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The Strange and Wonderful House: Difference between revisions
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* blue and pink mice in [[#The North West Attic|the North West Attic]] which [[Mila]] believed lay eggs in people's ears, though this may just have been paranoia on her part; ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 31: The North West Attic|The North West Attic]]'') | * blue and pink mice in [[#The North West Attic|the North West Attic]] which [[Mila]] believed lay eggs in people's ears, though this may just have been paranoia on her part; ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 31: The North West Attic|The North West Attic]]'') | ||
* the [[Werepanda]] who allegedly roamed in [[the Gardens]]; ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 35: Into the Gardens (Part 1)|Into the Gardens]]'') | * the [[Werepanda]] who allegedly roamed in [[the Gardens]]; ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 35: Into the Gardens (Part 1)|Into the Gardens]]'') | ||
* [[the Bodhi Tree]]; ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 39: The Bodhi Tree|The Bodhi Tree]]'', etc.) | |||
* [[the Cheshire]]; ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 40: The Cheshire (Part 1)|The Cheshire (Part 1)]]'', etc.) | |||
* [[the Lady in Mourning]], speculated to be a former goddess. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 19: The Ruined Chapel|The Ruined Chapel]]'') | * [[the Lady in Mourning]], speculated to be a former goddess. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 19: The Ruined Chapel|The Ruined Chapel]]'') | ||
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At some point, an old [[wandering mendicant (Our Strange and Wonderful House)|wandering mendicant]] dressed in dusty, tattered clothing, came to [[#The Ruined Chapel|the Ruined Chapel]] at the end of a long journey. He faced [[the Lady of Mourning]] without fear and entertained her with an endless array of melancholy songs, asking, in-between each song, if a given name was hers. Every night at midnight, while the Lady removed her veil, the mendicant left the Chapel to gather food and drink from [[the Tarn]], before returning to resume his singing and questioning. He died happy after years spent in this routine, one more question on his lips. His passing affected the Lady to the degree that she broke her own ancient routine: the following night, at midnight, instead of crying out “''Woe unto they who once stood on high! Their temples are in ruins and their names are forgotten.''” as she always did, she turned her head towards the stars and sang a song of “hope and dreams” before departing the Chapel for good, with the statue also being gone the next morning, alongside the Chapel's aura of melancholy. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 19-I: The Right Wrong Questions|The Right Wrong Questions]]'') | At some point, an old [[wandering mendicant (Our Strange and Wonderful House)|wandering mendicant]] dressed in dusty, tattered clothing, came to [[#The Ruined Chapel|the Ruined Chapel]] at the end of a long journey. He faced [[the Lady of Mourning]] without fear and entertained her with an endless array of melancholy songs, asking, in-between each song, if a given name was hers. Every night at midnight, while the Lady removed her veil, the mendicant left the Chapel to gather food and drink from [[the Tarn]], before returning to resume his singing and questioning. He died happy after years spent in this routine, one more question on his lips. His passing affected the Lady to the degree that she broke her own ancient routine: the following night, at midnight, instead of crying out “''Woe unto they who once stood on high! Their temples are in ruins and their names are forgotten.''” as she always did, she turned her head towards the stars and sang a song of “hope and dreams” before departing the Chapel for good, with the statue also being gone the next morning, alongside the Chapel's aura of melancholy. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 19-I: The Right Wrong Questions|The Right Wrong Questions]]'') | ||
