See The Ballad of Lost C’Mell, first published in Galaxy Magazine in 1962). Such is the subtlety of the connecting strands between this author’s works.
The paperback version of this short story is a mere 24 pages in length, but Smith somehow managed to fill that small space with a complete alternate reality and highly incisive imagery which readers will likely find difficult to forget. Little wonder that it was nominated for a Hugo Award in 1956.
If you love cats and space travel, then this is the story for you!
Again, without spoiling the story for those who may not have yet read it, here are a small number of quotes from The Game of Rat and Dragon which may convey the atmosphere and flavor of the writing:
In the fraction of a second between the telepaths� awareness of a hostile something. Out in the black, hollow nothingness of space and the impact of a ferocious, ruinous psychic blow against all living things within the ship, the telepaths had sensed entities something like the dragons of ancient human lore, beasts more clever than beasts, demons more tangible than demons, hungry vortices of aliveness and hate compounded by unknown means out of the thin, tenuous matter between the stars.
What seemed to be dragons to the human mind appeared in the form of gigantic rats in the minds of the partners.
Usually the partners didn’t care much about the human minds with which they were paired for the journey. The partners seemed to take the attitude that human minds were complex and fouled up beyond belief, anyhow. No partner ever questioned the superiority of the human mind, though very few of the partners were much impressed by that superiority.
That’s the trouble with working with cats, thought Underbill. It’s a pity that nothing else anywhere will serve as partner. Cats were all right once you got in touch with them telepathically. They were smart enough to meet the needs of the fight, but their motives and desires were certainly different from those of humans.
It was sort of funny realizing that the partners who were so grim and mature out here in space were the same cute little animals that people had used as pets for thousands of years back on Earth. He had embarrassed himself more than once while on the ground saluting perfectly ordinary non-telepathic cats because he had forgotten for the moment that they were not partners.
He was lucky—he drew the Lady May. The Lady May was the most thoughtful partner he had ever met. In her, the finely bred pedigree mind of a Persian cat had reached one of its highest peaks of development.
His mouth moved heavily as he articulated words. “Don’t call our partners cats. The right thing to call them is partners. They fight for us in a team. You ought to know we call them partners, not cats. How is mine?�
During the 1950s there were many science fiction and fantasy stories featuring telepathy and other related powers, and this is one of them. The Game of Rat and Dragon was first published in Galaxy Magazine in 1955.
There is a passing reference to the Instrumentality, the governing or administrative body of most of mankind, so the tale is obviously set in the same universe as many of Smith’s other stories. There is no date mentioned in the story, but the Concordance to Cordwainer Smith by Anthony R. Lewis places the events which take place at around 9000AD.
Without giving too much of the story away, humans have already developed ‘planoform� spaceships which permit faster-than-light travel (it seems to be hinted that these vessels slip into two dimensions and travel ‘under� space between stars in short skips which cover vast distances). However convenient this method of travel may be, humans quickly discover that it comes at a price.
There exist malevolent creatures inhabiting underspace which appear to telepathic humans as the traditional dragons of folklore, and to telepathic cats as rats. These little-understood beings either destroy or deal a massive psychic blow to all on board the ship which renders everyone incurably insane. The reactions of human telepaths are simply not fast enough to protect them or anyone else from these attacks. However, once the dragons' weakness is identified, humans team up with telepathic cats (‘partners�) to fight the deadly denizens of underspace. Of course, you may be able to think of other animals which can react as fast as or even faster than cats, but the author liked cats, and so cats it was. And cats have had a close relationship with humans for millennia, so they were an ideal choice. The story states that no other terrestrial creature could fill the role of the telepathic cats, so they were also the only choice possible within the reference frame of this fictional world.
Telepathic humans are not always paired with the same cats, and they experience different reactions and have different relationships with various feline partners. Anyone who has owned several cats (can you own cats?) should be able to relate easily to the fact that there are huge variations between their individual personalities (My current fat and lazy feline certainly would not be suitable as a fighter against dragons!). The principal human male character enjoys a special bond with a particular female cat, and it is this relationship which adds an elusive layer of poignancy to the story, and becomes the focus for the ending.
