July 30, 2025 • 9 mins
https://www.solgoodmedia.com Listen to hundreds of audiobooks, thousands of short stories, and ambient sounds all ad-free! Embark on a journey beyond the ordinary with our Sci-Fi podcast, where each day a new chapter unfolds from classic tales that defy the limits of imagination. Dive into worlds of mystery and adventure with timeless stories like "Anthem," "Around The World in Eighty Days," "Baron's Marvellous Underground Journey," "Flatland - A Romance of Many Dimensions," "Journey to the Center of the Earth," "Out of Time's Abyss," "The Door Through Space," "The Flying Inn," "The Gods of Mars," "The House of Arden," "The Invisible Man," "The Island of Dr. Moreau," "The Machine Stops," "The New Atlantis," "The Time Machine," "The War of The Worlds," and "Thuvia, Maid of Mars." Each chapter is a portal to a different universe, offering a fresh dose of excitement and wonder. Subscribe now and let your imagination soar as we transport you to realms unknown, one chapter at a time.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter nine, Bulgar and I are presented to Queen Galaxa,
the Lady of the Crystal Throne. How she received us
her delight over Bulgar, who gives proof of his wonderful
intelligence in many ways. How the Queen creates him, Lord Bulgar.
All about the three wise men in whose care we
are placed by Queen Galaxa. Owing to the soft air,
(00:22):
the never varying temperature, and the absence of all noise
and dust. The Micamenkis, although they die in the end
like other folk, yet do they never seem to grow old.
Their skin remains soft and free from wrinkles, and their
eyes as clear and bright as the crystal of Queen
Galaxi's throne. At the time of our arrival in the
land of the Transparent Folk, Queen Galaxi's heart had almost
(00:45):
run down. In about two weeks more, it would come
quietly and gently to a stop. For, as I have
already told you, dear friends, the heart of the Micamenki
being perfectly visible when the dazzling white light in its
full strength, was allowed to shine through his body. Why,
it was a very easy matter for a physician to
take a look at the organ of life and till
(01:06):
almost to the hour when it would exhaust itself. In
other words, run down galaxy looked every inch a real queen.
As she half reclined upon her glorious crystal throne. She
was clad in long, flowing silk garments of a right
royal purple, and the gems which encircled her neck and
wrists would have put to shame the crown jewels of
(01:28):
any monarch of the upper world. Her garb had very
much the cut and style of the ancient Greek costume,
and the gold sandals worn by her added to the resemblance.
But the one thing that excited my wonder more than
all the others put together was her hair, so long,
so fine and silk, and it was such a mass
(01:50):
of it was there, and so dazzling white. Was it
not the blue or yellow white that comes of age
in our world, but a milk white, a cotton white.
And as we drew near to Bulgars, but not to
my amazement, her hair began to quiver and rustle and
rise until it buried her whole throne completely out of sight.
(02:11):
Of course, I knew that seated as she was upon
a throne of glass, it was only necessary to send
a gentle current of electricity through her, to make her
wonderful head of hair stand up in this manner like
the white and filmy tentacles of some gigantic creature of
the sea, half plant, half animal. Rise, little baron, said
Queen Galaxa, as I dropped upon my right knee on
(02:33):
the lowest step of the throne, and be welcome to
our kingdom. While thou may be pleased to tarry here,
my people shall bestir themselves to show thee all that
may seem wonderful in thine eyes. For although our wise
men have often discussed to us of the upper world,
yet art thou its first inhabitant to visit us, And
(02:54):
thy wonderful companion is right welcome too. Can he talk
that not exactly? Queen Galaxa, said I, with low obeisance.
Yet he can understand me and I him. He is
quite harmless, is he not, asked the Queen. You may
try to imagine how I felt, dear friends, when, as
(03:15):
I was about to say perfectly so, royal Lady, to
my amazement, I saw Bulgar advance and sniff at the
Princess Cristelina, and then draw back and show his teeth.
