initial commit of ebook 23767HEADmain

1 files changed, 841 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/23767.txt b/23767.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..772241f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/23767.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,841 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Talkative Tree, by Horace Brown Fyfe
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Talkative Tree
+
+Author: Horace Brown Fyfe
+
+Release Date: December 8, 2007 [EBook #23767]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALKATIVE TREE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Jana Srna and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+By H. B. Fyfe
+
+
+THE TALKATIVE TREE
+
+
+    Dang vines! Beats all how some plants
+    have no manners--but what do you expect,
+    when they used to be men!
+
+
+All things considered--the obscure star, the undetermined damage to the
+stellar drive and the way the small planet's murky atmosphere defied
+precision scanners--the pilot made a reasonably good landing. Despite
+sour feelings for the space service of Haurtoz, steward Peter Kolin had
+to admit that casualties might have been far worse.
+
+Chief Steward Slichow led his little command, less two third-class
+ration keepers thought to have been trapped in the lower hold, to a
+point two hundred meters from the steaming hull of the _Peace State_. He
+lined them up as if on parade. Kolin made himself inconspicuous.
+
+"Since the crew will be on emergency watches repairing the damage,"
+announced the Chief in clipped, aggressive tones, "I have volunteered my
+section for preliminary scouting, as is suitable. It may be useful to
+discover temporary sources in this area of natural foods."
+
+_Volunteered HIS section!_ thought Kolin rebelliously.
+
+_Like the Supreme Director of Haurtoz! Being conscripted into this
+idiotic space fleet that never fights is bad enough without a tin god on
+jets like Slichow!_
+
+Prudently, he did not express this resentment overtly.
+
+His well-schooled features revealed no trace of the idea--or of any
+other idea. The Planetary State of Haurtoz had been organized some
+fifteen light-years from old Earth, but many of the home world's less
+kindly techniques had been employed. Lack of complete loyalty to the
+state was likely to result in a siege of treatment that left the subject
+suitably "re-personalized." Kolin had heard of instances wherein mere
+unenthusiastic posture had betrayed intentions to harbor treasonable
+thoughts.
+
+"You will scout in five details of three persons each," Chief Slichow
+said. "Every hour, each detail will send one person in to report, and he
+will be replaced by one of the five I shall keep here to issue rations."
+
+Kolin permitted himself to wonder when anyone might get some rest, but
+assumed a mildly willing look. (Too eager an attitude could arouse
+suspicion of disguising an improper viewpoint.) The maintenance of a
+proper viewpoint was a necessity if the Planetary State were to survive
+the hostile plots of Earth and the latter's decadent colonies. That, at
+least, was the official line.
+
+Kolin found himself in a group with Jak Ammet, a third cook, and Eva
+Yrtok, powdered foods storekeeper. Since the crew would be eating
+packaged rations during repairs, Yrtok could be spared to command a
+scout detail.
+
+Each scout was issued a rocket pistol and a plastic water tube. Chief
+Slichow emphasized that the keepers of rations could hardly, in an
+emergency, give even the appearance of favoring themselves in regard to
+food. They would go without. Kolin maintained a standard expression as
+the Chief's sharp stare measured them.
+
+Yrtok, a dark, lean-faced girl, led the way with a quiet monosyllable.
+She carried the small radio they would be permitted to use for messages
+of utmost urgency. Ammet followed, and Kolin brought up the rear.
+
+                   *       *       *       *       *
+
+To reach their assigned sector, they had to climb a forbidding ridge of
+rock within half a kilometer. Only a sparse creeper grew along their
+way, its elongated leaves shimmering with bronze-green reflections
+against a stony surface; but when they topped the ridge a thick forest
+was in sight.
+
+Yrtok and Ammet paused momentarily before descending.
+
+Kolin shared their sense of isolation. They would be out of sight of
+authority and responsible for their own actions. It was a strange
+sensation.
