The Bone Flute
Encyclopedia
"The Bone Flute" is a science fiction
short story by American writer Lisa Tuttle
, first published in the May 1981 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
. The story is notable for winning the 1982 Nebula Award for Best Short Story
, a prize that Tuttle refused, becoming the first (and so far only) author to do so.
Planet Habille is a planet that was colonized centuries ago and cut off all relationships with other planets, but has recently rejoined galactic society and has become open to trade.
Once in planet Habille, the protagonist and Venn's relationship suffers difficulties from the female protagonist shifting her attention to her work, and Venn's lack of inspiration in the dull, oppressive city. In an attempt to save the relationship, they move to a village. There, they meet Reni Laer, a musician that plays soul-stirring music with a strange instrument. After listening to his music, the pair meet Wara Duleen, a music student, that explains that the instrument Laer was playing was a flute made of a bone of his dead wife.
The female protagonist leaves for 3 weeks due to some work commitments. When she returns, she finds Venn has abandoned her. She confronts him and learns he's now in love with Wara Duleen.
Ten years later, the protagonist learns that there's a musician from Habille doing a concert at the hotel she's staying. There, she meets Venn and Wara Duleen in a way she least expected to.
. Tuttle became aware that writer George Guthridge
, also nominated in that category for his story "The Quiet", was campaigning his story by sending out copies of it to SFWA
members with a covering letter written by The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
editor Ed Ferman at his request.
Disapproving this situation, Tuttle sent a letter to Nebula Awards director Frank Catalano
, asking to withdraw her story from the competition as a sign of protest, her complaints being that the awards weren't making sure that all items up for consideration were sent around to all the voters, also asking to disqualify works which were campaigned for by either the authors or the editors. If these requests were not considered, she considered the whole Nebula Awards a farce in which she did not want to be involved.
Her letter however came too late (reportedly because Tuttle wasn't aware she had been nominated until very late), and Catalano called her to announce she was the winner. She refused the award, saying that she had withdrawn it from the competition. Catalano passed her request to other members of the SWFA board, and Charles L. Grant
called Tuttle to announce her that she was indeed the winner and that they wouldn't retire the story from competition. Tuttle still refused the award, and asked Grant that her reasons for refusing be made clear at the awards ceremony, which she didn't plan to attend, a request that Grant assured her would be granted.
At the ceremony, however, editor John Douglas accepted the award on her behalf and no comment was made on Tuttle's reasons for her refusal.
, and a 1995 various authors anthology titled Lost In Space. A Danish translation (entitled "Benfløjten") was published in "Forum Fabulatorum" (ISSN 0108-6715) no. 2, March 1983.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
short story by American writer Lisa Tuttle
Lisa Tuttle
Lisa Tuttle is an American-born science fiction, fantasy, and horror author. She has published over a dozen novels, five short story collections, and several non-fiction titles, including a reference book on feminism. She has also edited several anthologies and reviewed books for various...
, first published in the May 1981 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a digest-size American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House and then by Fantasy House. Both were subsidiaries of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Publications, which took over as publisher in 1958. Spilogale, Inc...
. The story is notable for winning the 1982 Nebula Award for Best Short Story
Nebula Award for Best Short Story
Winners of the '“Nebula Award for Best Short Story”'. The stated year is that of publication; awards are given in the following year. Winning titles are listed first, with other nominees listed below.-Winners and nominees:-External links:* *...
, a prize that Tuttle refused, becoming the first (and so far only) author to do so.
Plot summary
The story begins in a bar called The White Bird. There, the unnamed female protagonist, a trader, meets Venn, an aspiring musician. They become lovers and the female protagonist takes him to planet Habille, where she has trading businesses to do and he expects to find inspiration for new music.Planet Habille is a planet that was colonized centuries ago and cut off all relationships with other planets, but has recently rejoined galactic society and has become open to trade.
