02663cam a22003733u 4500 64007 UtSlPG 20260610134456.0 m cr n 260607r2020||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS St. Clair, Margaret, 1911-1995 The Dancers 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 January 1952 Release date is 2020-12-10 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Dancers" by Wilton Hazzard is a science fiction novella written in the early 1950s. The story explores themes of humanity, knowledge, and the consequences of actions in a new world following the demise of Earth. It follows a group of astronauts who land on a new planet and grapple with the ethical implications of their first contact with a primitive humanoid species, ultimately leading them to ponder deeper existential questions about the nature of knowledge and the human connection to the cosmos. The plot centers around Rossiter and Bernard, two crew members of the spaceship "Elpis", who reflect on the violent encounter they had with the planet's native inhabitants. Their initial shock and guilt over killing five primitives - a woman, a baby, and three men - lead to discussions about loss, memory, and the potential for unintended consequences of their actions. As they delve into their conscience, Rossiter proposes a thought-provoking idea: that throughout history, humanity's collective rituals and dances may have played a crucial role in the natural order of the universe, including the rising of the sun. This notion brings a sense of irony and heaviness as they realize that in their quest for knowledge and civilization, they may have severed a vital connection that influenced the cosmos, prompting readers to reflect on the nature of belief, culture, and humanity's legacy. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Life on other planets -- Fiction Interstellar travel -- Fiction Produced from Planet Stories January 1952 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64007 104831 104831