The Weaver Fish

by Robert Edeson

  I thank Abbess Magdalena Letterby on a thorough (if divinely insisted) reading of the manuscript, for clarifying several authorship anomalies, and for her very generous contribution in a foreword. I was astonished to discover that she is an accomplished pistolier and familiar with the Prussica gunsight; thereafter, on certain matters, I ensured that we spoke around corners.

  And now, to Edvard Tøssentern: Without you, this history could not have been told. Indeed, without you, it would never have happened, and I owe you every gratitude.

  And to the reader: When recounting events in the Ferendes, I have occasionally been questioned on the matter of veracity. I wish to place on record that all facts have been meticulously checked and witness statements where possible corroborated, with rigorous observance of the public’s right to be truthfully informed and my own professional responsibility as an historian. Where I could only speculate on proceedings, this has been clearly stated and, I believe, argued impartially.

  In assembling the material for this work, and attempting to make sense of it, I have been encouraged by a special group of individuals who are good writers, good listeners, and good friends, and I thank them.

  I wish also to express my appreciation and admiration for the work of Alison Pilcrow, of UITA, who edited the manuscript. I am unable to explain how her addendum to Chapter 15 increases transparency.

  I am grateful to all who have been my teachers.

  Finally, to my family and dearest friends: I thank you for every affection, and for your interest and belief.

  TRAVEL ADVISORY AND DISCLAIMER

  At the time of writing, the Ferendes is in political turmoil with a vicious power struggle between the Yiscosh military and the Democrasi. Foreign legations in Madregalo have been downgraded or closed, and offer no guarantee of assistance to nationals. International air travel through La Ferste is severely disrupted, and freedom of movement within the country is not assured. There are reports of visitors fleeing to the western plateau and being airlifted out. Expatriates who remain are strongly advised to avoid Madregalo’s historic Kardia, where Fitrina’s fountain has become the symbolic heart of the revolution—enlisting freedom fighters are ceremonially baptized in its water. Only streets distant, a police battalion encircles the vacant L’Orphania. The dangers are compounded by an escalating geopolitical polarization in the South China Sea, with a real prospect of regional war. This author can only stress the consensus diplomatic advice that non-essential travel to the Ferendes be delayed or cancelled. In particular, for reasons that must be clear, holders of Australian passports should not visit under any circumstances until further notice. In no way should the content of this work be viewed as an invitation, recommendation, encouragement, persuasion, inducement, incitement, or in any other way interpreted to suggest that any person, for any purpose whatsoever, travel to the Republic of Ferendes.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  A B C Darian is an historian, and believed to be Timothy Bystander, who was exposed as the late Daniel Halfpenny, who is survived by the alias Robert Edeson, a graduate of the universities of Western Australia and of Cambridge, who is conjectured to be Magdalena Letterby, but she is almost certainly A B C Darian.

  First published 2014 by

  FREMANTLE PRESS

  25 Quarry Street, Fremantle 6160

  (PO Box 158, North Fremantle 6159)

  Western Australia

  www.fremantlepress.com.au

  Also available as a printbook.

  Copyright © Robert Edeson, 2014

  The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

  This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher.

  Consultant editor Georgia Richter

  Cover design Ally Crimp

  Cover photograph Hot Air Balloon Pilot, Sean Boggs, Vetta; Getty Images

  Back cover figure & related text Edeson R O et al (1994) Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 255: 26

  Printed by Everbest Printing Company, China

  National Library of Australia

  Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

  Edeson, Robert, author.

  The weaver fish/Robert Edeson.

  ISBN 9781922089533 (ebook)

  A823.4

  Fremantle Press is supported by the State Government through the Department of Culture and the Arts.

  Publication of this title was assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.