+
+They marched down into the valley at a brisk pace, becoming more aware
+of the clouds and atmospheric haze. Distant objects seemed blurred by
+the mist, taking on a somber, brooding grayness. For all Kolin could
+tell, he and the others were isolated in a world bounded by the rocky
+ridge behind them and a semi-circle of damp trees and bushes several
+hundred meters away. He suspected that the hills rising mistily ahead
+were part of a continuous slope, but could not be sure.
+
+Yrtok led the way along the most nearly level ground. Low creepers
+became more plentiful, interspersed with scrubby thickets of tangled,
+spike-armored bushes. Occasionally, small flying things flickered among
+the foliage. Once, a shrub puffed out an enormous cloud of tiny spores.
+
+"Be a job to find anything edible here," grunted Ammet, and Kolin
+agreed.
+
+Finally, after a longer hike than he had anticipated, they approached
+the edge of the deceptively distant forest. Yrtok paused to examine some
+purple berries glistening dangerously on a low shrub. Kolin regarded the
+trees with misgiving.
+
+"Looks as tough to get through as a tropical jungle," he remarked.
+
+"I think the stuff puts out shoots that grow back into the ground to
+root as they spread," said the woman. "Maybe we can find a way through."
+
+In two or three minutes, they reached the abrupt border of the
+odd-looking trees.
+
+Except for one thick trunked giant, all of them were about the same
+height. They craned their necks to estimate the altitude of the monster,
+but the top was hidden by the wide spread of branches. The depths behind
+it looked dark and impenetrable.
+
+"We'd better explore along the edge," decided Yrtok. "Ammet, now is the
+time to go back and tell the Chief which way we're--_Ammet!_"
+
+Kolin looked over his shoulder. Fifty meters away, Ammet sat beside the
+bush with the purple berries, utterly relaxed.
+
+"He must have tasted some!" exclaimed Kolin. "I'll see how he is."
+
+He ran back to the cook and shook him by the shoulder. Ammet's head
+lolled loosely to one side. His rather heavy features were vacant,
+lending him a doped appearance. Kolin straightened up and beckoned to
+Yrtok.
+
+For some reason, he had trouble attracting her attention. Then he
+noticed that she was kneeling.
+
+"Hope she didn't eat some stupid thing too!" he grumbled, trotting back.
+
+As he reached her, whatever Yrtok was examining came to life and scooted
+into the underbrush with a flash of greenish fur. All Kolin saw was that
+it had several legs too many.
+
+He pulled Yrtok to her feet. She pawed at him weakly, eyes as vacant as
+Ammet's. When he let go in sudden horror, she folded gently to the
+ground. She lay comfortably on her side, twitching one hand as if to
+brush something away.
+
+When she began to smile dreamily, Kolin backed away.
+
+                   *       *       *       *       *
+
+The corners of his mouth felt oddly stiff; they had involuntarily drawn
+back to expose his clenched teeth. He glanced warily about, but nothing
+appeared to threaten him.
+
+"It's time to end this scout," he told himself. "It's dangerous. One
+good look and I'm jetting off! What I need is an easy tree to climb."
+
+He considered the massive giant. Soaring thirty or forty meters into the
+thin fog and dwarfing other growth, it seemed the most promising choice.
+
+At first, Kolin saw no way, but then the network of vines clinging to
+the rugged trunk suggested a route. He tried his weight gingerly, then
+began to climb.
+
+"I should have brought Yrtok's radio," he muttered. "Oh, well, I can
+take it when I come down, if she hasn't snapped out of her spell by
+then. Funny ... I wonder if that green thing bit her."
+
+Footholds were plentiful among the interlaced lianas. Kolin progressed
+rapidly. When he reached the first thick limbs, twice head height, he
+felt safer.
+
+Later, at what he hoped was the halfway mark, he hooked one knee over a
+branch and paused to wipe sweat from his eyes. Peering down, he
+discovered the ground to be obscured by foliage.
