Posted by Eric Prothero on November 17, 2000 at 10:09:09:
In Reply to: just for those that wondered about horseshapes posted by Animal on November 17, 2000 at 01:10:21:
> Recently found the book which contained the quote.. Knew it was in the discworld series, but had forgotten which one. > As Lu-Tze left, the abbot glanced up at his opponent. This may well be in the bok and If it is I wonder why it isn't in court for plagerism. There is an OLD movie from Sweden I think in wich a Swedish Noble fresh from the Crusades tries to cheat death in a chess match in order to keep on living. The set up is this.... For every scene in the movie one or the other makes a move Death catches him making an illegal move with a knight and makes the comment "Tell me agin how the little horse shaped pieces move..." Letting his opponent know he can't cheat death. I can't recal the title of the movie and it was subtitled. My mother has it and it took her years to find a copy or so she claims. At any rate the move was in black and white and actually quite good. So there you go to the best of my memory that is how I recal a movie I've seen years ago. > That's where the quote is from. The opponent is Death, one of the more famous discworld characters, with a personal interest in humans, the other is the abbot of a monastry with 'history-monks' that make sure history runs properly.
> 'Good man, that,' he said. 'Your move.'
> The opponent looked long and hard at the board.
> The abbot waited to see what long-term, devious
> strategies were being evolved. Then his opponent
> tapped a piece with a bony finger.
> REMIND ME AGAIN, he said, HOW THE LITTLE HORSE-SHAPED
> ONES MOVE.
IF that isn't the exact quote then it is so close in text and circumstance that I can't imagine it being an original thought on the part of the disc world author, rather one e found appealing and adapted it for his own works.