Philosophy and Fairy Tales: Four Short Stories

By Fraser Sherman

Philosophy and Fairy Tales collects four previously published short stories. In "Jack Be Nimble," Jack's mother tries to make him a proper fairy-tale hero. "Original Synergy" has a meeting planner struggle to pull off a conference of all the great international conspiracies. In "Learning Curve," a teacher tries to show her science class why flies spontaneously generate in rotting meat. Finally, in "Red Moon Rising," Red Riding Hood plots to seduce the wolf—but learns things about the wolf, herself and her grandmother she never imagined.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fraser Sherman
• Release date: Jul 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301713639

Fraser Sherman

English born, Floridian for most of my life, now living in Durham with my amazing wife. I've had 20 short stories and three film reference books published and articles in everything from Boys' Life to Law Enforcement Technology. I'm a full-time freelancer now and I love it.

Book preview

PHILOSOPHY AND FAIRY TALES: FOUR SHORT STORIES

By

Fraser Sherman

SMASHWORDS EDITION

Copyright 2013, Fraser Sherman

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Cover Art by Lisa K. Wildman

Table of Contents

Jack Be Nimble

Learning Curve

Original Synergy

Red Moon Rising

About Fraser Sherman

Publication History

Jack Be Nimble

Stupid, worthless, miserable boy! The belt lashed Jack's back, emphasizing every word. How could you trade our precious magic beans for a useless cow?

It's a good deal, Ma! Crouched on the worn carpet at the center of Ma's trailer, Jack winced at each weak blow; if she realized she wasn't hurting him, she'd try harder and probably pull a muscle. Briar's a good cow, she'll give enough milk for us and plenty left over to sell.

Sell milk? My son, a tradesman? The faux Gucci belt fell from Ma's shaking hands; exhausted, she sank back into her recliner. You gave away your destiny for a cow! When you climbed the beanstalk you could have—

Been eaten like Pa? It's not like I'm a third son.

You're a widow's son, that's almost as good.

The giants aren't a threat to anyone down here, not since the Erlking started factory-farming prisoners to feed them. Jack Dairy's pretty sure he has a destiny, and he wants a princess real bad, so I traded him for Briar Rose.

And what about your princess? Why do you always waste every opportunity I've given you, all your training—

I don't want to get rich just because I know how to lie and play riddle games. I want to accomplish something—own a small business, work it up to—

And none of my dreams matter! A hacking cough cut her next words off.

You shouldn't exert yourself like that. Biting his lip, he tugged at the chair's stubborn handle until the footrest came up, then tucked the comforter around her. It's not good for your asthma.

You could find a magic inhaler in the giant's castle. One to make me healthy.

Or I could sell the milk, pay for a prescription—wouldn't that be just as nice? Jack Files in the SBA says he'd be glad to arrange a small business loan ... someday. Specifically when Files was sure Ma wouldn't trade away the assets for something hopelessly impractical.

Like trading Jack's old car for the magic beans. It had taken him six months doing odd jobs to earn the down payment, but he'd had a pizza delivery job lined up, above minimum wage, good tips . . . by now he'd have had the cable reconnected, and she could be watching General Hospital.

But once she saw he could support them without a destiny, make his own way in the world, she'd be proud of him, wouldn't she? Ma, wouldn't you like to eat out once in a while? Have an air-conditioner that works?

She rolled over on her side with an audible sniff. He sat there, stroking her arm until she fell into wheezy sleep.

In the distance, he could hear loud R&B playing—of course, Miller's third son had come home yesterday morning, with a duke's daughter and a spaniel that shed gold when it sneezed. They'd brought in Jack Tune's garage band to play at the engagement party.

And Ma had probably heard how the whole Miller family would be relocating into the duke's new gated community, with a house right on the waterfront. All because Miller's son had robbed a griffin or dragon or ogre or whatever it had been and now he had a