+
+"I should have checked from down there to see how open the top is," he
+mused. "I wonder how the view will be from up there?"
+
+"Depends on what you're looking for, Sonny!" something remarked in a
+soughing wheeze.
+
+Kolin, slipping, grabbed desperately for the branch. His fingers
+clutched a handful of twigs and leaves, which just barely supported him
+until he regained a grip with the other hand.
+
+The branch quivered resentfully under him.
+
+"Careful, there!" whooshed the eerie voice. "It took me all summer to
+grow those!"
+
+Kolin could feel the skin crawling along his backbone.
+
+"Who _are_ you?" he gasped.
+
+The answering sigh of laughter gave him a distinct chill despite its
+suggestion of amiability.
+
+"Name's Johnny Ashlew. Kinda thought you'd start with _what_ I am.
+Didn't figure you'd ever seen a man grown into a tree before."
+
+Kolin looked about, seeing little but leaves and fog.
+
+"I have to climb down," he told himself in a reasonable tone. "It's bad
+enough that the other two passed out without me going space happy too."
+
+"What's your hurry?" demanded the voice. "I can talk to you just as easy
+all the way down, you know. Airholes in my bark--I'm not like an Earth
+tree."
+
+Kolin examined the bark of the crotch in which he sat. It did seem to
+have assorted holes and hollows in its rough surface.
+
+"I never saw an Earth tree," he admitted. "We came from Haurtoz."
+
+"Where's that? Oh, never mind--some little planet. I don't bother with
+them all, since I came here and found out I could be anything I wanted."
+
+"What do you mean, anything you wanted?" asked Kolin, testing the
+firmness of a vertical vine.
+
+                   *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Just what I said," continued the voice, sounding closer in his ear as
+his cheek brushed the ridged bark of the tree trunk. "And, if I do have
+to remind you, it would be nicer if you said 'Mr. Ashlew,' considering
+my age."
+
+"Your age? How old--?"
+
+"Can't really count it in Earth years any more. Lost track. I always
+figured bein' a tree was a nice, peaceful life; and when I remembered
+how long some of them live, that settled it. Sonny, this world ain't
+all it looks like."
+
+"It isn't, Mr. Ashlew?" asked Kolin, twisting about in an effort to see
+what the higher branches might hide.
+
+"Nope. Most everything here is run by the Life--that is, by the thing
+that first grew big enough to do some thinking, and set its roots down
+all over until it had control. That's the outskirts of it down below."
+
+"The other trees? That jungle?"
+
+"It's more'n a jungle, Sonny. When I landed here, along with the others
+from the _Arcturan Spark_, the planet looked pretty empty to me, just
+like it must have to--Watch it, there, Boy! If I didn't twist that
+branch over in time, you'd be bouncing off my roots right now!"
+
+"Th-thanks!" grunted Kolin, hanging on grimly.
+
+"Doggone vine!" commented the windy whisper. "_He_ ain't one of my
+crowd. Landed years later in a ship from some star towards the center of
+the galaxy. You should have seen his looks before the Life got in touch
+with his mind and set up a mental field to help him change form. He
+looks twice as good as a vine!"
+
+"He's very handy," agreed Kolin politely. He groped for a foothold.
+
+"Well ... matter of fact, I can't get through to him much, even with the
+Life's mental field helping. Guess he started living with a different
+way of thinking. It burns me. I thought of being a tree, and then he
+came along to take advantage of it!"
+
+Kolin braced himself securely to stretch tiring muscles.
+
+"Maybe I'd better stay a while," he muttered. "I don't know where I am."
+
+"You're about fifty feet up," the sighing voice informed him. "You ought
+to let me tell you how the Life helps you change form. You don't _have_
+to be a tree."
+
+"No?"
+
+"_Uh_-uh! Some of the boys that landed with me wanted to get around and
+see things. Lots changed to animals or birds. One even stayed a man--on
+the outside anyway. Most of them have to change as the bodies wear out,
+which I don't, and some made bad mistakes tryin' to be things they saw
+on other planets."
