London Bridge

~ A Short Story by Andre Norton

london bridge

 

Synopsis ~

This story was expanded in 1974 to create the longer story Outside. London Bridge is told exclusively from the viewpoint of the older brother, where Outside concentrates on his younger sister. In this version of the future, the last remnants of humanity sealed themselves into domed cities to protect themselves from the polluted world outside, only to be ravaged by plagues. The only immunes were too young to remember the world before the cities were sealed; the city is now a patchwork of gang territories, reflected in the slangy speech of Lew, the narrator. A strange Rhyming Man has appeared from nowhere and has been luring the youngest children away from gangs all over the city (overtones of the Pied Piper of Hamlin). The children have not been seen again, so the gang leaders are organizing a massive hunt for the Rhyming Man. Then Marsie, Lew's little sister, disappears.

 

Write-up from a fan ~

An early version of the novelette OUTSIDE.  A group of children, some of whom are now approaching adulthood, have been stranded in a domed city (London, in the future), by a plague that killed all the adults. Now, suddenly a Rhyming Man is apparently abducting the smaller children.  The hero (unnamed), along with one of his gang, is searching for the Rhyming Man who has just taken off another bunch of small children.  They do find him and the children and watch unbelievingly as the Rhyming Man chants a silly rhyme and the children vanish.  Later, the hero manages to catch the Rhyming man and tries to make him bring Marsie back or send him to where she is.  The Rhyming Man tells him he's too big, he can't believe, but the hero proves him wrong and manages to escape to where Marsie and the rest of the littles are living in a clean, unpolluted world. ~ SL

 

Bibliography of English Editions ~

  • The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Oct. (1973), Edited by Edward L. Ferman, Published by Mercury Press, Mag., $0.75, 162pg ~ cover by Jacqui Morgan
  • The Book of Andre Norton (1975) Edited by Rodger Elwood, Published by DAW, PB, 0-451-UY119-8, $1.25, 221pg ~ cover by Jack Gaughan

 

Russian Omnibus Editions ~

  • (1994) Published in Nizhny Novorod, by Phlox, 5-871-98061-9, HC, 478pg ~ cover by Morell ~ Russian title Фата - Моргана 9 [Fata Morgana 9] ~ "London Bridge" translation by N. Rezanova, pp. 465-476 ~ a collection of 28 short stories by various authors.
  • (2018)-1 Published in Russia, (Fanzine) ~ Editeded by Andrey Lysak ~ Russian title Зов далеких планет [Call of the distant planets] ~ "London Bridge" translation by N. Rezanova ~ 50 short stories by various authors that were previously published in Russian only in the Fata Morgana anthology series.

 

Ukrainian Omnibus Editions ~

  • (2018)-2 Published in Kyiv, Ukraine by Globe (Fanzine), no ISSBN, HC, 724pg ~ cover by Rodney Matthews ~ Ukrainian title …Все кошки серы [...All Cats Are Sulfur] ~ Limited to 10 copies

Contains:

    • "Moustrap" as "The Mousetrap" ~ translation by L. Deutsch, pp. 7-13
    • "All Cats are Gray" as "... All cats are sulfur" ~ translation by E. Drozd, pp. 14-21
    • " Gifts of Asti" as ~ translation by N. Rezanova, pp. 22-34
    • "Nine Threads of Gold" as "Nine Golden Threads" ~ translation by I. Togoyeva, pp. 35-65
    • "Long Night of Waiting" ~ translation by L. Deutsch, pp. 66-77
    • "London Bridge" ~ translation by N. Rezanova, pp. 78-90
    • "Velvet Shadows" ~ translation by N. Rezanova, pp. 91-282
    • "The Prince Commands" as "The Prince orders" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 283-416
    • "Star Man's Son" as "The Son of Star Man" ~ translation by V. Fedorov, pp. 417-574
    • "Ralestone Luck" ~ "Luck of the Railstones" ~ translation by V. Shcherbakova, pp. 575-722

 

 

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://andre-norton.com/works-of-a-master/short-works-of-a-master/517-london-bridge#sigProId13ea1bb9ef

 

 

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