The Binding of Ranma

By Thomas Schmidt

Inspired by Eric Auerbach�s _Mimesis_

And a note came to Nodoka�s door and she said, "Here it is, the note."  And
the note said, 
"Nodoka, realize that your son, your manly son, whom you love, Ranma, has
not those 
qualities which you most desire in him, and go forth to the Tendo Dojo and
fulfill the 
promise which he has made."  And Nodoka rose early in the morning and
gathered her 
katana and groomed herself, and she sharpened the katana for the
fulfillment of the
promise, and rose and went to the place the note had said.  And Nodoka came
to the 
Tendo Dojo and look, Ranko stood within the pond.  And Nodoka said "Come,
Ranko, lead 
me to my son."  And Nodoka took her katana and held it by her side, and the
two of 
them went together.  And Ranko said "Mrs. Saotome!" and she said "Here I
am."  And 
she said "Where shall we find Ranma?"  And she said, "Ranma will show
himself, my child."  
And the two of them went together.  And they entered the Tendo Dojo, and
Nodoka put down 
her katana and prepared there a meal and boiled water.  And Ranko reached
out her hand 
and was splashed with the water.  And Nodoka saw and look, Ranma stood in
the kitchen.  
And Nodoka said, "Ranko, you were always Ranma?"  And she took the katana and 
she unwrapped the katana and she raised the katana to slaughter her son.
And the 
blade sliced into Ranma�s flesh and Nodoka raised her eyes and look,
Ranma�s body 
lay lifeless on the floor, and Nodoka raised the blade against herself.
And the 
two of them went together.

Author's Notes:  Written mostly as an experiment in imitation of the
biblical style (this is a very close approximation of Genesis 22), I
thought the result was interesting enough to publicize.  My reference for
Gen 22 was Robert Alter's fantastic (if a bit pretentious) translation; I
have followed him in including no paragraph breaks.  Most of my
approximations of biblical terms (the use of "look" to indicate a
description of what a character sees, not what is really there, for
example) are taken from him as well.  All C&C is welcome and appreciated,
as always.


Thomas Schmidt
Tmschm@mail.wm.edu