Bob Shaw & Walt Willis - The Enchanted Duplicator

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[ This file is provided by permission from Walt Willis, at the SF-Archives, Glasgow University. It is

provided as part of a free service in connection with distribution of SF Archives. It may be freely copied

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THE ENCHANTED DUPLICATOR

Walt Willis & Bob Shaw

Preface to the computer-readable edition.

This computer-readable edition of THE ENCHANTED DUPLICATOR is copied from the 8th printed

edition. Sadly, ASCII terminals cannot show Dan Steffan's excellent illustrations. A very few typos have

been corrected; I have doubtless introduced more of my own. The only typographic peculiarity present is

that words bracketed by asterisks like *this* should be regarded as underlined.

Peter Trei

oc.trei@cu20b.arpa

1 April 1985

Preface to the Eighth edition

This is the eighth edition of The Enchanted Duplicator. Walt Willis and George Charters published the

first edition, with illustrations by Bob Shaw, in 1954. Ted Johnstone and George Fields produced a

version with Eddie Jones art in 1962. Arnie Katz and Rich Brown published the third edition, illustrated

by C. Rose Chamberlain, in 1971. In 1972, The Enchanted Duplicator was serialized (as installments of

"The Clubhouse," normally a fanzine-review column) in AMAZING SCIENCE FICTION. In 1979, the

British worldcon, SeaCon '79, also produced an edition. In 1980, this fannish allegory was published in

the 600-page WARHOON 28 as part of a Collected Works of Willis. And in 1981, Gary Farber did a

300-copy replica of the third edition. Obviously this is a durable work.

Some of the allusions in The Enchanted Duplicator will be clearer if one knows a bit of fanhistory. For

example, it is useful to know that Mari Wolff, during her stint as a fanzine reviewer in the prozine

IMAGINATION, doled out egoboo with heedless abandon, or that many fans used Swift Printers in the

early 1950s. Still, the spirit of the work is just as strong today as when it was first published, and a failure

to understand a few random bits of esoterica won't lessen your enjoyment. Jophan Credits for the Eighth

Edition:

The 1983 edition of THE ENCHANTED DUPLICATOR by Walt Willis and Bob Shaw, and

illustrated by Dan Steffan is jointly produced by Editions Dante and Constellation, the 1983 World

Science Fiction Convention.

*Credits*: Design and Layout: Dan Steffan; Typing: Lynn Steffan; Map: C. Ross Chamberlain; Vile

Instigator: Gary Farber; Boss Ladies: Avedon Carol and Peggy Rae Pavlat; Inspiration: The Spirit of

Fandom.

This 1983 edition is dedicated to the memory of BOB PAVLAT, A Trufan.

Chapter One

In Which the Spirit of Fandom appears to Jophan.

Once upon a time in the village of Prosaic in the Country of Mundane there lived a youth called Jophan.

Now this youth was unhappy, because in all the length and breadth of Mundane there was no other

person with whom he could talk as he would like, or who shared the strange longings that from time to

time perplexed his mind and which none of the pleasures offered by Mundane could wholly satisfy. Each

day as Jophan grew nearer to manhood he felt more strongly that life should have more to offer than had

been dreamed of in Mundane, and he took to reading strange books that told of faraway places and

other times. But the People of Prosaic mocked him, saying that the things described in his books could

never come to pass, and that it was as foolish to think of them as to aspire to climb the great mountains

that surrounded the Country of Mundane.

The mighty peaks that hemmed in Mundane were ever present in Jophan's thoughts, for since childhood

he had loved to look at them and wonder what lay on their other side. At times in the late Summer he had

even seemed to see a curious luminescence in the sky beyond them and once he had even fancied that he

heard the sound of happy voices singing, borne over the vast distances on the still Summer breeze. But

when he mentioned these things to the People of Prosaic they laughed at him and said his fanciful

imagination was playing him tricks. Even if anyone could climb these impassable mountains, they told him,

there could be nothing on the other side but howling wastes where no man could live except perhaps

madmen and savages.

Jophan believed them, for they seemed older and wiser than he, and tried to put the strange thoughts

out of his mind. But he still read the strange books that told of faraway places and other times, and in the

long evenings of Summer he would go away by himself into the fields and read until nightfall.

Now one day while he was reading in a cornfield, the drowsy fragrance of the corn lulled him to sleep.

In his sleep he dreamed that a fairy came to him, a girl of wondrous beauty and shining with a light

brighter than the noonday sun, so that Jophan shrank away and hid his eyes. The fairy came nearer and

spoke to him.

