The Project Gutenberg EBook of The White Feather Hex, by Don Peterson
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: The White Feather Hex
Author: Don Peterson
Release Date: November 3, 2007 [EBook #23308]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WHITE FEATHER HEX ***
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
The White Feather Hex
_BY DON PETERSON_
[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Weird Tales March 1951.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright
on this publication was renewed.]
Heading by the Author
[Illustration: You waited till the feather turned red.]
It all started with a Dutchman, a Pennsylvania Dutchman named Peter
Scheinberger, who tilled a weather beaten farm back in the hills.
A strong, wiry man he was--his arms were knotted sections of solid
hickory forming themselves into gnarled hands and twisted stubs of
fingers. His furrowed brow, dried by the sun and cracked in a million
places by the wind was well irrigated by long rivulets of sweat. When he
went forth in the fields behind his horse and plow, it wasn't long
before his hair was plastered down firmly to his scalp. The salty water
poured out of the deep rings in his ruddy neck and ran down his dark
brown back. As he grew older the skin peeled and grew loose. It hung on
him in folds like the brittle hide of a rhino.
It seemed that the more years he spent in his fields behind the plow
horse, the more he slipped back into the timeless tradition of his
forefathers. He was a proud descendant of a long line of staunch German
settlers commonly known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. He grew up in his
fundamental, religious sect having never known any other environment. He
was exposed to the sun, soil, and wind from the early days of his
childhood, and along with the elements he also was exposed to the evils
of the _hexerei_. The _hexerei_, or witchcraft, was something that was
never doubted or scoffed at by his people. Then why should he, a good
Pennsylvania Dutchman, doubt or scoff at such tradition?
Perhaps, had he moved away from his ancestral lands and had been
cultured in modern communities, been educated and raised in other
schools, he might have matured. But having no time for any other
diversions than might be found on his rustic homestead, he grew up
behind the plow horse, tramping in the dark, stony pasture land, eking
out his meager existence from the black fields of Pennsylvania.
Now, Peter's life could have gone on unnoticed among these forgotten
hills, except for the strange visit of Martin G. Mirestone, student of
German history.
It was a cold night when Peter met Mirestone. Peter had been sitting up
rather late pondering over an old, yellowed book by the light of a
kerosene lamp. The pale flame flickered about the walls sending shadows
scurrying back and forth creating all types of weird shapes and designs.
Peter huddled over the withered pages, every now and then glancing up at
the walls to watch the fantastic games that light and dark were playing.
Then putting his book aside for the night he prepared to go to bed.
He went over to the window to draw the shutters, stopping for an instant
to peer out into the gloom along the stony path that ran from his house
to an old foot-bridge about fifty feet away. Curling up from the gorge,
mist seemed to play among the rotted planks; it rose and fell in great
billowing blankets, sometimes concealing the structure from view.
* * * * *
Peter was about to latch the shutter and leave when his attention was
focused upon a figure that seemed to emerge from the fog--sort of fading
in from nowhere. It made its way across the narrow span like some
ghostly apparition. The mist enveloped his legs and clouded his
features. Peter drew back in terror, for the mere appearance of the man
coming out of the darkness was enough to fill his infant brain with
visions of death and _hexerei_.
As the figure drew closer Peter saw that it was wearing a cloak. All the
more ghostly it appeared with the cloak sailing behind him in the wind
like some devil's banner. Peter just stood transfixed as he watched the
stranger come up the winding road to his house.
Slamming the shutter he hurriedly fastened it and then turned to the
door to bolt that also. Too late. The door was thrown open revealing a
tall man clothed in black. His face was wreathed in a wide grin--a grin
that seemed to make fun of the grayish pallor of his face and the
ominous appearance of his wild garb. Before the man stepped inside,
Peter made a mental image of the scene, for it was to be firmly imbedded
in his mind so that he would never forget the slightest detail for the
rest of his life--the wind blowing about the fierce visage, tossing up
the long strands of hair; the massive, veined hand that clutched the
wrought iron thumb-latch, and the way that the lamp struck his face,
highlighting the thin, ridged nose and high cheekbones.
