That Which Overfloweth

~ A Short Story by Andre Norton

that.which.overfloweth

 

Synopsis ~

Raiders come to a shrine village, searching for treasures. The Voice of the shrine manages to hide her two girls' acolytes under the altar stone, but there's no room for her, so she remains outside to face down the raiders. They kill her and open up the box atop the altar, which contains the holy objects of the shrine. One, covered in gold and jewels, breaks apart to reveal a rough clay cup that he raider discard as worthless. Once the outlaws are gone, the two girls free themselves from their hiding place, to find the Voice still alive though just barely. she commands them to bring her a drink of water from the holy pool even though it is stained red by the blood of the Voice and the shrines last defender. miraculously, the water clears as it is dipped up into the rough clay cup. The Voice drinks, which gives her strength enough for her last orders to the girl acolytes -- and an explanation of the cup. ~ SL

 

Bibliography of English Editions ~

  • Grails: Quests, Visitations and Other Occurrences (1992) Edited by Richard Gilliam, Martin H. Greenberg & Edward E. Kramer, Published by Unnameable Press, HC, 0-934-22709-8, $ 33.95, 639pg ~ cover by Robert Gould

Contains:
    9 • The Question of the Grail • (1992) • poem by Jane Yolen
    10 • Grails: Quests, Visitations and Other Occurrences • (1992) • interior artwork by P. J. Meacham
    11 • The Grail Legend: An Introduction • (1992) • essay by Fritz Leiber
    15 • The Cup and the Cauldron • (1992) • short story by Mercedes Lackey
    35 • That Which Overfloweth • (1992) • short story by Andre Norton
    43 • Chalice of Tears, or I Didn't Want that Damned Grail Anyway • [Lythande] • (1992) • short story by Marion Zimmer Bradley
    53 • Exalted Hearts • (1992) • short story by Tanith Lee
    61 • The Feast of the Fisher King • (1992) • novelette by Diana L. Paxson
    84 • The Gift of Gilthaliad • (1992) • short story by Brad Strickland
    99 • Dogs Questing • (1992) • short story by John Gregory Betancourt
    103 • Castle of Maidens • (1992) • short story by Richard Lee Byers
    121 • Tacahale • (1992) • short story by Owl Goingback
    135 • The Sailor Who Sailed After the Sun • (1992) • short story by Gene Wolfe
    154 • Somewhere in Her Dying Heart • (1992) • poem by Lisa Lepovetsky
    155 • One Paris Night • [Adrian Becker] • (1992) • short story by Karl Edward Wagner
    169 • Water • (1992) • novelette by Lee Hoffman
    193 • What You See ... • [Amos Malone • 8] • (1992) • short story by Alan Dean Foster
    211 • Under An Appalling Sky • (1992) • short story by Brad Linaweaver
    230 • The Steel American • (1992) • novelette by S. P. Somtow
    251 • Atlantis • (1992) • novella by Orson Scott Card
    333 • Invisible Bars • (1992) • short story by Dean Wesley Smith
    341 • Seven Drops of Blood • (1992) • short story by Robert Weinberg
    361 • Ashes to Ashes • (1992) • novelette by Jack C. Haldeman, II
    389 • Siege Perilous • (1992) • novelette by Jerry Ahern and Sharon Ahern
    415 • Hitchhiking Across an Ancient Sea • (1992) • short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
    428 • Visions • (1992) • short story by Lawrence Watt-Evans
    437 • Reunion • (1992) • short story by Brian M. Thomsen
    444 • Quest Now • (1992) • poem by Margo Skinner
    446 • Chivalry • (1992) • short story by Neil Gaiman
    461 • That Way Lies Camelot • (1992) • novelette by Janny Wurts
    489 • The Awful Truth in Arthur's Barrow • (1992) • novelette by Charles L. Grant [as Lionel Fenn]
    519 • A Deal With God • (1992) • novelette by Pat Cadigan
    545 • Perpetual Light • (1992) • short story by Michael Cassutt
    558 • Dagda • (1992) • poem by James S. Dorr
    564 • Looking For Pablo • (1992) • novelette by Wil McCarthy
    591 • The Yellow Clay Bowl • (1992) • short story by Robert Sampson
    605 • To Leave If You Can • (1992) • short story by Nancy Holder
    621 • Greggie's Cup • (1992) • short story by Rick Wilber