"Have no fear," she said. "I am your friend."

And now Jophan looked and saw that indeed the fairy gazed on him with kindness and love, and he

took courage.

"Who and what are you?" he asked.

"I am the Spirit of Fandom," said the fairy serenely.

"What is Fandom?" asked Jophan wonderingly.

The fairy looked down on him with compassion. "Have you not been searching for it all your life?" she

asked. "Watch!" So saying, she touched his forehead with her wand, which was called Contact, and

thereupon Jophan saw a vision that filled him with Joy.

"This is indeed what I have been searching for without knowing it," he cried. "Oh, Fairy, tell me how I

can reach your realm, for I wish to become a Fan more than anything else in the world."

"The Way is hard," said the Fairy, "for it lies over the Mountains of Inertia which surround Mundane."

"But those mountains are unclimable," protested Jophan.

"To a True Fan anything is possible," replied the Fairy. "But wait. I have shown you only the superficial

aspects of Fandom. Now I will show you something of its inner essence." With those words she touched

his forehead with her other wand, which was named Fanac, and Jophan saw a second vision so glorious

that he was quite overcome by the wonder of it.

As soon as he could speak he cried aloud, "Oh Spirit of Fandom, tell me how I may become a True

Fan and publish the Perfect Fanzine, for that is what I desire more than anything in the world."

"I see that I have chosen wisely," said the Fairy approvingly, "but the way to your heart's desire is long

and hard. To reach it you must obtain the Enchanted Duplicator, sometimes known as the Magic

Mimeograph. It lies in the very heart of Fandom, on the top of the High Tower of Trufandom, and the

path to it is long and beset with many dangers."

"I do not care for danger," said Jophan stoutly, "so long as I can publish the Perfect Fanzine, for that is

what I want more than anything else in the world."

"Very well," said the Fairy. "Then take this Shield, which is called Umor. If you polish it every day and

keep it shining it will protect you from many dangers."

"But how will I know the way?" cried Jophan hastily, for the Fairy was already beginning to disappear.

"If you are a True Fan you will know the way...." said the Fairy faintly, for she had now almost

completely faded into invisibility. For a moment a faint glow remained in the air from which seemed to

come the whispered words "Good Luck," and then she was gone.

Jophan woke from his dream and realized that night was almost upon him, for the sun was setting

behind the Mountains of Inertia and their shadows were advancing swiftly on him across the level plains

of Mundane. Behind the mountains there lingered a sea of glorious light, and a sadness overtook Jophan

to think that his vision had been but a dream. But as he got to his feet he noticed that on the ground

beside him there lay a shield of curious workmanship. Jophan picked it up incredulously and than turned

his eyes once again to the mountains, his face transfigured with wonder and resolve.

Chapter Two

In Which Jophan starts on his Journey.

That evening Jophan told his parents of his intention to scale the Mountains of Inertia and enter the

Realm of Fandom. His mother pleaded with him in vain, and in a fit of rage his father burned all the books

that told of faraway places and other times, but nothing could shake Jophan from his purpose. As dawn

broke he set out for the mountains, carrying all his possessions on his back and turning a deaf ear to the

protests of his friends, who ran behind him begging him to return.

They soon fell far behind, and by noon Jophan arrived at the borders of Mundane. He found himself at

the great arterial road that ran to the capital city. He was confused by the traffic that roared along the

road, and stood anxiously looking for an opportunity to cross. As he waited he noticed other travellers

boarding luxurious coaches bound for fabulous destinations such as Wealth, Success, Respectability and

other places, but none of them seemed to be going in the direction of Fandom. During a momentary lull in

the traffic Jophan marched steadfastly across the road. Then he took the narrow path that led through the

Forest of Stupidity, which forest grows all around the Country of Mundane and shelters it from the

searching winds that blow out of Fandom.

The path was overgrown, and in several places Jophan had to cut his was through brush and thickets,

but by mid-afternoon he had made his way to a beautiful clearing where he thought he would rest before

continuing his journey. To his surprise he noticed that the clearing was laid out as an aerodrome, and that

a beautiful silver flying-machine was even now landing. As he watched, the pilot and a passenger got out.

The passenger seemed to fall to the ground and lie there motionless but the pilot came trotting over to

Jophan. He was a fat, prosperous-looking man, and he eyed Jophan with calculating cordiality.

Good afternoon, young man," he said genially. "My name is Swift. May I ask where you are bound

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Bob Shaw & Walt Willis - The Enchanted Duplicator

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