Clifford Simak: Grotto of the Dancing Deer : And Other Stories

“Look,” said Benton, “if I knew how much was safe, I’d put that DDT in capsules and you could swallow them. But I don’t, and if I guessed wrong I could kill you off. But I do know that people like Helen Anderson, who works in a garden where there’s still some DDT, are healthy as a hog—while Helen’s husband, Herb, who won’t dirty his hands in the garden, feels just the same way you do. All beat out, good for nothing, tired.”

“Well,” Jackson said reluctantly, “if I could do what you say by myself. If there was no one to see me …”

“I promise you no one will see you. I won’t tell a soul.”

Watching Jackson’s retreating back, Benton stood for a time trying to figure out how he would convince Herb and Ted and Burt and all the others of them.

It might be a chore, he knew; but he would get it done. He would have them all down there in the basement, playing at that dirt box like a bunch of kids. After all, he was good old Doc and his people trusted him.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

These are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 the Estate of Clifford D. Simak

All stories reprinted by permission of the Estate of Clifford D. Simak.

“Over the River and Through the Woods” © 1965 by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. © 1993 by the Estate of Clifford D. Simak. Originally published in Amazing Stories , v. 39, no. 5, May, 1965.

“Grotto of the Dancing Deer” © 1980 by The Conde Nast Publications, Inc. Originally published in Analog , v. 100, no. 4, April, 1980.

“The Reformation of Hangman’s Gulch” © 1944 by Popular Publications, Inc. © 1972 by Clifford D. Simak. Originally published in Big-Book Western Magazine , v. 14, no. 4, Dec., 1944.

“The Civilization Game” © 1958 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. © 1986 by Clifford D. Simak. Originally published in Galaxy Magazine , v. 17, no. 1, November, 1958.

“Crying Jag” © 1959 by Galaxy Publishing Corp. © 1987 by Clifford D. Simak. Originally published in Galaxy Magazine , v. 18, no. 3, Feb., 1960.

“Hunger Death” © 1938 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. © 1966 by Clifford D. Simak. Originally published in Astounding Science Fiction , v. 22, no. 2, Oct., 1938.

“Mutiny on Mercury” © 1931 by Gernsback Publications, Inc. © 1959 by Clifford D. Simak. Originally published in Wonder Stories , v. 3, no. 10, March, 1932.

“Jackpot” © 1956 by Galaxy Publishing Corp. © 1984 by Clifford D. Simak. Originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction , v. 12, no. 6, October, 1956.

“Day of Truce” © 1962 by Galaxy Publishing Corp. © 1990 by the Estate of Clifford D. Simak. Originally published in Galaxy Magazine , v. 21, no. 3, Feb., 1963.

“Unsilent Spring” © 1976 by Random House, Inc. © 2004 by Richard S. Simak and the Estate of Clifford D. Simak. First appeared in STELLAR NO. 2 SCIENCE FICTION STORIES , ed. by Judy-Lynn del Rey, Ballantine Books. Reprinted by permission of the Estates of Clifford D. Simak and Richard S. Simak.

Introduction copyright © 2015 by David W. Wixon

Cover design by Jason Gabbert

978-1-5040-2316-0

Published in 2016 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

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New York, NY 10038

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THE COMPLETE SHORT FICTION OF CLIFFORD D. SIMAK

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