Once in planet Habille, the protagonist and Venn's relationship suffers difficulties from the female protagonist shifting her attention to her work, and Venn's lack of inspiration in the dull, oppressive city. In an attempt to save the relationship, they move to a village. There, they meet Reni Laer, a musician that plays soul-stirring music with a strange instrument. After listening to his music, the pair meet Wara Duleen, a music student, that explains that the instrument Laer was playing was a flute made of a bone of his dead wife.
The female protagonist leaves for 3 weeks due to some work commitments. When she returns, she finds Venn has abandoned her. She confronts him and learns he's now in love with Wara Duleen.
Ten years later, the protagonist learns that there's a musician from Habille doing a concert at the hotel she's staying. There, she meets Venn and Wara Duleen in a way she least expected to.
Nebula Awards controversy
In 1982, the story was selected as one of the finalists for the Nebula Award for Best Short StoryNebula Award for Best Short Story
Winners of the '“Nebula Award for Best Short Story”'. The stated year is that of publication; awards are given in the following year. Winning titles are listed first, with other nominees listed below.-Winners and nominees:-External links:* *...
. Tuttle became aware that writer George Guthridge
George Guthridge
George Guthridge is a U.S. author. He has published over 70 short stories and five novels, and has been a finalist for the Hugo Award and twice for the Nebula Award, for science fiction and fantasy...
, also nominated in that category for his story "The Quiet", was campaigning his story by sending out copies of it to SFWA
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, or SFWA is a nonprofit association of professional science fiction and fantasy writers. It was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight under the name Science Fiction Writers of America, Inc. and it retains the acronym SFWA after a very brief use of the SFFWA...
members with a covering letter written by The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a digest-size American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House and then by Fantasy House. Both were subsidiaries of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Publications, which took over as publisher in 1958. Spilogale, Inc...
editor Ed Ferman at his request.
Disapproving this situation, Tuttle sent a letter to Nebula Awards director Frank Catalano
Frank Catalano
Frank Catalano is an American jazz musician living in Chicago, Illinois.-Biography:Frank Catalano began playing the saxophone at age 7. His right middle finger was severed while working on a car engine when he was 16, but following reconstructive surgery, Catalano forced his hands to relearn...
, asking to withdraw her story from the competition as a sign of protest, her complaints being that the awards weren't making sure that all items up for consideration were sent around to all the voters, also asking to disqualify works which were campaigned for by either the authors or the editors. If these requests were not considered, she considered the whole Nebula Awards a farce in which she did not want to be involved.
Her letter however came too late (reportedly because Tuttle wasn't aware she had been nominated until very late), and Catalano called her to announce she was the winner. She refused the award, saying that she had withdrawn it from the competition. Catalano passed her request to other members of the SWFA board, and Charles L. Grant
Charles L. Grant
Charles Lewis Grant was a novelist and short story writer specializing in what he called "dark fantasy" and "quiet horror." He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Geoffrey Marsh, Lionel Fenn, Simon Lake, Felicia Andrews, and Deborah Lewis.Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection...
called Tuttle to announce her that she was indeed the winner and that they wouldn't retire the story from competition. Tuttle still refused the award, and asked Grant that her reasons for refusing be made clear at the awards ceremony, which she didn't plan to attend, a request that Grant assured her would be granted.
At the ceremony, however, editor John Douglas accepted the award on her behalf and no comment was made on Tuttle's reasons for her refusal.
Print history
Perhaps due to this controversy, the story hasn't been widely republished after its first appearance. Tuttle did not allow the story to be included on that year's Nebula Awards anthology compiling the nominated and winning short stories. It has only been reprinted twice in the original language: on Tuttle's anthology of science fiction stories A Spaceship Built of Stone and Other StoriesA Spaceship Built of Stone and Other Stories
A Spaceship Built of Stone and Other Stories is a 1987 science fiction short story collection by Lisa Tuttle, her second after A Nest of Nightmares...
, and a 1995 various authors anthology titled Lost In Space. A Danish translation (entitled "Benfløjten") was published in "Forum Fabulatorum" (ISSN 0108-6715) no. 2, March 1983.