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Jul. 2nd, 2011 07:40 am"A paradox? What's that?"
"Not a paradox, a Parrot-Ox. Born in Oz of a parrot and an ox, and capable of doing nothing at all, unless it is impossible."
"But how could one of his parents be a parrot? There are no parrots in Oz, and there never have been."
"Exactly," said Glinda. "Now you're beginning to understand the nature of a Parrot-Ox"
"Where did that giant thing come from?" the Sawhorse asked in dismay.
"That's an interesting question," replied the Parrot-Ox in its big, squawking voice. "I first arrived in Oz a thousand years from now, and I left just one second later. But I've been making good use of that one second. Or was it one second before?"
"You arrived in Oz?" asked Ozma. "I thought you were born in Oz."
"That's funny," said the Parrot-Ox, "that's just what my parents said to me when I arrived. I think we'll call him Polly, the said, which is how I got my name."
"Polly?"
"No, Tempus."
"Well, it's good to meet you, Mr. Tempus. I am Ozma of Oz."
"Good to meet you again."
"Again?"
"I'm speaking in anticipation of our next meeting, which, if I heard Glinda right, will be earlier in time. So we doubtlessly met years ago. I must say, it was rude of you not to have recognized me."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't mention it. You look just as I remember you."
"Do you remember me?"
"Not one bit. But don't take it amiss. I will remember you at some point, I'm sure."
The Sawhorse had been regarding Tempus with a critical eye during this conversation.
"Didn't you say that he could do nothing unless it was impossible?" the Sawhorse asked Glinda.
"I did," Glinda told him.
"Well, he seems to be doing quite a lot of talking. As I don't see anything particularly impossible about talking, I think he should stop doing it."
"Very clever friend Sawhorse," said Tempus. "You are quite right. It is quite possible for any creature to speak in Oz, and it is impossible for me to do anything that's possible. Fortunately, that makes it impossible for me to speak, which allows me to do so."
"Why don't ou just have Tempus go forward in time and ask Ozma what happened?" asked the Sawhorse. "That way, you would learn what the enchantment was without having to go through this whole adventure."
"Could you do that?" Ozma asked him.
"Certainly, but you'd still have to have the adventure anyway, in order to learn what the enchantment was."
"But I would know what the enchantment was."
"Which would make the whole thing a lot less enjoyable, in my opinion," said Tempus.
"But..." Ozma stopped, at a loss. "I suppose there's no way around it," she decided.
"As far as you know," agreed Tempus.
-- Paradox in Oz, Edward Einhorn
"Not a paradox, a Parrot-Ox. Born in Oz of a parrot and an ox, and capable of doing nothing at all, unless it is impossible."
"But how could one of his parents be a parrot? There are no parrots in Oz, and there never have been."
"Exactly," said Glinda. "Now you're beginning to understand the nature of a Parrot-Ox"
"Where did that giant thing come from?" the Sawhorse asked in dismay.
"That's an interesting question," replied the Parrot-Ox in its big, squawking voice. "I first arrived in Oz a thousand years from now, and I left just one second later. But I've been making good use of that one second. Or was it one second before?"
"You arrived in Oz?" asked Ozma. "I thought you were born in Oz."
"That's funny," said the Parrot-Ox, "that's just what my parents said to me when I arrived. I think we'll call him Polly, the said, which is how I got my name."
"Polly?"
"No, Tempus."
"Well, it's good to meet you, Mr. Tempus. I am Ozma of Oz."
"Good to meet you again."
"Again?"
"I'm speaking in anticipation of our next meeting, which, if I heard Glinda right, will be earlier in time. So we doubtlessly met years ago. I must say, it was rude of you not to have recognized me."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't mention it. You look just as I remember you."
"Do you remember me?"
"Not one bit. But don't take it amiss. I will remember you at some point, I'm sure."
The Sawhorse had been regarding Tempus with a critical eye during this conversation.
"Didn't you say that he could do nothing unless it was impossible?" the Sawhorse asked Glinda.
"I did," Glinda told him.
"Well, he seems to be doing quite a lot of talking. As I don't see anything particularly impossible about talking, I think he should stop doing it."
"Very clever friend Sawhorse," said Tempus. "You are quite right. It is quite possible for any creature to speak in Oz, and it is impossible for me to do anything that's possible. Fortunately, that makes it impossible for me to speak, which allows me to do so."
"Why don't ou just have Tempus go forward in time and ask Ozma what happened?" asked the Sawhorse. "That way, you would learn what the enchantment was without having to go through this whole adventure."
"Could you do that?" Ozma asked him.
"Certainly, but you'd still have to have the adventure anyway, in order to learn what the enchantment was."
"But I would know what the enchantment was."
"Which would make the whole thing a lot less enjoyable, in my opinion," said Tempus.
"But..." Ozma stopped, at a loss. "I suppose there's no way around it," she decided.
"As far as you know," agreed Tempus.
-- Paradox in Oz, Edward Einhorn
