100word sources

From: kmnellist_at_...
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2004 16:42:24 EST


I find that the Shah Nama has some good bits in 100word chunks. eg:

"I am Kawah, a blacksmith and a blameless man, and I sue for justice, and it is against thee, O King, that I cry out. Seventeen sons have I called mine, yet only one remaineth , for that his brethren were slain to still the hunger of thy serpents, and now they have taken from me this last child also. Spare him unto me, nor heap thy cruelties upon the land past bearing." The Shah feared Kawah's wrath, beholding that it was great, and he granted him the life of his son and sought to win him with soft words. 100

Kawah went to the market-place and related to the people all that which he had seen, and recalled to them the evil deeds of Zohak and the wrongs they had suffered at his hands. And he provoked them to shake off the yoke of Ahriman. And taking off the leathern apron wherewith blacksmiths cover their knees when they strike with the hammer, he raised it aloft upon the point of a lance and cried- "Be this our banner to march forth and seek out Feridoun and entreat him that he deliver us from out the hands of the Serpent-King."100

Then he caused a mighty club to be made for him, and he traced the pattern thereof upon the ground, and the top thereof was the head of a cow, in memory of Purmaieh, his nurse. Then he cased the standard of Kawah in rich brocades of Roum, and hung jewels upon it. And when all was made ready, they set forth towards the West to seek out Zohak, for, they knew not that he was gone to Ind in search of Feridoun. Now when they were come to Bagdad, which is upon the banks of the Tigris, they halted. 100

And Homer obviously had Heroquest:

Next, her shield Unearthly splendid, caught she up, whose rim swelled like the young moon's arching chariot-rail When high o'er Ocean's fathomless-flowing stream She rises, with the space half filled with light Betwixt her bowing horns. So did it shine unutterably fair. Then on her head She settled the bright helmet overstreamed with a wild mane of golden-glistering hairs. So stood she, lapped about with flaming mail, In semblance like the lightning, which the might, The never-wearied might of Orlanth, to earth hurleth, fury of thunderous-roaring rain, or swoop Resistless of his shouting host of winds. 96words

Caught she two javelins in the hand that grasped her shield-band; but her strong right hand laid hold on a huge halberd, Which terrible Eris gave to Ares' child to be her Titan weapon in the strife That raveneth souls of men. Laughing for glee thereover, swiftly flashed she forth the ring of towers. Her coming kindled all the sons Of Troy to rush into the battle forth Which crowneth men with glory. Swiftly all Hearkened her gathering-ery, and thronging came, Champions, yea, even such as theretofore Shrank back from standing in the ranks of war Against Achilles the all-ravager. 100words

To right, to left, with unreturning feet The Trojan thousands followed to the fray, The pitiless fray, that death-doomed warrior-maid, Followed in throngs, as follow sheep the ram That by the shepherd's art strides before all. So followed they, with battle-fury filled, Strong Trojans and wild-hearted Amazons. And like Tritonis seemed she, as she went To meet the Giants, or as flasheth far
Through war-hosts Eris, waker of onset-shouts. So mighty in the Trojans' midst she seemed, Penthesileia of the flying feet.
82 words

Then in their midst
He sang once more the imperishable deeds Of princely Achilles. All the mighty throng Acclaimed him with delight. From that beginning With fitly chosen words did he extol
The glorious hero; how he voyaged and smote Twelve cities; how he marched o'er leagues Of land; how he slew
Telephus In Thebe; how his spear laid Cyenus low, Poseidon's son, and godlike Polydorus,
And how he dyed with blood the river-streams Of Xanthus, and with countless corpses choked His murmuring flow, when from the limbs he tore Lycaon's life beside the sounding river; this he sang
99words

No man's strength
In fight could stand against him, nor in games Where strong men strive for mastery, where the swift Contend with flying feet or hurrying wheels Of chariots, nor in combat panoplied;
And how in goodlihead he far outshone
All Danaans, and how his bodily might
Was measureless in the stormy clash of war. Last, he prayed Heaven that he might see a son Like that great sire from sea-washed Scyros come. 74words

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