The Woman the Unicorn Loved

Publication(s)

  • First publication
    • Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, 1981
  • Wolfe collection(s)
  • Other anthologies
    • The Best Science Fiction of the Year #11, 1982
    • Unicorns!, 1982

Wolfe's comments from the Introduction to Endangered Species

There was no comment about this story in the introduction.

Wolfe's comments from the essay "How Science Will Conquer the World for Fantasy"

"...It would be old (pointed star-spangled) hat for me to insist here that genetic engineering will soon permit any devoted hobbyist to put a narwhale's tooth on a horse's head. I have said that already in 'The Woman the Unicorn Loved' and in a published interview."

Summary

Genetic engineering allows the creation of mythological beasts, in this case a real unicorn.

Analysis

  • "Pluto the grisly god..." is from the Illiad.
  • "Behold a pale horse..." is from the Book of Revelations.
  • "One by one in the moonlight there..." is misquoted from Senlin, A Biography: Part 01: His Dark Origins - 03 by Conrad Aiken. The original has "darkness there" instead.
  • "Twist ye, twine ye..." is from Twist Ye, Twine Ye by Sir Walter Scott.
  • "The lion and the unicorn..." is a famous nursery rhyme about the joining of England and Scotland.
  • This is a sequel to 'The Woman Who Loved the Centaur Pholus' and it features the fantasy-creature preservationist Anderson.

Unresolved Questions

  • Was it A or was it B, or was it X or Z?
  • Was it he or was it she, or was it you or me?
  • Who dunnit?
  • Did the Star Child really start WWIII at the end of 2001?

< The Woman Who Loved the Centaur Pholus | Endangered Species | The Peace Spy >

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