Now It's Time For...

Recycled Tales of Little Relevance!

Once there was a beautiful oasis in the very center of the desert. This oasis was guarded by a mighty Sphinx. The Sphinx would allow none to partake of the cool, clear, water and sweet figs and dates that grew there.

Unless they were able to answer...The Riddle of the Sphinx!

A traveler approached the oasis at dawn. He had lost his way during the night, and was out of food and water. He knew of the dangers, but he had no other hope. He plodded warily towards the oasis.

The Sphinx stared unblinkingly as he approached.

As he grew near, the Sphinx sat up on her lion haunches, angrily whipped her serpent tail, and flapped her great eagle wings.

Then she spoke with a lilting hiss. Her head was that of a beautiful woman, and her voice was all the more horrible because it came from such a delicate visage.

"What force of Nature can stop a Gurg from posting?"

The traveler was at a complete loss. He had no idea what a Gurg was, or even what posting was. He understood that the answer was some force of Nature, so he picked the first he could think of.

Trembling, he ventured, "Is it a sandstorm?"

The traveler realized he had given the wrong answer a little after the Sphinx disemboweled him, but before she began to feast on his innards.

A second traveler, also lost and desperate, appeared at midday, and approached the Sphinx. The Sphinx eyed him lazily. She swished her serpent tail and ruffled her great eagle wings.

"What force of Nature can stop a Gurg from posting?" She screeched.

The second traveler was at a similar loss as the first one.

"A monsoon flood?" he said in a voice strangled with fear.

The Sphinx began to screech, a high-pitched keening that grew louder, and louder, and louder...

The traveler meant to wonder if that meant he had given the wrong answer, but he was too busy wondering why his head was exploding.

The setting sun was painting the sky golds and reds and purples when the third traveler appeared.

The Sphinx cocked her head and boggled at him. This traveler seemed a bit odd. (This coming from a lion/eagle/serpent woman.)

He was scruffy-looking, even by desert-traveler standards, and was chewing something very noisily. He stopped directly in front of the Sphinx expectantly.

The Sphinx decided to forgo her usual theatrics entirely and just get it over with.

"What force of Nature can stop a Gurg from posting?" she spat.

The scruffy young traveler slowly chewed, blew a large, pink, bubble, and then popped it.

"Knowing Gurg? Probably a woman."

The Sphinx, bound by the rules of her Sphinx sorority, tore herself to shreds upon hearing him give the correct answer.

The scruffy kid sauntered into the oasis. He paused in the shade of a tree and peered up at the branches.

"Aw, sweet! Figs!"