As she stretch out her hand to caress him. Bending
over him, I reproved him in a whisper, and bade
him kneel before the Queen. This he proceeded to do,
saluting her with three very stately bows, at which everyone
(03:38):
laughed heartily. I would have him come nearer, said the Queen,
so that I may lay my hand upon him. At
a sign from me, Bulgar began to lick his fore
paws very carefully, and then, having wiped them on the rug,
sprang up the steps of the throne and placed his
front feet upon Queen Galaxa's lap. The fair ruler of
(03:59):
the Mickama was delighted with this sample of Bulgar's fine manners,
and in order to amuse her still further, I proceeded
to put Bulgar through many of his quaint tricks and
curious feats, bidding him say his prayers faint death, weep
for his sweetheart, count ten, walk upright, go lame, and
cry to tell how it hurts. Scarcely had he gone
(04:21):
half around the circle feigning lameness, when the Damoiselle Glowstone
began to weep herself, and, stooping down, commenced to caress
Bulgar and to kiss his lame foot caresses, which, to
my more than surprise, Bulgar was not slow in returning.
And later two when I bade him choose the maiden
he loved best and kiss her hand, he bounded straight
toward Glowstone and bestowed not one, but twenty kisses upon
(04:45):
her outstretched hand, while the Princess Cristelina shrank away in
fear and disgust from the ugly beast as she turned him.
Bid him bring my handkerchief to me, little Baron, cried Galaxa,
throwing it on the floor. I did, as a squeam demanded,
But Bulgar refused to obey. Thou, seest Queen, Galaxa, said I,
(05:05):
with a low bow. He refuses to lift the handkerchief
without a command from thy royal self, Which delicate compliment
pleased the lady mightily. How comes it, little Baron? She
asked that thou shouldst be of noble lineage in thy brother,
as thou callest him, Plain Bulgar, it comes, royal Lady,
said I right humbly, as it often comes in the
(05:26):
world which I inhabit, that honors go to them that
least deserve them. Well, then, little Baron, cried Galaxa gaily.
Though I be but a petty sovereign compared with thine,
Yet may small rulers do acts of great justice. Bid
thy four footed brother kneel before us. At a word
from me, Bulgar prostrated himself on the steps of Galaxa's
(05:47):
crystal throne and laid his head at her very feet.
Leaning forward, she touched him lightly with her golden wand
and exclaimed, rise, Lord Bulgar Rise. Queen Galaxa, seated on
her crystal throne, bids Lord Bulgar rise. In an instant,
Bulgar raised himself up on his hind feet and laid
(06:07):
his head in the Queen's lap, while the whole room
rang with loud huzzahs, and every lady gently clapped her
frail and glass like hands, save the Princess Cristallina, who
feigned to be asleep. Queen Galaxa now undid a string
of pearls from her neck and tied them with her
own hands around Lord Bulger's. And so it was that
my four footed brother ceased to be plain Bulgar. Then,
(06:31):
turning to her counselor's of state, Queen Galaxa bade them
assign a royal apartment to Lord Bulgar and Me, and
gave strict orders that the severest punishment be at once
visited upon any Macamechi who should dare to laugh at
us or to make disrespectful remarks concerning our dark eyes
and skins and weather beaten appearance. For as the royal
(06:51):
Lady said to her people, ye might look worse than
they who were ye compelled to live on the outside
instead of the inside of the world, exposed to biting blasts,
piercing cold, and clouds of suffocating dust. By the Queen's orders,
three of the wisest of the Macamenkes were selected to
attend Bulger and me look after our wants, explain everything
(07:14):
to us. In a word, do all in their power
to make our stay in Goggleland as pleasant as possible.
Their names, as nearly as I can translate them, were
Doctor Nebulosis, Sir Amber Opaik, and Lord Corncore. I should
explain to you, dear friends, the meaning of these names,
for you might be inclined to think that doctor somewhat Cloudy,
(07:35):
Sir clear as Amber, and Lord Heart of Horn might
indicate that they were more or less muddled in their intellects.
Far from it. I have already stated to you they
were three of the very wisest men in the land
of the transparent folk, and the lack of clearness indicated
by their names had referenced solely to their eyes. Now,
as you know, the learned men of our upper world
(07:55):
have a different look from ordinary folk. They are stoop shouldered,
shag eyebrowed, long haired, purse lipped, near sighted, shambling gated. Well,
the only effect that long years of deep study had
upon the Micamenkees was to rob their beautiful, crystal like
eyes of more or less their clearness. Now I think
you'll understand why these three learned Micamenkees were named as
(08:19):
they were. At any rate, they were, in spite of
their strange names, three most charming gentlemen. And no matter
how many times I might ask the same question over again,
they were always ready with an answer quite as polite
as the one first given me. They did everything that
I had a right possibly to expect them to do. Indeed,
there was but one single thing which I would have
(08:39):
fain had them do, and that was to let me
look through them. This they most carefully avoided doing. And
no matter how warmed up, they might become in their descriptions.
