A few days ago I noticed a dead snake on the dirt road
around the corner from our house. I expected it to be gone the next day but
it’s still there several days later. I noticed this morning that an entire ant
hill has been built up around it. It made me think of human boom towns, when a
vein of silver or gold was discovered, or when oil was found, and how a town
might spring up almost overnight with everything dedicated to mining that vein
or drilling for that oil.
I wonder what will happen to the ant town when the snake is
gone. Human boom towns often died out when the ore was depleted. The people
moved on to the next strike. I’ll have to keep an eye on the ants to see if the
same thing happens.
It made me think of a fantasy story idea, of boom towns
built up around the death site of a dragon perhaps. Ants and humans ain’t that
different it would seem.
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You have such prolific eye and imagination. The idea of a medieval boomtown around a dragon carcass has possibilities!
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
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> < } } ( ° >
That's an awesome idea -- I'm thinking about all the parts of a dragon that are incredibly valuable in various chunks of fantasy fiction. :) Looking forward to reading this when you're done.
ReplyDeleteAngie
Sounds like a cool idea, Charles. You definitely have something there. I need to hone up my observation skills.
ReplyDeleteNature's migrant workers will move on to the next project!
ReplyDeleteA few ants are running around aimlessly in my place lately. They must be in search of work!
I don't think making the attraction edible is a good idea, Charles. The carcass of a dragon would rot, bloat, and draw other scavengers like rats, maggots, etc - not to mention the flies that lay the eggs. :)
ReplyDeleteBernard has an interesting point. However, if there were something produced during the decay process that had value and could only be gotten from decaying dragons and not other creatures, then I can see how a boom town could spring up.
ReplyDeleteHa! That's a brilliant idea. :)
ReplyDeleteCloudia, I'm a OCD in noticing details but it helps in writing.
ReplyDeleteAngie, it's just in the planning stage now, but could be fun.
Prashant, I don't notice big things, just little things.
Merisi, indeed.
Bernard, I'm thinking more of them mining it for bone materials, scales, that sort of thing.
Keith, that's a good idea, and would add to the nastiness of the process.
Tom, thankee, man.
I'd read that story! You should write it.
ReplyDeleteyeah, i'd love to read that story.
ReplyDeletei like comparisons and/or parallels between man and elements nature. sometimes great ideas come out of such works.
Excellent idea on the dragon or other beastie as boom town for a storyline.
ReplyDeleteVoltaire jokes about big and wee creatures in a similar way in the quasi-SF novella, Micromegas. about human anthill wars, for instance.
Thanks for that. Gives me thoughts and things.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I've jotted the idea down. Maybe in time.
ReplyDeleteSzelsofa, I like that kind of thing as well.
Erik, years ago I read a story about a broadcast on a war and it turned out to be ants. Was pretty cool.
Rachel, that's a good thing.
The dragon idea sounds awesome. There could be a tourist industry, people wanting to see the remains and maybe where the beast fell, or perhaps where a battle against the beast happened. There could be a religious aspect, shrines and markers to the fallen brave warriors who fought the monster, something like the Little Bighorn site, or even bigger like Gettysburg. And, of course, the selling of trinkets, dragon parts, etc. There could be even be a seasonal circuit, like fairs or Renaissance festivals ... "this month we're selling wares at the site of the fall of the Great Gragomath, but next month we're heading north to set up at the Battle of Sherwood park."
ReplyDeleteI like that idea a lot Charles, run with it!
ReplyDeleteExcellent!
ReplyDeleteAs a former resident of Ontario boom towns, this really resonates in me.
The White Rose filling station with crumbling ashphalt and now overgrown with Sumach. Dead ferries at lakeports.
"There on the marge of Lake LaBarge..."
Anybody ever describe you with the adjective of "WEIRD"
ReplyDeleteTy, indeed. it could be told either seriously or for laughs. Maybe both.
ReplyDeleteDavid, thanks, man.
Ivan, I noticed yesterday that the ants seem to have abandoned the almost desiccated snake now.
Mark, why yes, why do you ask?
Good idea. but.. maybe the dragon was a good guy? And the town was built for nursie him and cure his wounds?
ReplyDeleteDeka, could be.
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing that you thought of a story line from something like that!
ReplyDeleteRiot kitty, my mind works in mysteriously bizarre ways.
ReplyDeleteWow, perfect example of emergence--both the ant hills and the boom towns. So many similarities.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm a huge fan of appendixes.
ReplyDeleteX Dell, I like appendices too. Always alot of cool extra info.
ReplyDeleteThis is a cool idea!
ReplyDeletewww.modernworld4.blogspot.com
When I saw this post title in my Feedly reader, my first thought was "what a great title for a story".
ReplyDeleteGina, thanks for dropping by.
ReplyDeleteTravis, I love stories like that.
just do it! :D
ReplyDeleteThis post sure provided me with a vivid memory of the South (primarily of the odors), it having far more snakes and ants than does Oregon.
ReplyDeleteLaughingwolf, orders received, Captain. :)
ReplyDeleteSnowbrush. The ants are literally everywhere. quite often in the house.