This ending is somewhat cryptic, but seems to me to foreshadow the relationship between Lord Jestocost and the feline-derived underperson C'Mell some seven thousand years later in the Instrumentality chronology (See The Ballad of Lost C’Mell, first published in Galaxy Magazine in 1962). Such is the subtlety of the connecting strands between this author’s works.
The paperback version of this short story is a mere 24 pages in length, but Smith somehow managed to fill that small space with a complete alternate reality and highly incisive imagery which readers will likely find difficult to forget. Little wonder that it was nominated for a Hugo Award in 1956.
If you love cats and space travel, then this is the story for you!
Again, without spoiling the story for those who may not have yet read it, here are a small number of quotes from The Game of Rat and Dragon which may convey the atmosphere and flavor of the writing:
In the fraction of a second between the telepaths� awareness of a hostile something. Out in the black, hollow nothingness of space and the impact of a ferocious, ruinous psychic blow against all living things within the ship, the telepaths had sensed entities something like the dragons of ancient human lore, beasts more clever than beasts, demons more tangible than demons, hungry vortices of aliveness and hate compounded by unknown means out of the thin, tenuous matter between the stars.
What seemed to be dragons to the human mind appeared in the form of gigantic rats in the minds of the partners.
Usually the partners didn’t care much about the human minds with which they were paired for the journey. The partners seemed to take the attitude that human minds were complex and fouled up beyond belief, anyhow. No partner ever questioned the superiority of the human mind, though very few of the partners were much impressed by that superiority.
That’s the trouble with working with cats, thought Underbill. It’s a pity that nothing else anywhere will serve as partner. Cats were all right once you got in touch with them telepathically. They were smart enough to meet the needs of the fight, but their motives and desires were certainly different from those of humans.
It was sort of funny realizing that the partners who were so grim and mature out here in space were the same cute little animals that people had used as pets for thousands of years back on Earth. He had embarrassed himself more than once while on the ground saluting perfectly ordinary non-telepathic cats because he had forgotten for the moment that they were not partners.