And no matter how on the alert I was to
catch the coveted peep, the inevitable black fan was always
in the way. Naturally, not only they, but all the
transparent felt a repugnance to have it. Perfect stranger look
(09:02):
through them, and I couldn't blame them for it either.
I despaired of ever giving a chance of seeing a
human heart beating away for dear life for all the world,
just like the swinging of a pendulum or the vibration
of a balance wheel. End of Chapter nine
Chapter nine, Bulgar and I are presented to Queen Galaxa,
the Lady of the Crystal Throne. How she received us
her delight over Bulgar, who gives proof of his wonderful
intelligence in many ways. How the Queen creates him, Lord Bulgar.
All about the three wise men in whose care we
are placed by Queen Galaxa. Owing to the soft air,
(00:22):
the never varying temperature, and the absence of all noise
and dust. The Micamenkis, although they die in the end
like other folk, yet do they never seem to grow old.
Their skin remains soft and free from wrinkles, and their
eyes as clear and bright as the crystal of Queen
Galaxi's throne. At the time of our arrival in the
land of the Transparent Folk, Queen Galaxi's heart had almost
(00:45):
run down. In about two weeks more, it would come
quietly and gently to a stop. For, as I have
already told you, dear friends, the heart of the Micamenki
being perfectly visible when the dazzling white light in its
full strength, was allowed to shine through his body. Why,
it was a very easy matter for a physician to
take a look at the organ of life and till
(01:06):
almost to the hour when it would exhaust itself. In
other words, run down galaxy looked every inch a real queen.
As she half reclined upon her glorious crystal throne. She
was clad in long, flowing silk garments of a right
royal purple, and the gems which encircled her neck and
wrists would have put to shame the crown jewels of
(01:28):
any monarch of the upper world. Her garb had very
much the cut and style of the ancient Greek costume,
and the gold sandals worn by her added to the resemblance.
But the one thing that excited my wonder more than
all the others put together was her hair, so long,
so fine and silk, and it was such a mass
(01:50):
of it was there, and so dazzling white. Was it
not the blue or yellow white that comes of age
in our world, but a milk white, a cotton white.
And as we drew near to Bulgars, but not to
my amazement, her hair began to quiver and rustle and
rise until it buried her whole throne completely out of sight.
(02:11):
Of course, I knew that seated as she was upon
a throne of glass, it was only necessary to send
a gentle current of electricity through her, to make her
wonderful head of hair stand up in this manner like
the white and filmy tentacles of some gigantic creature of
the sea, half plant, half animal. Rise, little baron, said
Queen Galaxa, as I dropped upon my right knee on
(02:33):
the lowest step of the throne, and be welcome to
our kingdom. While thou may be pleased to tarry here,
my people shall bestir themselves to show thee all that
may seem wonderful in thine eyes. For although our wise
men have often discussed to us of the upper world,
yet art thou its first inhabitant to visit us, And
(02:54):
thy wonderful companion is right welcome too. Can he talk
that not exactly? Queen Galaxa, said I, with low obeisance.
Yet he can understand me and I him. He is
quite harmless, is he not, asked the Queen. You may
try to imagine how I felt, dear friends, when, as
(03:15):
I was about to say perfectly so, royal Lady, to
my amazement, I saw Bulgar advance and sniff at the
Princess Cristelina, and then draw back and show his teeth.
As she stretch out her hand to caress him. Bending
over him, I reproved him in a whisper, and bade
him kneel before the Queen. This he proceeded to do,
saluting her with three very stately bows, at which everyone
(03:38):
laughed heartily. I would have him come nearer, said the Queen,
so that I may lay my hand upon him. At
a sign from me, Bulgar began to lick his fore
paws very carefully, and then, having wiped them on the rug,
sprang up the steps of the throne and placed his
front feet upon Queen Galaxa's lap. The fair ruler of
(03:59):
the Mickama was delighted with this sample of Bulgar's fine manners,
and in order to amuse her still further, I proceeded
to put Bulgar through many of his quaint tricks and
curious feats, bidding him say his prayers faint death, weep
for his sweetheart, count ten, walk upright, go lame, and
cry to tell how it hurts. Scarcely had he gone
(04:21):
half around the circle feigning lameness, when the Damoiselle Glowstone
began to weep herself, and, stooping down, commenced to caress
Bulgar and to kiss his lame foot caresses, which, to
my more than surprise, Bulgar was not slow in returning.