A visitor once happened upon a strange elevator whose doors were covered with purple fur, and whose buttons appeared and reappeared. He was stumped ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 40: The Cheshire (Part 1)|The Cheshire (Part 1)]]'') until he was joined by a young woman wearing a striking red hat and cloak, who explained that this elevator was an interdimensional “mystic elevator” capable of going anywhere in the House, known as [[the Cheshire]]. She stroked it like a cat until it agreed to behave, ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 40-I: The Cheshire (Part 2)|The Cheshire (Part 2)]]'') and introduced herself as [[Carmen Sandiego|Carmen]], a professional thief and time-traveller. The visitor was charmed by her, although he refused to believe she really was a thief. However, before they could take advantage of the Cheshire's newfound good mood, a “[[Kid (Our Strange and Wonderful House)|kid]]” joined them inside and accidentally spilled a bag of catnip, which, according to Carmen, spelled “a world of trouble” for the occupants. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 40-II: The Cheshire Cat (Part 3)|The Cheshire Cat (Part 3)]]'') | |||
On one occasion, [[Jenny Everywhere#Romanced by Nowhere|an incarnation of Jenny Everywhere]] ran into the Strange and Wonderful House while chased by [[Jenny Nowhere#Romance with Everywhere|Jenny Nowhere]]. She tried to hide in a dark room, but was found by Nowhere; however, Everywhere picked up a lamp and clobbered Nowhere on the head with it before making her escape. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Jenny Everywhere and the Nowhere Spiral (novel)|Jenny Everywhere and the Nowhere Spiral]]'') | On one occasion, [[Jenny Everywhere#Romanced by Nowhere|an incarnation of Jenny Everywhere]] ran into the Strange and Wonderful House while chased by [[Jenny Nowhere#Romance with Everywhere|Jenny Nowhere]]. She tried to hide in a dark room, but was found by Nowhere; however, Everywhere picked up a lamp and clobbered Nowhere on the head with it before making her escape. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Jenny Everywhere and the Nowhere Spiral (novel)|Jenny Everywhere and the Nowhere Spiral]]'') | ||
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=== The Master in the Gardens === | === The Master in the Gardens === | ||
In a bad mood after an argument, the [[Master of the House]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 39-II: The Will of the Creator|The Will of the Creator]]'') stomped out of the House proper through [[#The Sun Room|the Sun Room]]. Ignoring the signs pointing to [[#The Tree House|the Tree House]] and [[#The Southern Veranda|the Southern Veranda]], he made his way to [[the Gardens]], where a sign warning visitors to be careful of the [[Werepanda]] only needled him further. After entering, he was confronted by a strange man ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 35: Into the Gardens (Part 1)|Into the Gardens (Part 1)]]'') who offered to take him on a tour of the Gardens, enticing him to accept with the possibility of “tea in the shade of [[the Bodhi Tree]]” at the end of the tour. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 36: Into the Gardens (Part 2)|Into the Gardens (Part 2)]]'') The old man, who introduced himself as [[Sid]], walked quickly, chattering happily to his charge about what they saw on the way and what else they might see yet, from the orchards and vegetable garden to [[#The Topiary Veranda|the Topiary Veranda]] and we [[I. T. Haze]]'s [[#The hedge maze|hedge maze]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 37: The Secrets of Our Gardens (Part 1)|The Secrets of Our Gardens (Part 1)]]'') | In a bad mood after an argument, the [[Master of the House]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 39-II: The Will of the Creator|The Will of the Creator]]'') stomped out of the House proper through [[#The Sun Room|the Sun Room]]. Ignoring the signs pointing to [[#The Tree House|the Tree House]] and [[#The Southern Veranda|the Southern Veranda]], he made his way to [[the Gardens]], where a sign warning visitors to be careful of the [[Werepanda]] only needled him further. After entering, he was confronted by a strange man ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 35: Into the Gardens (Part 1)|Into the Gardens (Part 1)]]'') who offered to take him on a tour of the Gardens, enticing him to accept with the possibility of “tea in the shade of [[the Bodhi Tree]]” at the end of the tour. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 36: Into the Gardens (Part 2)|Into the Gardens (Part 2)]]'') The old man, who introduced himself as [[Sid]], walked quickly, chattering happily to his charge about what they saw on the way and what else they might see yet, from the orchards and vegetable garden to [[#The Topiary Veranda|the Topiary Veranda]] and we [[I. T. Haze]]'s [[#The hedge maze|hedge maze]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 37: The Secrets of Our Gardens (Part 1)|The Secrets of Our Gardens (Part 1)]]'') | ||