He was lucky—he drew the Lady May. The Lady May was the most thoughtful partner he had ever met. In her, the finely bred pedigree mind of a Persian cat had reached one of its highest peaks of development.
His mouth moved heavily as he articulated words. “Don’t call our partners cats. The right thing to call them is partners. They fight for us in a team. You ought to know we call them partners, not cats. How is mine?�
May 22, 2016
In the future, humans cannot undergo the dangerous hyperspace journeys alone. The short story is more concept than narrative or character piece. The speculative elements and style are dated, and what functions as plot is, at best, bizarre. But the core concept is creative, oddball, and an unusual prototype of the companion/magical bond animal trope, as early examples go. This is impossible to take seriously, but it's a harmless way to spend a few minutes.
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May 16, 2013No one wrote like Paul Linebarger. Read all his stuff.
June 29, 2013
There is a hint of dragons and there are cats. What else can you ask from a science-fiction short story?
April 23, 2018
This is one of the 20 or so short stories I vividly remember despite them being ... well... short, one of the best examples of a category, and to-do-goodreads-shelf - science fiction featuring cats.
March 6, 2025
#Binge Reviewing all my past Reads:
#সর্বকালে� জটিলতম কল্পবিজ্ঞা�
বলতে বাধা নে�, এই গল্পটি ১৯৯৮ যখ� প্রথ� পা� করেছিলাম, মাথামুন্ডু একটুকু� বুঝত� পারিনি� পরাজিত হয়েছিলা� লেখকের ভাষা � বোধে� কাছে� এরপর ২০০১ সালে এক বন্ধুর সঙ্গ� shared reading করাকালী� গল্পটি� অন্তর্নিহি� দর্শ� বুঝত� সক্ষ� হয়েছিলাম।
Cordwainer Smith-এর লেখা The Game of Rat and Dragon বিজ্ঞা� কল্পকাহিনি� জগতে একটি অনন্যসাধার� সৃষ্টি� এট� শুধু প্রযুক্তিগ� ভবিষ্যতে� কল্পনা নয�, বর� মানুষে� চেতন�, প্রাণী� সঙ্গ� সম্পর্�, এব� যুদ্ধে� মনস্তত্ত্ব নিয়� গভী� অনুসন্ধান। গল্পটি মানব � বিড়ালের সম্মিলিত প্রচেষ্টায� মহাকাশযাত্রায় বিপজ্জনক পরজীবী প্রাণীদে� বিরুদ্ধে লড়াইয়ে� কাহিনি� তব� এর অন্তর্নিহি� স্তর বিশ্লেষণ করলে বোঝা যায়, এট� শুধু বৈজ্ঞানি� কল্পনা নয�, বর� মানুষে� নির্ভরতা, সম্পর্� � যুদ্ধে� বাস্তবতা নিয়� এক গভী� প্রতিফলন�
