Sphinx in the North

The Sphinx turned her face to the cold North and was in conversation with the Ice that lay there in mountains and floating plains.

Well, oh Great Ice place, I expect you have heard from the Sun and the West Wind that I come as a supplicant, asking favour.

The Ice was silent and flat with lumps. Sharp lumps and lumps rounded with snow to cover.

Oh Great Ice of the North, what are we to do about all the strife in this, our world?

The Ice was silent and bright with crystals and clear bits as hard as iron.

Oh Great Ice of the North, can you lend your might on the side of the just, against the unjust, who always break the rules? If only we could make an army of simple against this spreading plague, then we could spend more time making sure you didn’t melt.

The Ice was silent, but you could tell that it had metaphorically raised an eyebrow.

Oh Great Ice of the North, we all know that each season you are diminished, putting all your creatures to a perilous place. If you could set your mighty icy shoulder against the forces of destruction, then might those who care, set about curbing the temperature rises, that you might regain in good style, your creatures might be. All the world is as one unit, and you cannot stand alone.

The Ice moaned a long slow creaking song. So slow and incoherent as to be useless for the purposes of communication.

Oh Great Ice of the North, you will have to speak more clearly if we are to have any kind of meaningful dialogue, said the Sphinx.

The Ice spoke again, this time in the language of calving ice bergs.

No, said the Sphinx, I don’t speak iceberg. I’ll tell you what, I will make a list of the ways that you might assist in our struggle and, if you can see your way to helping with any of these items just sparkle more than normal and I will take that as a yes. If, on the other hand, you feel unable to assist, just go ahead and melt in your own time.

These then are the ways in which you might help.

Bite the unsuspecting hand of the enemy with frostbite, stick his vehicles to the floor. Refuse to take part in the process of cocktail making. Freeze his assets, wherever they might be found, offshore accounts, shell companies and in the sock draws of oligarchs. Freeze the socks of the enemy, there is nothing worse than cold socks. Cold everything, come to that, just make all his armies miserable so that they want to go home.

That seems to cover it, finished the Sphinx.

The Great Ice of the North scintillated and sparkled its assent.