Cage

by A. Bertram Chandler

(Written As By Bertram Chandler)
Short Story

Here is a challenge-to-the-Reader story, a stimulating puzzle for you to solve: How could you prove to a wholly alien life-form that you are a rational being? To the survivors of the wrecked spaceship Lode Star it was a challenge of a more vital sort - a riddle of life or death. I doubt if any reader will soon forget Mr. Chandler's pointed answer.

Genres: Fiction

Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 1958

About the author

Arthur Bertram Chandler (28 March 1912–6 June 1984) was an Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Paul T. Sherman, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M.

He was born in Aldershot, England. He was a merchant marine officer, sailing the world in everything from tramp steamers to troopships. He emigrated to Australia in 1956 and became an Australian citizen. He commanded various ships in the Australian and New Zealand merchant navies, and was the last master of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne as the law required that it have an officer on board while it was laid up waiting to be towed to China to be broken up.

Reviews

[Basma Omar · Rating 4 out of 5]

"- ما الذي جعلهم يدركون أننا كائنات عاقلة؟
= لأن الكائنات العاقلة فقط هي التي تضع الكائنات الأخرى في أقفاص ! "

[Chris Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

JJBMindwebs audiobook 35. Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction June 1957. This was a terrific story of a group of spacefarers marooned on a jungle planet by their stricken spacecraft. Nothing spectacular but I loved its simplicity, the elements of adventure and a realistic problem to solve. C NJ
Spoilers follow
They are reduced to basically wet, naked and thoroughly miserable animals with no artefacts or even fire - as clothes rot and metal rusts. They begin plans for long term colonisation and species survival given that their rescue seems highly improbable. Eventually, as the title implies, a number are abducted, separated, and exhibited in small enclosures by aliens with no indication that they recognise their qualitative differences from the other exotic zoo inhabitants. With nothing in their cages but slabs of edible fungus and plant material (and an alien mouse!) to work with how can they communicate with their alien captors? They need to quickly prevent the spectre of vivisection, (which is the probable fate for an unlucky individual or couple,) and then secure their release and finally gain acceptance as an intelligent spacefarer species.

[أبرار صبحي · Rating 4 out of 5]

الإنسان هو الإنسان وبه من الشر ما يكفي العالم ويفيض. مهما بلغنا من تطور علمي ومهما ظننا أنّا وصلنا إلى قمة الرقي الأخلاقي والثقافي وبددنا جاهلية من سبقونا، مع أول اختبار لهذه الثقافة يبصر الأعمى فشلنا منقطع النظير!
❞ ما الذي جعلهم يدركون أننا كائنات عاقلة؟‏
‫ ‏اسود وجه «هوكينز». وهو يقول: ‏
‫ ‏- لأن الكائنات العاقلة فقط هي التي تضع الكائنات الأخرى في أقفاص!‏ ❝
قصة قصيرة بها من الفلسفة والتفكير العميق ما يفوق عدد صفحاتها بكثير.

[Rana Al-alwani · Rating 3 out of 5]

ما الذي جعلهم يدركون أننا كائنات عاقلة؟‏
‫ ‏أسود وجه «هوكينز».وهو يقول: ‏
‫ ‏- لأن الكائنات العاقلة فقط هي التي تضع الكائنات الأخرى في أقفاص!‏




هل هذا يعني أنّ بعضنا ليس عاقلاً 🤔🙃


⭐️⭐️⭐️ لــ الكتاب الأول من كُتُبْ 2025 💚

[CRAB · Rating 4 out of 5]

How could you prove to aliens that you are intelligent?

[Kevin Cannon (Monty's Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining & thought-provoking short story about what it is to be an 'intelligent' species. Nicely paced with a decent payoff

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Philosophical short story, where a crew crash lands on a planet and then has to prove they are civilised to the rescue crew...