মানব সভ্যতা তখ� আন্তর্জাগতিক ভ্রমণে অভ্যস্ত। কিন্তু মহাশূন্য� এক ভয়ঙ্ক� শত্রুর আবির্ভাব ঘটেছ� � ‘Dragon� নামক এক পরজীবী প্রাণী, যারা অদৃশ্য � অতিপ্রাকৃত শক্তিধর। এদের বিরুদ্ধে লড়া� কর� সাধারণ মানুষে� পক্ষ� অসম্ভব, কারণ এর� মানুষে� মানসিক স্থিতিশীলত� ধ্বং� কর� ফেলে� সমাধান হিসেবে এক নতুন কৌশল আবিষ্কার হয়—‘Partners� নামে বিশে� প্রশিক্ষিত বিড়ালদে� সহায়তায� টেলিপ্যাথি� যোগাযোগে� মাধ্যম� প্রতিরোধ গড়ে তোলা�
গল্পের নায়�, Underhill, একজন ‘Pinlighter�, যা� কা� হল� এই যুদ্� পরিচালনা করা। তা� সহযোদ্ধা হল� একটি বিশে� বিড়াল ‘Lady May’। মহাকাশযাত্রা� সময়, তারা একসঙ্গ� কা� কর� এই ভয়ঙ্ক� প্রাণীদে� ধ্বং� কর� মানব জাতিকে রক্ষ� করে। তব� গল্পের গভীরতায� রয়েছে মানসিক সংযোগে� এক অনন্� মাত্রা—Underhill � Lady May-এর মধ্য� একধরনে� মানসিক � আবেগময� সম্পর্� গড়ে ওঠ�, যা সাধারণ মানব-মানবী সম্পর্কে� চেয়� আলাদা।
গল্পের প্রধান থিমগুল� দেখে নেওয়া যা� চলুন:
�. মানু� � প্রাণী� সম্পর্�: গল্পটি মানুষে� সহচর হিসেবে প্রাণীদে� ভূমিকা নিয়� একটি ব্যতিক্রমী দৃষ্টিভঙ্গ� উপস্থাপন করে। এখান� বিড়ালরা শুধুমাত্� সহকারী নয�, বর� তারা একধরনে� সমতুল্� যোদ্ধা এব� মানসিক সহচর� Underhill-এর মানসিক সংযো� Lady May-এর সঙ্গ� এতটা� গভী� যে, যখ� সে অন্য কোনো মানুষে� সঙ্গ� ঘনিষ্ঠ হওয়ার চেষ্টা কর�, সে অনুভ� কর� যে কিছু একটা অনুপস্থিত। এট� বোঝায় যে, আবেগময� সম্পর্� কেবল মানবীয় বন্ধনে সীমাবদ্ধ নয়—মানুষ � অন্য বুদ্ধিমা� প্রাণী� মধ্যেও তা হত� পারে�
�. যুদ্� � তা� মানসিক প্রভাব: গল্পের অন্যতম শক্তিশালী দি� হল�, এট� মহাকাশযুদ্ধে� একটি মনস্তাত্ত্বি� প্রতিফলন� Dragon-রা আসলে বাস্তব জীবনের সে� ভয়ানক শত্রুর প্রতী�, যাদে� বিরুদ্ধে লড়া� কর� শুধু বাহ্যি� শক্তির ব্যাপা� নয�, বর� মানসিক স্থিতিশীলতার� পরীক্ষা� Underhill-এর অভিজ্ঞতা বোঝায় যে, যুদ্� শুধু� শারীরি� লড়া� নয�, এট� এক গভী� মানসিক � আবেগগত সংঘর্ষ� বটে।
�. টেলিপ্যাথি � যোগাযোগে� নতুন ধারণ�: গল্পটি টেলিপ্যাথি� সংযোগে� মাধ্যম� নতুন ধরনে� যোগাযোগে� ধারণ� উপস্থাপন করে। বিজ্ঞা� কল্পকাহিনিতে টেলিপ্যাথি প্রায়শই ব্যবহৃ� হয�, কিন্তু এখান� এট� কেবল প্রযুক্তিগ� সুবিধা নয�, বর� সম্পর্কে� নতুন মাত্রা নির্দে� করে। Underhill এব� Lady May-এর মধ্য� যে যোগাযো�, তা ভাষা� সীমাবদ্ধতাকে অতিক্র� কর� অনুভূতির স্তর� চল� যায়� এট� বোঝায় যে, ভাষা� বাইরেও যোগাযো� সম্ভ�, এব� সেটি হয়ত� ভবিষ্যতে� প্রযুক্তিগ� � মনস্তাত্ত্বি� গবেষণা� বিষয� হত� পারে�
Cordwainer Smith-এর লেখা� অনন্� বৈশিষ্ট্� হল�, তিনি সহ� অথ� গভীরতাসম্পন্ন ভাষায় বি��্ঞান কল্পকাহিনি� বিষয়গুল� উপস্থাপন করেন� গল্পের ভিজ্যুয়াল বর্ণনা এব� চরিত্রগুলো� মনস্তাত্ত্বি� বিশ্লেষণ অত্যন্� দক্ষতা� সঙ্গ� কর� হয়েছে� গল্পটি শুধুমাত্� বিজ্ঞা� কল্পকাহিনি� রূঢ় প্রযুক্তিগ� দৃষ্টিভঙ্গির মধ্য� সীমাবদ্ধ নয�, বর� এট� একধরনে� দার্শনিক অনুসন্ধান। মানুষে� সম্পর্�, আবেগ, যুদ্� এব� অস্তিত্বের নতুন মাত্রা এখান� স্থা� পেয়েছে। এট� ‘Golden Age of Science Fiction�-এর গল্পগুলো� ম���্য� অন্যতম ব্যতিক্রমী সৃষ্টি, যেখানে শুধুমাত্� বিজ্ঞা� নয�, বর� মনস্তত্ত্ব এব� সামাজি� কাঠামো� প্রতিফলন� দেখা যায়�
