02294cam a22003733u 4500 63749 UtSlPG 20260610134452.0 m cr n 260607r2020||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Grimes, Millard Mimsy's Joke Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2020 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Planet Stories March 1954 Release date is 2020-11-14 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Mimsy's Joke" by Millard Grimes is a science fiction short story published in the early 1950s. The narrative centers around Oscar Nance, a prominent archaeologist who embarks on a historic expedition to Mars, led by a stern military commander. The story delves into themes of discovery and the unexpected nature of exploration, focusing on the fate of the Martian civilization and their ironic relationship with Earth. As Nance and his team explore Mars, they encounter Staang, a Martian who reveals that Earth has been unknowingly inhabited by the descendants of ancient Martians—dogs, which have become the lazy remnants of a once-great civilization. The story unfolds as Staang narrates the history of the Martians and their secretive invasion of Earth, leading to a humorous yet thought-provoking realization for the explorers. By the end, the expedition is left with the ironic understanding that they have been the subjects of an age-old joke, forced to confront their ideas about intelligence and servitude as they plan their return to Earth to share this startling revelation. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Dogs -- Fiction Martians -- Fiction Mars (Planet) -- Fiction Produced from Planet Stories March 1954 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63749 104573 104573