"Peter Scheinberger, heh?" the man spoke in perfect German. "Peter
Scheinberger, the last of your clan here in America."
It was several seconds before Peter could muster up enough courage to
answer him. Drawing back slowly he braced himself against the table, and
in a thick, guttural German asked, "Who are you?"
The stranger shut the door and drew the bolt. He crossed the room and,
with an air of one who was accustomed to having his own way wherever he
went, scanned the shelves of Peter's larder with a practiced eye.
Peter watched him closely as he drew down a bottle of wine, broke the
neck against a beam above him, and settled down in Peter's easy chair.
He poured a glass full and shoved it across the table towards the
anxious Peter, and then poured another glass for himself.
"Mirestone," the stranger finally answered, "Martin G. Mirestone." Then,
draining his glass, he added, "Student of German history."
All this was beyond Peter's comprehension. No one ever had the audacity
to walk into his house and help himself to whatever he wanted--he was
indeed unheard of in his tiny social world.
"Well, what are you staring at?" Mirestone boomed out. "Take my cloak,
please, then be seated. We'll talk."
Taking the cloak and draping it over a wooden peg in the wall, Peter
moved cautiously around the foreboding character that monopolized his
small house. Carefully seating himself opposite the man, he moved the
table so that it set between them as a protective barrier.
"I'll make myself clear to you," Mirestone explained, "For I want my
stay to be as brief as possible."
He poured himself another glass of wine, then settled back in the chair,
half closing his eyes. "You see, I am a student, you might say, of
German history or folklore. I am in the process of writing a collective
history of the Pennsylvania Dutch folk, their habits, beliefs, and--" he
broke off for an instant as he leaned forward across the table, staring
into the frightened eyes of Peter "--and their superstitions."
Shifting his chair around in order to get benefit from the heat of the
fireplace, Mirestone went on. "Now I want facts, Scheinberger, authentic
facts. I am prepared to pay you well for your trouble, but I insist on
information that is backed up with sound, accurate truth."
Peter became more relaxed but still slightly uneasy. He didn't like the
attitude of this man, Mirestone. He was too sure of himself--altogether
too cocky. But then on the other hand he had said there would be a
financial gain from any business that he could transact with him. Money
was something that Peter knew he needed in order to keep his farm going,
and any income, however small it may be, would be welcomed gratefully.
Yes, he decided that he had better endure the rudeness of this man.
For a few seconds, however, the tall stranger seemed to lose all of his
cockiness, and a somber look crept over his jovial features. "Have you
ever heard of the hex of the white feather?"
Peter thought a moment before he replied. "Yes. I have heard of it."
Then nervously he fingered his glass of wine that he had not as yet
touched. Raising it up to his lips he sipped it slowly as he stared at
Mirestone over the rim of the glass. "Yes. I have heard of it," he
repeated.
"Good, good. You have heard of it. Now, you will tell me about it, of
course. I want to know all about it--how it is practiced, the results,
and so forth."
"Is that why you came here? Only to learn of the white feather hex?"
* * * * *
Mirestone climbed to his feet and paced the room. "Yes," he said. Peter
noted a sad tone in his voice, and he waited for him to say more.
"Yes," Mirestone continued. "I have, like you, heard of the hex of the
white feather. I have traced it down to several families, but none could
tell me anything about it that was factual. Half of the stupid fools
made up stories as they went along--some concocting the biggest bunch of
asinine tales that I've ever heard. But you, Peter, are a descendant of
the Scheinbergers. I know for a fact that Otto Scheinberger practiced
the white feather hex and passed the power on down to your father. From
there it stopped. However, there must be some record of it in your
family. You are in possession of the books of your grandfather, aren't
you?"
"I have several of his books. Some of them I have read."
"Well," Mirestone waited. "Did you come across anything about the hex?"
"Yes," answered Peter. "I read about that which you mention."
"Splendid, now we are getting somewhere. Can you find me the book that
tells of it?"