গল্পের শেষে Underhill উপলব্ধ� কর� যে, মানুষে� প্রে� বা সম্পর্� তা� পক্ষ� যথেষ্ট নয়—Lady May-এর সঙ্গ� তা� যে গভী� সংযো�, সেটি� তা� কাছে সবচেয়� গুরুত্বপূর্ণ� এট� কেবল এক ব্যক্তিগ� অনুভূত� নয�, বর� একটি বিস্তৃ� দার্শনিক প্রশ্ন তোলে—প্রেম, বন্ধ�, এব� আত্মার প্রকৃত সঙ্গী কে? মানুষে� চেনা সম্পর্কে� ধারণার বাইরেও কি সংযোগে� অন্য কোনো রূ� সম্ভ�?
পরিশেষ� বলবো, কিঞ্চি� জটিল হলেও The Game of Rat and Dragon কেবল এক বৈজ্ঞানি� কল্পকাহিনি নয�, এট� মানুষে� অস্তিত্ব, সম্পর্� এব� যুদ্ধে� দর্শনে� এক অনন্� ব্যাখ্যা� Cordwainer Smith অত্যন্� দক্ষতা� সঙ্গ� মানব � প্রাণী� সম্পর্�, মহাকাশের ভয়ানক শত্র�, এব� মানসিক যুদ্ধে� গভী� দিকগুল� তুলে ধরেছেন� এট� কেবলমাত্� বিজ্ঞা� কল্পকাহিনি� ভক্তদে� জন্য নয�, বর� সাহিত্যি� এব� দার্শনিক দৃষ্টিকো� থেকে� এক আকর্ষণীয় রচনা�
যদ� কে� মানবিক সম্পর্�, যুদ্ধে� মনস্তত্ত্ব, এব� ভবিষ্যতে� যোগাযোগে� নতুন ধারণ� নিয়� চিন্তা করতে চা�, তব� The Game of Rat and Dragon অবশ্যই পাঠযোগ্য একটি গল্প�
পড়ু� � পড়ান।
#সর্বকালে� জটিলতম কল্পবিজ্ঞা�
বলতে বাধা নে�, এই গল্পটি ১৯৯৮ যখ� প্রথ� পা� করেছিলাম, মাথামুন্ডু একটুকু� বুঝত� পারিনি� পরাজিত হয়েছিলা� লেখকের ভাষা � বোধে� কাছে� এরপর ২০০১ সালে এক বন্ধুর সঙ্গ� shared reading করাকালী� গল্পটি� অন্তর্নিহি� দর্শ� বুঝত� সক্ষ� হয়েছিলাম।
Cordwainer Smith-এর লেখা The Game of Rat and Dragon বিজ্ঞা� কল্পকাহিনি� জগতে একটি অনন্যসাধার� সৃষ্টি� এট� শুধু প্রযুক্তিগ� ভবিষ্যতে� কল্পনা নয�, বর� মানুষে� চেতন�, প্রাণী� সঙ্গ� সম্পর্�, এব� যুদ্ধে� মনস্তত্ত্ব নিয়� গভী� অনুসন্ধান। গল্পটি মানব � বিড়ালের সম্মিলিত প্রচেষ্টায� মহাকাশযাত্রায় বিপজ্জনক পরজীবী প্রাণীদে� বিরুদ্ধে লড়াইয়ে� কাহিনি� তব� এর অন্তর্নিহি� স্তর বিশ্লেষণ করলে বোঝা যায়, এট� শুধু বৈজ্ঞানি� কল্পনা নয�, বর� মানুষে� নির্ভরতা, সম্পর্� � যুদ্ধে� বাস্তবতা নিয়� এক গভী� প্রতিফলন�
মানব সভ্যতা তখ� আন্তর্জাগতিক ভ্রমণে অভ্যস্ত। কিন্তু মহাশূন্য� এক ভয়ঙ্ক� শত্রুর আবির্ভাব ঘটেছ� � ‘Dragon� নামক এক পরজীবী প্রাণী, যারা অদৃশ্য � অতিপ্রাকৃত শক্তিধর। এদের বিরুদ্ধে লড়া� কর� সাধারণ মানুষে� পক্ষ� অসম্ভব, কারণ এর� মানুষে� মানসিক স্থিতিশীলত� ধ্বং� কর� ফেলে� সমাধান হিসেবে এক নতুন কৌশল আবিষ্কার হয়—‘Partners� নামে বিশে� প্রশিক্ষিত বিড়ালদে� সহায়তায� টেলিপ্যাথি� যোগাযোগে� মাধ্যম� প্রতিরোধ গড়ে তোলা�
গল্পের নায়�, Underhill, একজন ‘Pinlighter�, যা� কা� হল� এই যুদ্� পরিচালনা করা। তা� সহযোদ্ধা হল� একটি বিশে� বিড়াল ‘Lady May’। মহাকাশযাত্রা� সময়, তারা একসঙ্গ� কা� কর� এই ভয়ঙ্ক� প্রাণীদে� ধ্বং� কর� মানব জাতিকে রক্ষ� করে। তব� গল্পের গভীরতায� রয়েছে মানসিক সংযোগে� এক অনন্� মাত্রা—Underhill � Lady May-এর মধ্য� একধরনে� মানসিক � আবেগময� সম্পর্� গড়ে ওঠ�, যা সাধারণ মানব-মানবী সম্পর্কে� চেয়� আলাদা।
