Kage Baker - What the Tyger Told Her

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Kage Baker - What the Tyger Told Her
What the Tyger Told Her
Kage Baker
==========
Kage Baker (www.members.tripod.com/~MrsCheckerfield) grew up in Hollywood and Pismo Beach,
California, where she still lives. She’s now writing a lot, but has worked as a graphic artist and mural
painter, at “several lower clerical positions which could in no way be construed as a career, and (over
a period of years for the Living History Centre) playwright, bit player, director, teacher of Elizabethan
English for the stage, stage manager, and educational program assistant coordinator.” She says
“Twenty years of total immersion research in Elizabethan as well as other historical periods has paid
off handsomely in a working knowledge of period speech and details.” Baker is best known for her
series of SF novels and stories about “The Company,” stories of time travelers from our future delving
into various periods of our past to rescue lost art and other treasures. She published a number of fine
stories this year, including the action-packed novella “The Caravan from Troon.”
In “What the Tyger Told Her,” a neglected pet becomes the instrument of a family’s destruction. This
evocative story, which appeared in Realms of Fantasy, skirts the boundary between genre fantasy and
psychological fantasy in the form of daydreams. We prefer the genre interpretation.
==========
“You must observe carefully,” said the tyger.
He was an old tyger. He had survived in captivity more years than he might have been expected to,
penned in his narrow iron run in such a cold wet country, in all weathers. He was just the color of toast,
and white underneath like bread too. His back was double-striped with black streaks, and the rippling
shadows of the bars as he paced continually, turn and turn again.
The little girl blinked, mildly surprised at being addressed. She had a round face, pale and freckled like a
robin’s egg. She had been squatting beside the tyger’s pen for some minutes, fascinated by him. If
anyone had seen her crouched there, crumpling the silk brocade of her tiny hooped gown, she’d have
been scolded, for the summer dust was thick in the garden. But no one had noticed she was there.
“Power,” said the tyger, “comes from knowledge, you see. The best way to learn is to watch what
happens. The best way to watch is unseen. Now, in my proper place, which is jungle meadow and forest
canes, I am very nearly invisible. That,” and he looked with eyes green as beryls at the splendid house
rising above the gardens, “is your proper place. Are you invisible there?”
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Kage Baker - What the Tyger Told Her
The little girl nodded her head.
“Do you know why you’re invisible?”
She thought about it. “Because John and James were born.”
“Your little brothers, yes. And so nobody sees you now?”
“And because…” The child waved her hand in a gesture that took in the house, the garden, the
menagerie, and the immense park in which they were set. “There’s so many uncles and people here.
Mamma and I used to live in the lodging house. Papa would come upstairs in his uniform. It was red. He
was a poor officer. Then he got sick and lived with us in his nightgown. It was white. He would drink
from a bottle and shout, and I would hide behind the chair when he did. And John and James got born.
And Papa went to heaven. And Mamma said oh, my dear, whatever shall we do?“
“What did you do?” the tyger prompted.
“I didn’t do anything. But Grandpapa forgave Mamma and sent for us.”
“What had your Mamma done, to be forgiven?”
“She wasn’t supposed to marry Papa because she is,” and the child paused a moment to recollect the big
words, “an indigent tradesman’s daughter. Papa used to tell her so when he drank out of the bottle. But
when she had John and James, that made it all right again, because they’re the only boys.”
“So they’re important.”
“They will inherit it all,” the child explained, as though she were quoting. “Because Papa died and Uncle
John is in India, and Uncle Thomas only has Louise.”
“But they haven’t inherited yet.”
“No. Not until Grandpapa goes to heaven.”
“Something to think about, isn’t it?” said the tyger, lowering his head to lap water from his stone trough.
The little girl thought about it.
“I thought Grandpapa was in heaven when we went to see him,” she said. “We climbed so many stairs.
And the bed was so high and white and the pillows like clouds. Grandpapa’s nightgown was white. He
has white hair and a long, long beard. He shouted like Papa did. Mamma turned away crying. Mr.
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Kage Baker - What the Tyger Told Her
Lawyer said It’s only his pain, Mrs. Edgecombe. Uncle Thomas said Dear sister, come and have a glass
of cordial. So she did and she was much better.”
“But nobody saw you there, did they?”
“No,” said the child.
“Who’s that coming along the walk?” the tyger inquired.
“That is Uncle Thomas and Aunt Caroline,” the child replied.