And later two when I bade him choose the maiden
he loved best and kiss her hand, he bounded straight
toward Glowstone and bestowed not one, but twenty kisses upon
(04:45):
her outstretched hand, while the Princess Cristelina shrank away in
fear and disgust from the ugly beast as she turned him.
Bid him bring my handkerchief to me, little Baron, cried Galaxa,
throwing it on the floor. I did, as a squeam demanded,
But Bulgar refused to obey. Thou, seest Queen, Galaxa, said I,
(05:05):
with a low bow. He refuses to lift the handkerchief
without a command from thy royal self, Which delicate compliment
pleased the lady mightily. How comes it, little Baron? She
asked that thou shouldst be of noble lineage in thy brother,
as thou callest him, Plain Bulgar, it comes, royal Lady,
said I right humbly, as it often comes in the
(05:26):
world which I inhabit, that honors go to them that
least deserve them. Well, then, little Baron, cried Galaxa gaily.
Though I be but a petty sovereign compared with thine,
Yet may small rulers do acts of great justice. Bid
thy four footed brother kneel before us. At a word
from me, Bulgar prostrated himself on the steps of Galaxa's
(05:47):
crystal throne and laid his head at her very feet.
Leaning forward, she touched him lightly with her golden wand
and exclaimed, rise, Lord Bulgar Rise. Queen Galaxa, seated on
her crystal throne, bids Lord Bulgar rise. In an instant,
Bulgar raised himself up on his hind feet and laid
(06:07):
his head in the Queen's lap, while the whole room
rang with loud huzzahs, and every lady gently clapped her
frail and glass like hands, save the Princess Cristallina, who
feigned to be asleep. Queen Galaxa now undid a string
of pearls from her neck and tied them with her
own hands around Lord Bulger's. And so it was that
my four footed brother ceased to be plain Bulgar. Then,
(06:31):
turning to her counselor's of state, Queen Galaxa bade them
assign a royal apartment to Lord Bulgar and Me, and
gave strict orders that the severest punishment be at once
visited upon any Macamechi who should dare to laugh at
us or to make disrespectful remarks concerning our dark eyes
and skins and weather beaten appearance. For as the royal
(06:51):
Lady said to her people, ye might look worse than
they who were ye compelled to live on the outside
instead of the inside of the world, exposed to biting blasts,
piercing cold, and clouds of suffocating dust. By the Queen's orders,
three of the wisest of the Macamenkes were selected to
attend Bulger and me look after our wants, explain everything
(07:14):
to us. In a word, do all in their power
to make our stay in Goggleland as pleasant as possible.
Their names, as nearly as I can translate them, were
Doctor Nebulosis, Sir Amber Opaik, and Lord Corncore. I should
explain to you, dear friends, the meaning of these names,
for you might be inclined to think that doctor somewhat Cloudy,
(07:35):
Sir clear as Amber, and Lord Heart of Horn might
indicate that they were more or less muddled in their intellects.
Far from it. I have already stated to you they
were three of the very wisest men in the land
of the transparent folk, and the lack of clearness indicated
by their names had referenced solely to their eyes. Now,
as you know, the learned men of our upper world
(07:55):
have a different look from ordinary folk. They are stoop shouldered,
shag eyebrowed, long haired, purse lipped, near sighted, shambling gated. Well,
the only effect that long years of deep study had
upon the Micamenkees was to rob their beautiful, crystal like
eyes of more or less their clearness. Now I think
you'll understand why these three learned Micamenkees were named as
(08:19):
they were. At any rate, they were, in spite of
their strange names, three most charming gentlemen. And no matter
how many times I might ask the same question over again,
they were always ready with an answer quite as polite
as the one first given me. They did everything that
I had a right possibly to expect them to do. Indeed,
there was but one single thing which I would have
(08:39):
fain had them do, and that was to let me
look through them. This they most carefully avoided doing. And
no matter how warmed up, they might become in their descriptions.
And no matter how on the alert I was to
catch the coveted peep, the inevitable black fan was always
in the way. Naturally, not only they, but all the
transparent felt a repugnance to have it. Perfect stranger look
(09:02):
through them, and I couldn't blame them for it either.
I despaired of ever giving a chance of seeing a
human heart beating away for dear life for all the world,
just like the swinging of a pendulum or the vibration
of a balance wheel. End of Chapter nine
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.