When Sid showed his charge “[[the training ground of accursed springs]]”, the latter expressed surprise at such a seemingly malevolent thing being part of [[the Strange and Wonderful House|House]]. Sid tutted at his “mistaken impression that the House is essentially good” before adding that “even worse, like many new writers, you think you’re in control of every part of the story”; when the visitor replied that “we” did in fact “make” the House, Sid cryptically implied that this was a limited perspective. They continued walking and found themselves in a landscape which the visitor believed to be “in [[China]], or [[Japan]]”, to which Sid replied that “all three are correct, depending on your perspective”. The visitor suddenly felt calmer and realised that in the distance, he could now glimpse the towering form of [[the Bodhi Tree]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 38: The Secrets of Our Gardens (Part 2: Accursed Springs)|The Secrets of Our Gardens (Part 2: Acccursed Springs)]]'') | |||
Sid left him to take the last few steps alone. Though briefly suspicious, he was won over by the aura of peace that surrounded the Tree, and agreed, kicking off his shoes to finish the journey alone. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 38-I: A Return to Innocence|A Return to Innocence]]'') As he approached the Tree, he was overcome with a surge of emotion and cried out all his buried feelings of “unworthiness, self-hate and guilt”. When had no further tears to shed, feeling a new man, he asked if it was “always like that”, but found Sid out of earshot. He felt at peace and increasingly certain that he feels not just good, but great — “fully rested, at peace, and ready for anything”: ready to “change the world”. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 38-II: The Pain of Rebirth|The Pain of Rebirth]]'') He paused at last to consider the huge, beautiful Tree itself, and reached out to brush a hand against its barks; as he did so, he felt the Tree's ageless mind briefly touching his own, getting a glimpse of the Tree's timeless perspective on the universe. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Chapter 39: The Bodhi Tree|The Bodhi Tree]]'') | |||
Finding Sid again, he was given the choice of whether to stay by the Bodhi Tree's side indefinitely, or to return to his normal life, at the cost of the humdrum complications of everyday life slowly chipping away at his enlightenment until he'd all but forget what he had really found here. He found the choice unfair, ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 39-I: Wake to Dream Again|Wake to Dream Again]]'') and, an incalculably amounts of times over, returned to the Tree before seeking Sid out again, being offered the choice again without remembering it was not for the first time, and again returning to the Tree. At last, he realised how many times he had repeated the pattern, and, complimenting Sid's patience, said he was ready to return. Sid reminded him of his true identity by telling him that “the Manor await[ed] its Lord”, and his memories and lust for life came crashing back into his mind like a storm. Grinning, he headed home from his “vacation”, once again on “the infinity kick”. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 39-II: The Will of the Creator|The Will of the Creator]]'') | |||
=== Later history === | |||
At some point, a man came to lie between the roots of [[the Bodhi Tree]] in [[the Gardens]]. He never moved or aged, although his blue eyes were wide open. He became known as “[[the Bodhi Son]]”, and a [[Loom weaver (Our Strange and Wonderful House)|superstitious old woman]] started a tradition of placing candle-prayers at his feet. Over time, this developed into a full religion, with a cathedral of wood and stone being carefully built in the shade of the Tree, with the Bodhi Son lying in the narthex. Eventually, a fire broke out, burning down the cathedral and the Tree itself, but the Bodhi Son was unharmed, crying in his sleep as his face covered with suit. In the instant when the Bodhi Tree finally died, he blinked as he awoke. When he opened his eyes again, they were no longer blue, but green like the Tree's leaves had been. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)|Our Strange and Wonderful House]]'': ''[[Our Strange and Wonderful House (novel)#Appendix 39-III: The Bodhi Son|The Bodhi Son]]'') | |||
[[Category:Locations]] | [[Category:Locations]] | ||