“Do you notice that she’s not as pretty as your Mamma?5‘
“Yes.”
“And quite a bit older.”
“Yes. And she can’t have any children but Cousin Louise.”
“I think perhaps you ought to sit quite still,” advised the tyger.
The woman swept ahead in her anger, long skirts trailing in the tall summer grass at the edge of the
walk, white ringers knotting on her lace apron, high curls bobbing with her agitation. The man hurried
after her, tottering a little because of the height of his heels, and the skirts of his coat flapped out behind
him. He wore bottle-green silk. His waistcoat was embroidered with little birds, his wig was slightly
askew. He looked sullen.
“Oh, you have a heart of stone,” cried Aunt Caroline. “Your own child to be left a pauper! It’s too
unjust. Is this the reward of filial duty?”
“Louise is not an especially dutiful girl,” muttered Uncle Thomas.
“I meant your filial duty! One is reminded of the Prodigal Son. You have obeyed his every wish, while
he thundered up there. Wretched old paralytic! And Robert disgraces himself, and dies like a dog in a
ditch with that strumpet, but all’s forgiven because of the twins. Are all our hopes to be dashed forever?”
“Now, Caroline, patience,” said Uncle Thomas. “Consider: Life’s uncertain.”
“That’s true.” Aunt Caroline pulled up short, looking speculative. “Any childish illness might carry off
the brats. Oh, I could drown them like puppies myself!”
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Kage Baker - What the Tyger Told Her
Uncle Thomas winced. He glared at Aunt Caroline’s back a moment before drawing abreast of her, by
which time he was smiling.
“You’ll oblige me by doing nothing so rash. Robert was never strong; we can pray they’ve inherited his
constitution. And after all it would be just as convenient, my dear, if the wench were to die instead. I
would be guardian of John and James, the estate in my hands; what should we have to worry about
then?”
They walked on together. The little girl stared after them.
“Do you think they’re going to drown my Mamma?” she asked uneasily.
“Did you see the way your uncle looked at your aunt behind her back?” replied the tyger. “I don’t think
he cares for her, particularly. What do you think?”
==========
There were fruit trees espaliered all along the menagerie wall, heavy now in apricots and cherries, and
when the chimpanzee had been alive it had been driven nearly frantic in summers by the sight and the
smell of the fruit. Now stuffed with straw, it stared sadly from a glass-fronted cabinet, through a fine
layer of dust.
The little girl, having discovered the fruit was there, wasted no time in filling her apron with all she
could reach and retiring to the shade under the plum tree. The largest, ripest apricot she bowled carefully
into the tyger’s cage. The others she ate in methodical fashion, making a small mound of neatly stacked
pits and cherry stones.
The tyger paused in his relentless stride just long enough to sniff the apricot, turning it over with his
white-bearded chin.
“Your baby brothers have not died,” he said.
“No,” the little girl affirmed, biting into a cherry.
“However, your Aunt Caroline has been suffering acute stomach pains, especially after dinner. That’s
interesting.”
“She has a glass of port wine to make it better,” said the child. “But it doesn’t get better.”
“And that’s your Mamma coming along the walk now, I see,” said the tyger. “With Uncle Thomas.”
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Kage Baker - What the Tyger Told Her
The child concealed the rest of the fruit with her apron and sat still. She needn’t have worried: Neither
her mother nor her uncle noticed her.
Like her daughter, Mamma had a pale, freckled face but was otherwise quite attractive, and the black
broadcloth of her mourning made her look slender and gave her a dignity she needed, for she was very
young. She was being drawn along by Uncle Thomas, who had her by the arm.
“We ought never to question the will of the Almighty,” Uncle Thomas was saying pleasantly. “It never
pleased Him that Caroline should bear me sons, and certainly that’s been a grief to me; but then, without
boys of my own, how ready am I to do a father’s duty by dear little John and James! All that I might
have done for my sons, I may do for yours. Have no fear on that account, dear Lavinia.”
“It’s very kind of you, brother Thomas,” said Mamma breathlessly. “For, sure we have been so poor, I
was at my wit’s end—and father Edgecombe is so severe.”
“But Robert was his favorite,” said Uncle Thomas. “The very reason he disowned him, I think; Father
couldn’t brook disobedience in one he loved above all. If Henry or I had eloped, he’d have scarcely
noticed. And Randall does what he likes, of course. Father was too hard on Robert, alas.”
“Oh, sir, I wish someone had said so while he lived,” said Mamma. “He often wept that he had no
friends.”
