Cave in the Forest, The-Jack Vance novelette, later as a chapter of a novel

Cave in the Forest, The-Jack Vance novelette, later as a chapter of a novel

AKA: Cugel the Clever, chapter VI

The Eyes of the Overworld, chapter VI

Tales of the Dying Earth, Book II, chapter VI

The Cave in the Forest was originally the first part of a novelette called The Manse of Iucounu that was published in 1966 by the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.  The Cave in the Forest (12/16 pages) was later included as chapter VI in the novel The Eyes of the Overworld. (AKA: Cugel the Clever.) This novel is the second novel of the Vance’s Tales of the Dying Earth series.  The Cave in the Forest can currently be found as chapter VI in the novel Cugel the Clever which is available in a high quality trade paperback edition published by Spatterlight Press.  It is best read as part of the novel but can be read by itself.

In The Cave in the Forest Cugel treks through an old forest  where he encounters some dangerous creatures such as a pair of deodands and a leucomorph.  Because of these dangers , “Cugel became more diffident and furtive than ever, skulking from tree to tree, peering and listening, darting across open spaces with an extravagantly delicate gait.” Later in the afternoon he spots a strip of parchment hanging from a tree.  The messages says that Zaraides the Sage is offering a free consultation for anybody entering a nearby cave.  He is initially warry but curiosity prompts him to check this out.  As he continues he spots a cave with a placard stating, “ENTER; ALL ARE WELCOME!”  He peers into the cave but sees only darkness.  Reluctant to enter Cugel sits down to wait and ponder until a man approaches and asks Cugel if he is Zaraides.  Cugel fabricates a story that Zaraides is inside the cave, that he has already visited him and had his questions answered but is now trying to think of new questions before he enters a second time.  Cugel, of course, wants the stranger to enter first so he knows if it is safe.  An hour later the man comes out of the cave and reports that Zaraides is inside waiting for Cugel to come in to see him.  Thinking it is safe, Cugel enters the cave to meet with Zaraides but finds out he has been tricked and is captured by rat-folk who pull him into an underground tunnel. These trident armed rat folk eat people but offer to free Cugel if he lures in two other hostages to replace himself.  That is why the other man came out and told him it was safe to enter. Confronted with this challenge of having to lure others into the cage to obtain his freedom , Cugel needs to utilize all of his talents to try to escape.  If he can’t lure two others into the cave, he will become dinner for the rat folk. It is a strange and interesting story I’ve read many times and rated 5.