গল্পের প্রধান থিমগুল� দেখে নেওয়া যা� চলুন:
�. মানু� � প্রাণী� সম্পর্�: গল্পটি মানুষে� সহচর হিসেবে প্রাণীদে� ভূমিকা নিয়� একটি ব্যতিক্রমী দৃষ্টিভঙ্গ� উপস্থাপন করে। এখান� বিড়ালরা শুধুমাত্� সহকারী নয�, বর� তারা একধরনে� সমতুল্� যোদ্ধা এব� মানসিক সহচর� Underhill-এর মানসিক সংযো� Lady May-এর সঙ্গ� এতটা� গভী� যে, যখ� সে অন্য কোনো মানুষে� সঙ্গ� ঘনিষ্ঠ হওয়ার চেষ্টা কর�, সে অনুভ� কর� যে কিছু একটা অনুপস্থিত। এট� বোঝায় যে, আবেগময� সম্পর্� কেবল মানবীয় বন্ধনে সীমাবদ্ধ নয়—মানুষ � অন্য বুদ্ধিমা� প্রাণী� মধ্যেও তা হত� পারে�
�. যুদ্� � তা� মানসিক প্রভাব: গল্পের অন্যতম শক্তিশালী দি� হল�, এট� মহাকাশযুদ্ধে� একটি মনস্তাত্ত্বি� প্রতিফলন� Dragon-রা আসলে বাস্তব জীবনের সে� ভয়ানক শত্রুর প্রতী�, যাদে� বিরুদ্ধে লড়া� কর� শুধু বাহ্যি� শক্তির ব্যাপা� নয�, বর� মানসিক স্থিতিশীলতার� পরীক্ষা� Underhill-এর অভিজ্ঞতা বোঝায় যে, যুদ্� শুধু� শারীরি� লড়া� নয�, এট� এক গভী� মানসিক � আবেগগত সংঘর্ষ� বটে।
�. টেলিপ্যাথি � যোগাযোগে� নতুন ধারণ�: গল্পটি টেলিপ্যাথি� সংযোগে� মাধ্যম� নতুন ধরনে� যোগাযোগে� ধারণ� উপস্থাপন করে। বিজ্ঞা� কল্পকাহিনিতে টেলিপ্যাথি প্রায়শই ব্যবহৃ� হয�, কিন্তু এখান� এট� কেবল প্রযুক্তিগ� সুবিধা নয�, বর� সম্পর্কে� নতুন মাত্রা নির্দে� করে। Underhill এব� Lady May-এর মধ্য� যে যোগাযো�, তা ভাষা� সীমাবদ্ধতাকে অতিক্র� কর� অনুভূতির স্তর� চল� যায়� এট� বোঝায় যে, ভাষা� বাইরেও যোগাযো� সম্ভ�, এব� সেটি হয়ত� ভবিষ্যতে� প্রযুক্তিগ� � মনস্তাত্ত্বি� গবেষণা� বিষয� হত� পারে�
Cordwainer Smith-এর লেখা� অনন্� বৈশিষ্ট্� হল�, তিনি সহ� অথ� গভীরতাসম্পন্ন ভাষায় বি��্ঞান কল্পকাহিনি� বিষয়গুল� উপস্থাপন করেন� গল্পের ভিজ্যুয়াল বর্ণনা এব� চরিত্রগুলো� মনস্তাত্ত্বি� বিশ্লেষণ অত্যন্� দক্ষতা� সঙ্গ� কর� হয়েছে� গল্পটি শুধুমাত্� বিজ্ঞা� কল্পকাহিনি� রূঢ় প্রযুক্তিগ� দৃষ্টিভঙ্গির মধ্য� সীমাবদ্ধ নয�, বর� এট� একধরনে� দার্শনিক অনুসন্ধান। মানুষে� সম্পর্�, আবেগ, যুদ্� এব� অস্তিত্বের নতুন মাত্রা এখান� স্থা� পেয়েছে। এট� ‘Golden Age of Science Fiction�-এর গল্পগুলো� ম���্য� অন্যতম ব্যতিক্রমী সৃষ্টি, যেখানে শুধুমাত্� বিজ্ঞা� নয�, বর� মনস্তত্ত্ব এব� সামাজি� কাঠামো� প্রতিফলন� দেখা যায়�
গল্পের শেষে Underhill উপলব্ধ� কর� যে, মানুষে� প্রে� বা সম্পর্� তা� পক্ষ� যথেষ্ট নয়—Lady May-এর সঙ্গ� তা� যে গভী� সংযো�, সেটি� তা� কাছে সবচেয়� গুরুত্বপূর্ণ� এট� কেবল এক ব্যক্তিগ� অনুভূত� নয�, বর� একটি বিস্তৃ� দার্শনিক প্রশ্ন তোলে—প্রেম, বন্ধ�, এব� আত্মার প্রকৃত সঙ্গী কে? মানুষে� চেনা সম্পর্কে� ধারণার বাইরেও কি সংযোগে� অন্য কোনো রূ� সম্ভ�?