Peter finished drinking his wine and setting the glass upon the table,
he slowly rose and faced Mirestone with a look of superiority playing
about his rustic features. "No, I am afraid not. You see, I have burned
the book."
Mirestone's face went white. "You burned it?"
"Yes," said Peter. "I don't wish to have anything to do with such black
magic. It is better burned."
"But you must remember the hex. Although the book is destroyed you still
have the information in your head, _nein_?"
"I could never forget it if I wanted to," replied Peter reluctantly. "If
I could burn my memory also it would be better."
Mirestone went back to the fireplace and placed several chunks of wood
on the blaze. A bright orange glow leaped out from the hearth and danced
mockingly over his pallid brow, hiding his lank jowls in the shadows
cast by the cheekbones. Like some grim spectre he rose up, towering
above the little Dutchman. Peter had only to look into his eyes to see
the imperative request that lingered behind the hollowed sockets.
* * * * *
Throughout the remainder of the night Peter, almost in spite of himself,
wracked his brain to bring back to mind everything that was mentioned in
the book about the hex of the white feather. The idea was clear enough,
but the minute details, the infinite possibilities for mistake, and the
exacting specifications concerning the experiment were blurred in his
memory. He knew that with time he could bring back everything that he
had read, but it would take deep concentration and, perhaps, many days
of trial and error to determine the right path that they must follow in
order to have success.
Mirestone, realizing that any distraction would break Peter's train of
thought, sat quietly in the corner finishing off the Dutchman's supply
of wine. He watched Peter closely through his slitted eyes, and it
seemed that his compelling stare was the only force that could drive the
frightened Peter on. Every so often Peter would glance up and see
Mirestone leaning back in the corner half concealed by the deep
shadows--only his partially opened eyes could be seen flickering in the
fiery glow of the hearth. Then he would cover his face with his large,
knotted hands, work the twisted fingers through his hair, and try to
bring back to mind the evil recipe.
The glow from the fireplace gradually died down to make room for the
streams of morning dawn. Peter blinked sleepily and got up to stretch a
bit. Outside the dull morning light worked its way over Peter's
farm--clouds of mist still poured up from the gorge, circling the bridge
and creeping up the bank across the fields. Peter unlatched the heavy
oaken door and went outside to the outbuildings.
Meanwhile, Mirestone had started a fire in the stove and was placing
slabs of bacon in the pan. "Nothing like a good old-fashioned peasant's
breakfast," he laughed as Peter came in the door several minutes later.
"So, you brought a goat, heh?" he noticed. "Are you figuring on starting
in soon?"
Peter set a small kid on the floor and watched it scamper about the
room, looking for an exit. "Yes, we might as well. I don't like this
business at all. I wish to get it over with as soon as possible,
and----" Peter eyed Mirestone squarely. "I expect to be paid well for my
trouble." He was trying to make himself believe that that was his only
reason for complying with Mirestone's demands. Actually he was not so
sure....
* * * * *
As the heat of the noon day sun blasted down on their backs, Mirestone
watched Peter pass a feather, freshly plucked from a white Leghorn,
under the nose of the bleating kid. Mirestone listened carefully to what
Peter was telling him. The breath of the victim had to be spread over
the feather before anything further could be done.
"Tie him," commanded Peter. Mirestone held the goat by the scruff of his
neck and fastened a halter about him. The other end was secured to a
stake allowing the kid to run about in a circle of ten feet or so in
diameter.
"We will leave him for awhile," said Peter as he walked back to the
kitchen.
Mirestone followed in the Dutchman's footsteps, and when they were
inside, he listened intently as Peter recited a monosyllabic chant over
the feather. "The chant is easy enough to learn," Peter assured him.
"You will master it quickly."
"I understand so far," Mirestone said.
"Then that is all," Peter finished, "except that you can hang the
feather up and watch it grow red."
"Red?"
"Yes," Peter explained, "That is the only way you can tell if the hex
has worked."