+
+"I wouldn't want to do that, Mr. Ashlew."
+
+"There's just one thing. The Life don't like taking chances on word
+about this place gettin' around. It sorta believes in peace and quiet.
+You might not get back to your ship in any form that could tell tales."
+
+"Listen!" Kolin blurted out. "I wasn't so much enjoying being what I was
+that getting back matters to me!"
+
+"Don't like your home planet, whatever the name was?"
+
+"Haurtoz. It's a rotten place. A Planetary State! You have to think and
+even look the way that's standard thirty hours a day, asleep or awake.
+You get scared to sleep for fear you might _dream_ treason and they'd
+find out somehow."
+
+"Whooeee! Heard about them places. Must be tough just to live."
+
+Suddenly, Kolin found himself telling the tree about life on Haurtoz,
+and of the officially announced threats to the Planetary State's planned
+expansion. He dwelt upon the desperation of having no place to hide in
+case of trouble with the authorities. A multiple system of such worlds
+was agonizing to imagine.
+
+                   *       *       *       *       *
+
+Somehow, the oddity of talking to a tree wore off. Kolin heard opinions
+spouting out which he had prudently kept bottled up for years.
+
+The more he talked and stormed and complained, the more relaxed he felt.
+
+"If there was ever a fellow ready for this planet," decided the tree
+named Ashlew, "you're it, Sonny! Hang on there while I signal the Life
+by root!"
+
+Kolin sensed a lack of direct attention. The rustle about him was
+natural, caused by an ordinary breeze. He noticed his hands shaking.
+
+"Don't know what got into me, talking that way to a tree," he muttered.
+"If Yrtok snapped out of it and heard, I'm as good as re-personalized
+right now."
+
+As he brooded upon the sorry choice of arousing a search by hiding where
+he was or going back to bluff things out, the tree spoke.
+
+"Maybe you're all set, Sonny. The Life has been thinkin' of learning
+about other worlds. If you can think of a safe form to jet off in, you
+might make yourself a deal. How'd you like to stay here?"
+
+"I don't know," said Kolin. "The penalty for desertion--"
+
+"Whoosh! Who'd find you? You could be a bird, a tree, even a cloud."
+
+Silenced but doubting, Kolin permitted himself to try the dream on for
+size.
+
+He considered what form might most easily escape the notice of search
+parties and still be tough enough to live a long time without renewal.
+Another factor slipped into his musings: mere hope of escape was
+unsatisfying after the outburst that had defined his fuming hatred for
+Haurtoz.
+
+_I'd better watch myself!_ he thought. _Don't drop diamonds to grab at
+stars!_
+
+"What I wish I could do is not just get away but get even for the way
+they make us live ... the whole damn set-up. They could just as easy
+make peace with the Earth colonies. You know why they don't?"
+
+"Why?" wheezed Ashlew.
+
+"They're scared that without talk of war, and scouting for Earth fleets
+that never come, people would have time to think about the way they have
+to live and who's running things in the Planetary State. Then the gravy
+train would get blown up--and I mean blown up!"
+
+The tree was silent for a moment. Kolin felt the branches stir
+meditatively. Then Ashlew offered a suggestion.
+
+"I could tell the Life your side of it," he hissed. "Once in with us,
+you can always make thinking connections, no matter how far away. Maybe
+you could make a deal to kill two birds with one stone, as they used to
+say on Earth...."
+
+                   *       *       *       *       *
+
+Chief Steward Slichow paced up and down beside the ration crate turned
+up to serve him as a field desk. He scowled in turn, impartially, at his
+watch and at the weary stewards of his headquarters detail. The latter
+stumbled about, stacking and distributing small packets of emergency
+rations.
+
+The line of crewmen released temporarily from repair work was transient
+as to individuals but immutable as to length. Slichow muttered something
+profane about disregard of orders as he glared at the rocky ridges
+surrounding the landing place.