পরিশেষ� বলবো, কিঞ্চি� জটিল হলেও The Game of Rat and Dragon কেবল এক বৈজ্ঞানি� কল্পকাহিনি নয�, এট� মানুষে� অস্তিত্ব, সম্পর্� এব� যুদ্ধে� দর্শনে� এক অনন্� ব্যাখ্যা� Cordwainer Smith অত্যন্� দক্ষতা� সঙ্গ� মানব � প্রাণী� সম্পর্�, মহাকাশের ভয়ানক শত্র�, এব� মানসিক যুদ্ধে� গভী� দিকগুল� তুলে ধরেছেন� এট� কেবলমাত্� বিজ্ঞা� কল্পকাহিনি� ভক্তদে� জন্য নয�, বর� সাহিত্যি� এব� দার্শনিক দৃষ্টিকো� থেকে� এক আকর্ষণীয় রচনা�
যদ� কে� মানবিক সম্পর্�, যুদ্ধে� মনস্তত্ত্ব, এব� ভবিষ্যতে� যোগাযোগে� নতুন ধারণ� নিয়� চিন্তা করতে চা�, তব� The Game of Rat and Dragon অবশ্যই পাঠযোগ্য একটি গল্প�
পড়ু� � পড়ান।
November 26, 2018
This is not actually a review of the ebook but of the story in its original publication. The review is adapted from my earlier review of the October, 1955 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction, in which the story first appeared:
The last story in the magazine is the Hugo-nominated "The Game of Rat and Dragon" by Cordwainer Smith. In the far future, people travel between worlds on planoforming ships. But out in space lurk Dragons:
In the fraction of a second between the telepaths' awareness of a hostile something out in the black, hollow nothingness of space and the impact of a ferocious, ruinous psychic blow against all living things within the ship, the telepaths had sensed entities something like the Dragons of ancient human lore, beasts more clever than beasts, demons more tangible than demons, hungry vortices of aliveness and hate compounded by unknown means out of the thin tenuous matter between the stars.
Human telepaths, pinlighters, ride the ships, joined psychically to Partners, who are able to respond more quickly to the Dragons. The Partners are cats, who see what humans call Dragons as gigantic Rats. Humans and cats together can get the ships past the Dragons - usually. In this story, the human, Underhill, and his Partner, Lady May, might meet their doom.
The story is not only about the horror and wonder of pinlighting, but also about the relationship of humans and Partners. And, this being a tale by the very talented Cordwainer Smith, it is about language, as in the lovely sentence quoted above.
The last story in the magazine is the Hugo-nominated "The Game of Rat and Dragon" by Cordwainer Smith. In the far future, people travel between worlds on planoforming ships. But out in space lurk Dragons:
In the fraction of a second between the telepaths' awareness of a hostile something out in the black, hollow nothingness of space and the impact of a ferocious, ruinous psychic blow against all living things within the ship, the telepaths had sensed entities something like the Dragons of ancient human lore, beasts more clever than beasts, demons more tangible than demons, hungry vortices of aliveness and hate compounded by unknown means out of the thin tenuous matter between the stars.
Human telepaths, pinlighters, ride the ships, joined psychically to Partners, who are able to respond more quickly to the Dragons. The Partners are cats, who see what humans call Dragons as gigantic Rats. Humans and cats together can get the ships past the Dragons - usually. In this story, the human, Underhill, and his Partner, Lady May, might meet their doom.
The story is not only about the horror and wonder of pinlighting, but also about the relationship of humans and Partners. And, this being a tale by the very talented Cordwainer Smith, it is about language, as in the lovely sentence quoted above.
April 4, 2024
Ear read 2024 (0.5hr)
5/10 the premise is interesting but this short story is 80% world building. Yes this lends itself to the idea of the battle happening in the blink of an eye as the story seems to be too. But it would have been nice to have it fleshed out a bit more. Maybe follow the telepath on several of his journeys, maybe have a second half taken several hundred years later when they finally understand what was actually happening in those split second fights…and of course let us also know what happened to the little kitty’s future.
5/10 the premise is interesting but this short story is 80% world building. Yes this lends itself to the idea of the battle happening in the blink of an eye as the story seems to be too. But it would have been nice to have it fleshed out a bit more. Maybe follow the telepath on several of his journeys, maybe have a second half taken several hundred years later when they finally understand what was actually happening in those split second fights…and of course let us also know what happened to the little kitty’s future.
