ANALYZING… FILE TYPE: Physical Book PERIOD: Colony Era TOPIC: "The Devil's Offer" SUMMARY: Part of a larger collection titled "The Severed Twins," this fairy tale appears to have been written for New Cascadia's children, offering them wisdom and warning against exploitation. This antiquated format proved popular and subversive. =================================================================== Phebe was playing by the marsh's edge when the devil found her. She watched the ripples he left in the water and smelled the tang of iron in his breath. She stood motionless as the devil sweetly asked for her soul to slake his thirst. "Little Phebe, what taste has a soul? It is neither sweet nor savory, tempting to none." "What color has a soul? Neither red nor blue, nor any color beneath the sun." "What sound has a soul? Neither high nor low, voiceless it is." "What scent has a soul? Neither simple nor complex, delightful to none." "What measure has a soul? It is less than gold, less than silver, less than air." "Give me this less-than-nothing in exchange for all the world." "All the delights and riches beneath the sun shall be yours, if you would but grant me your soul." The devil waited, leering, but Phebe smiled, for she knew her answer. She knew that as surely as the world turns, the devil asks for each of our souls. He can slake his thirst no other way. "What taste has my soul? Suffering." "What color has my soul? Clarity." "What sound has my soul? Laughter." "What scent has my soul? Virtue." "What measure has my soul? Just a dram of stardust, yet more than gold, more than silver, more than all that you would grant." Laughing at his dismay, Phoebe skipped away from the devil to play elsewhere. =================================================================== TYPE: TEXT [X]; AUDIO [ ]