+
+He was so intent upon planning greetings with which to favor the tardy
+scouting parties that he failed to notice the loose cloud drifting over
+the ridge.
+
+It was tenuous, almost a haze. Close examination would have revealed it
+to be made up of myriads of tiny spores. They resembled those cast forth
+by one of the bushes Kolin's party had passed. Along the edges, the haze
+faded raggedly into thin air, but the units evidently formed a cohesive
+body. They drifted together, approaching the men as if taking
+intelligent advantage of the breeze.
+
+One of Chief Slichow's staggering flunkies, stealing a few seconds of
+relaxation on the pretext of dumping an armful of light plastic packing,
+wandered into the haze.
+
+He froze.
+
+After a few heartbeats, he dropped the trash and stared at ship and men
+as if he had never seen either. A hail from his master moved him.
+
+"Coming, Chief!" he called but, returning at a moderate pace, he
+murmured, "My name is Frazer. I'm a second assistant steward. I'll think
+as Unit One."
+
+Throughout the cloud of spores, the mind formerly known as Peter Kolin
+congratulated itself upon its choice of form.
+
+_Nearer to the original shape of the Life than Ashlew got_, he thought.
+
+He paused to consider the state of the tree named Ashlew, half immortal
+but rooted to one spot, unable to float on a breeze or through space
+itself on the pressure of light. Especially, it was unable to insinuate
+any part of itself into the control center of another form of life, as a
+second spore was taking charge of the body of Chief Slichow at that very
+instant.
+
+_There are not enough men_, thought Kolin. _Some of me must drift
+through the airlock. In space, I can spread through the air system to
+the command group._
+
+Repairs to the _Peace State_ and the return to Haurtoz passed like weeks
+to some of the crew but like brief moments in infinity to other units.
+At last, the ship parted the air above Headquarters City and landed.
+
+The unit known as Captain Theodor Kessel hesitated before descending the
+ramp. He surveyed the field, the city and the waiting team of inspecting
+officers.
+
+"Could hardly be better, could it?" he chuckled to the companion unit
+called Security Officer Tarth.
+
+"Hardly, sir. All ready for the liberation of Haurtoz."
+
+"Reformation of the Planetary State," mused the captain, smiling
+dreamily as he grasped the handrail. "And then--formation of the
+Planetary Mind!"
+
+
+END
+
+
+  [ Transcriber's Note:
+    This e-text was produced from Worlds of If January 1962. Extensive
+    research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on
+    this publication was renewed.
+  ]
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Talkative Tree, by Horace Brown Fyfe
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALKATIVE TREE ***
+
+***** This file should be named 23767.txt or 23767.zip *****
+This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
+        http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/7/6/23767/
+
+Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Jana Srna and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
+will be renamed.
+
+Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
+one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
+(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
+permission and without paying copyright royalties.  Special rules,
+set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
+copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
+protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark.  Project
+Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
+charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission.  If you
+do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
+rules is very easy.  You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
+such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
+research.  They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
+practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks.  Redistribution is
+subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
+redistribution.
+
+
+
+*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
+
+THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
+PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
+
+To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
+distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
+(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
+http://gutenberg.org/license).
+
+
+Section 1.  General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic works
+
+1.A.  By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
+and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
+(trademark/copyright) agreement.  If you do not agree to abide by all
+the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
+all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
+If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
+terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
+entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
+
+1.B.  "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark.  It may only be
+used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
+agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement.  There are a few
+things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
+even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.  See
+paragraph 1.C below.  There are a lot of things you can do with Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
+and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.  See paragraph 1.E below.
+
+1.C.  The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
+or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works.  Nearly all the individual works in the
+collection are in the public domain in the United States.  If an
+individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
+located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
+copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
+works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
+are removed.  Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
+Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
+freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
+this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
+the work.  You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
+keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.
