----- Original Message -----
From: "John Cowan" <cowan@...>
> Sally Caves scripsit:
>
> > The six fingers allow them to be masterful players of musical
> > instruments, but they are regarded as freakish by us.
>
> ObQuellenforschung: Does this owe anything at all to Bradley's
six-fingered
> laranzu from the Darkover series?
I've had the concept for twenty years, well before I'd heard of Darkover, so
I guess not. It's a common notion, though. I think Ray Bradbury's Martians
are six-fingered.
> They too have special abilities on
> musical instruments, especially the rryl, a kithara-type instrument which
> has special six-fingered models.
Interesting. An obvious extension to make (so to speak!).
> Said Agatha Christie / To E. Philips Oppenheim John Cowan
> "Who is this Hemingway? / Who is this Proust? jcowan@reutershealth.com
> Who is this Vladimir / Whatchamacallum,
http://www.reutershealth.com
No wonder she mispronounced Proust! <g> Can't help you with the author.