The Best of L. Sprague de Camp

Book information

EMPEROR TSOTUGA'S

MAGIC FAN

From his ragged sleeve, Ajendra produced a large painted fan. "This," he said, "was made for the king of the Gwoling Islands by the noted wizard Tsunjing. By a series of chances too long to bore Your Imperial Majesty with, it came into the unworthy hands of this inferior person."

The Emperor was not impressed. "It looks like any other fan. What is its power?"

"Simple, O superior one. Any living thing that you fan with it disappears."

"And whither go the victims," the Emperor asked, interested.

"One theory of my school is that they are translated to a higher dimension, coexistent with this one. Another, holds that they are dispersed into constituent atoms, which however, retain such mutual affinities that they can be reassembled. Would you like to see a demonstration?"

"Very well, good wizard," the Emperor replied. "Just be careful not to wave that thing at us."

THE BEST OF

L. Sprague de Camp

Introduction by

POUL ANDERSON

A Del Rey Book

BALLANTINE BOOKS – NEW YORK

To Fred and Karen Anderson: skaal!

A Del Rey Book

Published by Ballantine Books

Copyright (C) 1978 By L. Sprague de Camp

Introduction: L. Sprague de Camp-Engineer and Sorcerer

Copyright (c) 1978 by Poul Anderson

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Ballantine Books of Canada, Ltd., Toronto, Canada.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 77-26949

ISBN: 0-345-25474-0

Printed in the United States of America

First Ballantine Books Edition: May 1978

Cover by Darrell Sweet

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ACXNOWLEDGMENTS

"Hyperpilosity," copyright (c) 1938 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Astounding Science Fiction, April 1938. Copyright renewed 1965 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"Language for Time Travelers," copyright (c) 1938 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Astounding Science Fiction, July 1938. Copyright renewed 1965 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"The Command," copyright (c) 1938 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Astounding Science Fiction, October 1938. Copyright renewed 1966 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"The Merman," copyright (c) 1938 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Astounding Science Fiction, December 1938. Copyright renewed 1966 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"Employment." copyright (c) 1939 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Astounding Science Fiction, May 1939. Copyright renewed 1966 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"The Gnarly Man," copyright (c) 1939 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Unknown, June 1939. Copyright renewed 1966 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"Nothing in the Rules," copyright (c) 1939 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Unknown, July 1939. Copyright renewed 1966 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"The Hardwood Pile," copyright (c) 1940 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Unknown, September 1940. Copyright renewed 1968 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"The Reluctant Shaman," copyright (c) 1947 by Standard Magazines, Inc., for Thrilling Wonder Stories, April 1947.

"The Inspector's Teeth," copyright (c) 1950 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Astounding Science Fiction, April 1950. Copyright renewed 1977 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"The Guided Man," copyright (c) 1952 by Better Publications, Inc., for Startling Stories, October 1952.

"Judgment Day," copyright (c) 1955 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., for Astounding Science Fiction, August 1955.

"A Gun for Dinosaur," copyright (c) 1956 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation, Inc., for Galaxy Science Fiction, March 1956.

"Reward of Virtue," copyright (c) 1970 by Mercury Press, Inc., for The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, September 1970.

"The Emperor's Fan," copyright (c) 1973 by Random House, Inc., for Astounding.

"The Ameba," copyright (c) 1973 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"The little Green Men," copyright (c) 1976 by L. Sprague de Camp.

"Two Yards of Dragon," copyright (c) 1976 by Lin Carter for Flashing Swords No.3.