“Alas! I meant to write to him, but duty forbid.” Uncle Thomas shook his head. “It is too bad. I must
endeavor to redress it, Lavinia.”
He slipped his arm around her waist. She looked flustered, but said nothing. They walked on.
“Mamma is frightened,” said the child.
“There are disadvantages to being pretty,” said the tyger. “As you can see. I imagine she wishes she
could be invisible, occasionally. Your uncle’s a subtle man; notice how he used words like duty and
alas. No protestations of ardent passion. It’s often easier to get something you want if you pretend you
don’t want it. Remember that.”
The little girl nodded.
She ate another cherry. A peahen ventured near the wall, cocking her head to examine the windfall fruit
under the little trees. As she lingered there, a peacock came stalking close, stiffened to see the hen; his
whole body, bright as blue enamel, shivered, and his trailing train of feathers rose and spread behind
him, shimmering in terrifying glory. Eyes stared from it. The little girl caught her breath at all the green
and purple and gold.
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Kage Baker - What the Tyger Told Her
“You mustn’t allow yourself to be distracted,” the tyger cautioned. “It’s never safe. You see?”
“What, are you lurking there, you little baggage?”
The little girl looked around sharply, craning her head back. Uncle Randall dropped into a crouch beside
her, staring at her. He was young, dressed in tawny silk that shone like gold. His voice was teasing and
hard. He smelled like wine.
“Ha, she’s stealing fruit! You can be punished for that, you know. They’ll pull your skirt up and whip
your bare bum, if I tell. Shall I tell?”
“No,” said the child.
“What’ll you give me, not to tell?”
She offered him an apricot. He took it and rolled it in his hand, eyeing it, and hooted in derision.
“Gives me the greenest one she’s got! Clever hussy. You’re a little woman, to be sure.”
She didn’t know what to say to that, so she said nothing. He stared at her a moment longer, and then the
tyger drew his attention.
“Aren’t you afraid of old Master Stripes? Don’t you worry he’ll break his bounds, and eat you like a
rabbit? He might, you know. But I’m not afraid of him.”
The tyger growled softly, did not cease pacing.
“Useless thing! I’d a damn sight rather Johnnie’d sent us one of his blacks,” said Uncle Randall. He
looked down at her again. “Well, poppet. What’s your Mamma’s favorite color?”
“Sky blue,” said the child.
“It is, eh? Yes, with those eyes, she’d wear that to her advantage. D’you think she’d like a velvet scarf in
that color, eh? Or a cape?”
“She has to wear black now,” the child reminded him.
“She’ll wear it as long as it suits her, I’ve no doubt. What about scent? What’s her fancy? Tell me, does
she ever drink strong waters in secret?”
The child had no idea what that meant, so she shook her head mutely. Uncle Randall snorted.
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Kage Baker - What the Tyger Told Her
“You wouldn’t tell if she did, I’ll wager. Well. Does she miss your Papa very much?”
“Yes.”
“You must say ‘Yes, Uncle dear.”“
“Yes, Uncle dear.”
“There’s a good girl. Do you think you’d like to have another Papa?”
The child thought about it. Remembering the things Papa had said when he raved, that had made her
creep behind the chair to hide, she said: “No.”
“No? But that’s wicked of you, you little minx. A girl must have a Papa to look after her and her
Mamma, or dreadful things might happen. They might starve in the street. Freeze to death. Meat for
dogs, you see, do you want your Mamma to be meat for dogs?”
“No,” said the child, terrified that she would begin to cry.
“Then you’ll tell her she must get you another Papa as soon as ever she may,” Uncle Randall ordered.
“Do you understand me? Do it, and you’ll have a treat. Something pretty.” He reached down to stroke
her cheek, and his hand lingered there.
“What a soft cheek you’ve got,” he said. “I wonder if your Mamma’s is as soft.”
The peacock was maneuvering up behind the hen, treading on her feathers. Seeing it, Uncle Randall
gave a sharp laugh and shied the apricot at her, and she bolted forward, away from the peacock.
Uncle Randall strode off without another word.
“Now, your Uncle Randall,” said the tyger, “is not a subtle man. Nor as clever as he thinks he is, all in
all. He talks far too much, wouldn’t you say?”
The child nodded.
“He uses fear to get what he wants,” said the tyger. “And he underestimates his opponents. That’s a
dangerous thing to do. A bad combination of strategies.”
Wasps buzzed and fought for the apricot at his feet.
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