October 28, 2024
The sci-fi ideas in this short story are wild and pretty cool! Even though it was a tad over-expositiony, I enjoyed reading about them. I hadn't read a blurb before diving into the story so the twist with the Partners was a nice surprise, though I wish there had a little bit more about the human-Partner relationship. Actually, I generally wish there was more to the story...I think the ending was just too abrupt and kind of weak, so I feel a little unsatisfied. Overall though, looking forward to reading more by Smith.
February 2, 2018
The concept here is incredible and ridiculous in equal measure, but never to the point it seems like something that couldn't happen. That being said, the story suffers from what a lot of old SF does, too much, way too much exposition and description, and little care for characters. I just read the story a few hours ago and I do not remember anything about the characters besides their work. Definitely a plot and concept centered work. And a strange one!
August 15, 2020
Seminal Instrumentality Story
I have been a Cordwainer Smith fan (admit it, addict) since my early teens reading his stories in Galaxy. It's been decades since I read this one. It holds up, heck, it triumphs even now, in the 21st Century. I do wonder if Lady May was a prototype or inspiration for C'Mell. Find out for yourself - read this story and then track down more of his work, like The Dead Lady of Clowntown and The Ballad of Lost C'Mell.
I have been a Cordwainer Smith fan (admit it, addict) since my early teens reading his stories in Galaxy. It's been decades since I read this one. It holds up, heck, it triumphs even now, in the 21st Century. I do wonder if Lady May was a prototype or inspiration for C'Mell. Find out for yourself - read this story and then track down more of his work, like The Dead Lady of Clowntown and The Ballad of Lost C'Mell.
October 8, 2020
The Game of Rat and Dragon � Cordwainer Smith
If this is not part of a broader story line then this short-story needed to be converted into a novel. Fascinating concepts. Mental telepathic humans and .. cats, er, um, Partners.
“Underhill was always a little exasperated with the way that Lady May [his Partner ‘cat’] experienced things before he did.� ***
If this is not part of a broader story line then this short-story needed to be converted into a novel. Fascinating concepts. Mental telepathic humans and .. cats, er, um, Partners.
“Underhill was always a little exasperated with the way that Lady May [his Partner ‘cat’] experienced things before he did.� ***
September 6, 2021
I feel like this is an example of "timeless classic" right here. It was published in 1955 and could have been published this year for all I could tell.
Honestly, I had a friend say I should try out some stuff by Cordwainer Smith. And now that I have, I'm perfectly open to more of his longer work. This was great short fiction.
Honestly, I had a friend say I should try out some stuff by Cordwainer Smith. And now that I have, I'm perfectly open to more of his longer work. This was great short fiction.
January 23, 2024
I love Cordwainer Smith's take on space travel. For him space is a terror and mankind can barely survive the horror. This was a fantastically imaginative story. My only complaint is that it ended so abruptly. It was originally published in a magazine 1955, so perhaps he had a word limit. Great story.
Read
December 25, 2024From moon come from another galaxy come
fear was the rule
faight the rat alians and many enmey
faight the dream and gd parphan
telphathy the future and dream
take root to last
drink what cant have
and dream
dream to belive
to have faith and laugh
and gd story to dance
at another galaxy
at gd one
all at hand
dream come true
fear was the rule
faight the rat alians and many enmey
faight the dream and gd parphan
telphathy the future and dream
take root to last
drink what cant have
and dream
dream to belive
to have faith and laugh
and gd story to dance
at another galaxy
at gd one
all at hand
dream come true
August 17, 2020
A fun little story. My first time reading any Smith, and it was enjoyable. He put enough detail to imagine what was going on, and made the short format work well. The idea of telepathic humans and cats hunting space dragons was funny and yet worked well in this story.
April 11, 2021
Classic and for good reason. The length is ideal for the exposition -- too long and it would have fallen off its delicate balancing line where the Partners (and the concept of the Dragons/Rats, as well) either become too incomprehensible or too human like.
April 29, 2022
The only downsides to this short story are that it's far *too* short and that it ends rather abruptly. I would have happily read a whole novel about this! Fascinating concept, very well-written, great little story. 👍
January 5, 2018
A very fascinating tale, looking into the beauty of minds and thoughts.
And kind of about love.
And kind of about love.
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