Peter went to a chest at the foot of his bed and drew out a small box of
sewing utensils. He broke off a piece of black thread and replaced the
box in the chest. "Now I'll show you what I mean," Peter spoke wearily
as he tied the feather with the thread and suspended it from one of the
rafters in the room. "Just sit and watch."
It was not many minutes before a light red tint crept up the feather's
quill, spreading slowly outwards towards the fringed edges. Deeper and
deeper grew the intensity of the color until it reached a pure blood
red.
"Hurry outside," cried Peter. "You can see the goat in its last seconds
of life."
Mirestone hurried after the Dutchman. Jerking at the halter the goat
bleated in agony, prancing up and down frantically. Its eyes grew
horribly bloodshot and finally closed. With a feeble, choking sigh, the
animal dropped over on its side, its legs still twitching spasmodically.
Mirestone bent over the hairy form and examined the head, now wet with
perspiration.
"Nothing can be done for the beast?"
"No." Peter looked on with a touch of pity in his eyes, "Nothing can be
done once the feather has turned red."
As if the death of the kid was their cue, masses of thick thunderheads
turned over with a deep rumbling thunder. The sky became crystal clear,
and a greenish glow could be seen working its way across the horizon.
The sky darkened as the glistening thunderheads now taking on an ominous
coloring warned the farmers of the impending storm.
It was later that evening. Rain drummed against the slate roof of
Peter's house and reverberated through the rooms to where Mirestone and
the Dutchman sat by the fire in silence. Mirestone broke the still
atmosphere by putting forth a question that Peter somehow knew would be
coming sooner or later.
"I wonder how the hex would react on a human being?"
Peter hoped to end the topic by answering him quickly and not beating
around the bush trying to evade the question. "It would kill him
eventually. Maybe not so quick as the goat, but it would kill him."
"What do you mean not as quickly as the goat--do you think it would take
more time on a human?"
"Perhaps. I have heard of cases in which the hex, once it was started,
dragged on for many days."
"I see." Mirestone sat back again thinking to himself.
Peter didn't like this. He wanted to get rid of Mirestone. "Well, you
have your information. I showed you how the hex works. So, why not pay
me and leave?"
Mirestone got up and laughed in the Dutchman's face. Crossing to the
larder, he brought down a bottle, cracking the neck on the beam above,
just as he had done the night before. A wave of apprehension overcame
Peter as he realized the old flip attitude of Mirestone's was coming
back. That meant definite trouble, and Peter began to fear the
consequences.
"So, why not pay me and leave?" he again ventured. "Or do you want
something else?" Peter knew that he didn't need to ask that last
question, for already he realized the grim experiment that was playing
about in Mirestone's head.
"Yes. I just told you what I wanted. I want to see the hex on a human
before I go."
"Why? You have your information. Why do you want to see it work on a
man?"
"My stupid, little peasant friend, do I look like a student of history?"
For the first time Peter actually looked at Mirestone and saw him for
what he was. Of course, he couldn't be a student. No student would act
as he did, or even look as he did. The words jammed in his throat as he
was about to voice a reply.
"Ha--Martin G. Mirestone, student of history, student of German history.
No my little oxen friend. I am no more a student of history than you
are, but I need the hex for other reasons which do not concern you."
Then as if he were contemplating a great new joke he continued. "But on
the other hand, maybe the future of the white feather hex does concern
you."
Mirestone's voice was drowned out by a heavy rumbling of thunder and the
increased splashing of rain on the windows. But somehow Peter seemed not
to notice.
* * * * *
Somewhat later Mirestone stepped quietly over to the sleeping form of
his host. Peter had been over twenty-four hours now without sleep, and
although the old Dutchman had tried desperately to fight off the
drowsiness that overcame him, the recent excitement of the day had
finally taken its toll. Lightning struck near by followed with an ear
splitting blast that shook the house to its rocky foundations. Pieces of
slate flew off the roof and were carried away into the night. The rain
poured down in a great deluge, blurring the window, making it impossible
to see in or out.