+
+1.D.  The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
+what you can do with this work.  Copyright laws in most countries are in
+a constant state of change.  If you are outside the United States, check
+the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
+before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
+creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
+Gutenberg-tm work.  The Foundation makes no representations concerning
+the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
+States.
+
+1.E.  Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
+
+1.E.1.  The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
+access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
+whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
+phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
+copied or distributed:
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+1.E.2.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
+from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
+posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
+and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
+or charges.  If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
+with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
+work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
+through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
+Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
+1.E.9.
+
+1.E.3.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
+with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
+must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
+terms imposed by the copyright holder.  Additional terms will be linked
+to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
+permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
+
+1.E.4.  Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
+work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
+
+1.E.5.  Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
+electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
+prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
+active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm License.
+
+1.E.6.  You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
+compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
+word processing or hypertext form.  However, if you provide access to or
+distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
+"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
+posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
+you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
+copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
+request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
+form.  Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
+
+1.E.7.  Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
+performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
+unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
+
+1.E.8.  You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
+access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
+that
+
+- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
+     the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
+     you already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  The fee is
+     owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
+     has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
+     Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.  Royalty payments
+     must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
+     prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
+     returns.  Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
+     sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
+     address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
+     the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
+
+- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
+     you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
+     does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+     License.  You must require such a user to return or
+     destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
+     and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
+     Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
+     money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
+     electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
+     of receipt of the work.
+
+- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
+     distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+1.E.9.  If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
+forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
+both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
+Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark.  Contact the
+Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
+
+1.F.
+
+1.F.1.  Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
+effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
+public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
+collection.  Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
+"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
+corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
+property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
+computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
+your equipment.
+
+1.F.2.  LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
+of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
+liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
+fees.  YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
+LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
+PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3.  YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
+TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
+LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
+INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
+DAMAGE.
+
+1.F.3.  LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
+defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
+receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
+written explanation to the person you received the work from.  If you
+received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
+your written explanation.  The person or entity that provided you with
+the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
+refund.  If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
+providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
+receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund.  If the second copy
+is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
+opportunities to fix the problem.
+
+1.F.4.  Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
+in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
+WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
+WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
+
+1.F.5.  Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
+warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
+If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
+law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
+interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
+the applicable state law.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any
+provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
+
+1.F.6.  INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
+trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
+providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
+with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
+promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
+harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
+that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
+or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
+work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
+Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
+
+
+Section  2.  Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
+electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
+including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.  It exists
+because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
+people in all walks of life.
+
+Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
+assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
+goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
+remain freely available for generations to come.  In 2001, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
+and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
+To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
+and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
+and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org.
+
+
+Section 3.  Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
+Foundation
+
+The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
+501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
+state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
+Revenue Service.  The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
+number is 64-6221541.  Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
+http://pglaf.org/fundraising.  Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
+permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
+
+The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
+Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
+throughout numerous locations.  Its business office is located at
+809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
+business@pglaf.org.  Email contact links and up to date contact
+information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
+page at http://pglaf.org
+
+For additional contact information:
+     Dr. Gregory B. Newby
+     Chief Executive and Director
+     gbnewby@pglaf.org
+
+
+Section 4.  Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
+spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
+increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
+freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
+array of equipment including outdated equipment.  Many small donations
+($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
+status with the IRS.
+
+The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
+charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
+States.  Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
+considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
+with these requirements.  We do not solicit donations in locations
+where we have not received written confirmation of compliance.  To
+SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
+particular state visit http://pglaf.org
+
+While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
+have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
+against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
+approach us with offers to donate.
+
+International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
+any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
+outside the United States.  U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
+
+Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
+methods and addresses.  Donations are accepted in a number of other
+ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations.
+To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate
+
+
+Section 5.  General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.
+
+Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
+concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
+with anyone.  For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
+Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
+
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
+editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
+unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we do not necessarily
+keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
+
+
+Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
+
+     http://www.gutenberg.org
+
+This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
+including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
+Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
+subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.