Sacred Woman, or, Archegripes
'But I can't stand it! I can't stand it! Being of the sex that's responsible for everything sensual and morbid or for those sacred, deadly ball games. Us - get this! me, even - the overturned vessel of doom, or standing as a symbol of it! I don't want to be an archetype. I will send Doctor Sangria a notice to that effect that follows:
Notice of Determination of Termination
'It is ordered, that as of the date of this order, I, King Kong Queen of Cow, no longer shall be thought of as Great Round, Earth Mother, Big Mama; nor Grandmother Spider, nor moon, nor moon-cat; nor, as they call it, "inert, primeval watery mass;" nor western devourer who eats her own children; nor three fates, nor three witches; nor weaver, miller; nor oven of transformations, no; nor in any way connected with intoxicants, nor bringer of intoxication and/or death, as the bringer of life also brings death, I, Queen King Kong Cosmic Cow, not to be considered or confused with anything sacred nor anything fearsome; nor, therefore, with flood or hurricane, nor stand as a symbol of it; nor mother of all the gods, nor of any of the gods, and not even responsible for the conception of a baby any more than a man is, no; nor for the luring of the opposite sex into traps of licentiousness, no; nor stand for it in any form - whether wearing a bra or not - not now ever stand for it; nor the maws of the earth nor engulfing womb; nor accept any still-beating hearts of warriors, nor devour umbilical cords; nor stroke the heads of cobras, nor any other creature of dread; nor tiger's tongue in my mouth, nor stand for any such thing as a symbol of it, not now and forever, no.'
- Carol Emshwiller, Verging on the Pertinent ('Mental Health and Its Alternative')
Notice of Determination of Termination
'It is ordered, that as of the date of this order, I, King Kong Queen of Cow, no longer shall be thought of as Great Round, Earth Mother, Big Mama; nor Grandmother Spider, nor moon, nor moon-cat; nor, as they call it, "inert, primeval watery mass;" nor western devourer who eats her own children; nor three fates, nor three witches; nor weaver, miller; nor oven of transformations, no; nor in any way connected with intoxicants, nor bringer of intoxication and/or death, as the bringer of life also brings death, I, Queen King Kong Cosmic Cow, not to be considered or confused with anything sacred nor anything fearsome; nor, therefore, with flood or hurricane, nor stand as a symbol of it; nor mother of all the gods, nor of any of the gods, and not even responsible for the conception of a baby any more than a man is, no; nor for the luring of the opposite sex into traps of licentiousness, no; nor stand for it in any form - whether wearing a bra or not - not now ever stand for it; nor the maws of the earth nor engulfing womb; nor accept any still-beating hearts of warriors, nor devour umbilical cords; nor stroke the heads of cobras, nor any other creature of dread; nor tiger's tongue in my mouth, nor stand for any such thing as a symbol of it, not now and forever, no.'
- Carol Emshwiller, Verging on the Pertinent ('Mental Health and Its Alternative')