 

  • Grails: Quests of the Dawn (1994) Edited by Richard Gilliam, Martin H. Greenberg & Edward E. Kramer, Published by Penguin/Roc, TP, 0-451-45303-4, $9.95, 387pg ~ cover by Tomas Canty
  • Grails: Quests of the Dawn (1994) Edited by Richard Gilliam, Martin H. Greenberg & Edward E. Kramer, Published by ROC, TP, 0-451-45303-4, £6.99, 432pg ~ UK printing ~ cover by Tomas Canty
  • Grails: Quests of the Dawn (2004) Edited by Richard Gilliam, Martin H. Greenberg & Edward E. Kramer, Published by Penguin/Roc, PB, 0-451-45964-4, $6.99, 388pg ~ cover by Paul Youll

Write-up from the back of the paperback ~

The Grail is the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper... the mystical chalice that can cure any ill or bring youth eternal to the worthy... the holy relic whose pursuit has been many a seeker's lifework. But grails can come in many forms, and the quest for them can follow many different paths...

Now twenty-five of the finest fantasy and science fiction authors offer mesmerizing tales of trails survived and opportunities missed, of faith fulfilled and evil defeated - as Arthurian knights and innocent maidens, sorceresses and sword masters are forever transformed by their quests for the wondrous and legendary vessel.

Contents:
    1 • The Question of the Grail • (1992) • poem by Jane Yolen
    2 • The Cup and the Cauldron • (1992) • short story by Mercedes Lackey
    20 • That Which Overfloweth • (1992) • short story by Andre Norton
    27 • Chalice of Tears, or I Didn't Want that Damned Grail Anyway • [Lythande] • (1992) • short story by Marion Zimmer Bradley
    36 • The Feast of the Fisher King • (1992) • novelette by Diana L. Paxson
    60 • The Gift of Gilthaliad • (1992) • short story by Brad Strickland
    74 • Curse of the Romany • (1994) • short story by Ilona Ouspenskaya
    90 • Dagda • (1992) • poem by James S. Dorr
    96 • The Sailor Who Sailed After the Sun • (1992) • short story by Gene Wolfe
    112 • Water • (1992) • novelette by Lee Hoffman
    133 • What You See ... • [Amos Malone • 8] • (1992) • short story by Alan Dean Foster
    149 • Storyville, Tennessee • (1994) • novelette by Richard Gilliam
    171 • Somewhere in Her Dying Heart • (1992) • poem by Lisa Lepovetsky
    173 • Hell-Bent for Leather • [Jerry Phipps] • (1994) • short story by Jeremiah E. Phipps
    185 • Atlantis • (1992) • novella by Orson Scott Card
    256 • Invisible Bars • (1992) • short story by Dean Wesley Smith
    264 • That Way Lies Camelot • (1992) • novelette by Janny Wurts
    289 • Hitchhiking Across an Ancient Sea • (1992) • short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
    301 • Visions • (1992) • short story by Lawrence Watt-Evans
    309 • The Awful Truth in Arthur's Barrow • (1992) • novelette by Charles L. Grant [as Lionel Fenn]
    335 • Reunion • (1992) • short story by Brian M. Thomsen
    342 • Quest Now • (1992) • poem by Margo Skinner
    344 • Chivalry • (1992) • short story by Neil Gaiman
    358 • Falling to the Edge of the End of the World • (1994) • short story by Bruce D. Arthurs
    368 • Greggie's Cup • (1992) • short story by Rick Wilber
    385 • The Grail Legend: An Afterword (Grails: Quests of the Dawn) • (1992) • essay by Fritz Leiber 

 

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