Lone Star Stories: The Behold of the Eye
The latest issue of Lone Star Stories is online, featuring a wee fairy story of mine called "The Behold of the Eye":
"The Behold of the Eye," Flashjack's laternal grandsister (adopted), Pebbleskip had told him, "is where the humans store the imagos of their appetence—which is to say, all the things they prize most highly, having had their breath taken away by the glimmering glamour of it. Like a particular painting or sculpture, a treasure chest of gold and jewels, or a briefcase full of thousand-whatever notes, or the dream house seen in a magazine, a stunning vista seen on their travels, even other humans. Whatever catches their eye, you see," she'd said, "is caught by the eye, stored there in the Behold, all of it building up over a person's lifetime to their own private hoard of wonders. The humans say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, you know, but as usual they've got it arse-about; what they should be saying is something else entirely."
"Beauty is in the Behold of the Eye," Pebbleskip had said. "So that's where most of us faeries live these days."
"The Behold of the Eye," Flashjack's laternal grandsister (adopted), Pebbleskip had told him, "is where the humans store the imagos of their appetence—which is to say, all the things they prize most highly, having had their breath taken away by the glimmering glamour of it. Like a particular painting or sculpture, a treasure chest of gold and jewels, or a briefcase full of thousand-whatever notes, or the dream house seen in a magazine, a stunning vista seen on their travels, even other humans. Whatever catches their eye, you see," she'd said, "is caught by the eye, stored there in the Behold, all of it building up over a person's lifetime to their own private hoard of wonders. The humans say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, you know, but as usual they've got it arse-about; what they should be saying is something else entirely."
"Beauty is in the Behold of the Eye," Pebbleskip had said. "So that's where most of us faeries live these days."
posted by Hal Duncan | 11:48 am
2 Comments:
There are not words to express the sheer perfection of this story. It is one of those rare texts which can be re-read continuously, the texture of which is novel with every perusal. I particularly enjoyed the poignant admixture of childhood imagery with more evolved Monsters; it was wrenchingly easy to relate to.
I agree - it's a wonderful story.
Good to see the Flions and Meep again :)
Sarah
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