Mirestone held out a glistening white feather in his long spidery
fingers. He placed it within a few inches of Peter's nose and watched
the delicate edges riffle in the Dutchman's breath. Crossing to the
table, he leaned over the white fluff and breathed the short German
incantation over it. How it glistened in the firelight! He bent closer
and closer as he whispered the magic words that Peter had taught him,
his breath ruffling the feather, playing about in the fringed softness.
He hung up the feather by a thread and watched it hop back and forth in
the center of the room.
* * * * *
Peter awakened and saw Mirestone sitting by the fire noting every
movement of the feather. "What are you doing, heh?"
Mirestone swung around and glared at the bleary eyed Dutchman. "Sit
down," he commanded. "Sit down and watch the feather turn red."
Peter didn't need to be told that it was his feather. He knew by the
merciless eyes of Mirestone that everything was over. "So, you were
determined to find out what would happen if the hex were tried on a
man?"
Peter was surprised at how easily he took his fate. There was no need of
excitement--this was his end and there was no changing it.
"Yes, I had to know, for I can't leave until I have a complete record of
all the results." Mirestone certainly was not cocky now. He looked
almost ashamed of himself as he sat there nervously watching a man's
fate swing by a silken thread. "I'm sorry, Peter, my friend, but that is
how it must be. You are a stepping stone to a glorious reckoning that
will soon take place. The hex of the white feather--I can hardly believe
that I have at last tracked it down. And you, Peter, are the last
witness, the last link in the chain of those who know the secret, and
how can it better end than by your becoming a part of the secret?"
Peter realized that he had not much longer to live and nothing he could
do to Mirestone would change his fate. Perhaps he could save others,
though.
"What is this glorious reckoning you were speaking about?"
"As soon as I see how your case ends, I'll be able to go ahead and
release my vengeance on those stupid, bungling fools who have thwarted
my progress in the black arts. They claim to speak in the name of
humanity, no less!"
"In that case," exclaimed Peter, "I won't let myself be a foothold for
your damned work--it is of the devil and I'll have no part of it."
"Shut up, fool. You are a part of it already."
"Not if my body is destroyed before you can get hold of it."
Peter played his trump card. He quickly sprang back and slipped out the
door into the storm. Mirestone jumped up after him, but it was too late.
He peered out into the raging tempest making out the figure of Peter
struggling with the hatch on the horse barn. He pulled his cloak about
him and started towards Peter to stop him. The rain beat his face,
blinding him momentarily, and before he could see clearly a dark mass
pounded by, swift hoofs spattering mud all over him.
Down the road sped Peter on the horse--down the road and towards the
foot-bridge. Mirestone ran a few steps and halted. He heard the hollow
staccato of horse's hoofs on the planks for an instant, followed by a
splintering crash that rumbled up from the gorge. A long, guttural cry
pierced the black gloom as man and horse plunged down to the seething
death awaiting them.
Cursing savagely, Milestone trudged back through the rain to the house.
He slammed the door shut and threw his cloak on Peter's bed. There was
one more bottle on the shelf; he smashed the neck and poured a glass. If
one could see him bent over the table sending silent curses into his
wine, he could readily imagine the feeling of defeat that had spread
over Mirestone's countenance. The idiot of a Dutchman who had to play
the hero's part and save other lives by ending his own made Mirestone
fairly sick. However, all was not over. So the Dutchman had died; the
hex had worked--a lot sooner than he had expected though. Now he
certainly would be delayed in his progress, for he had counted on
examining the body for any traces left that would suggest something out
of the ordinary. One thing, however, he had learned was that the hex at
least worked on humans. The mangled body that was being washed over the
rocks would be enough proof on that score.
Mirestone poured another drink. He leaned back in the chair and placed
the glass to his lips. He was tilted so far back that as he raised the
wine to a drinking position, it blocked his view of the room. As he
slowly sipped it, however, the room began to come into view--the ceiling
first and slowly the wall. His eyes focused on a piece of thread hanging
from the ceiling, and as the wine sank lower and lower in the glass, the
thread grew longer and longer until in one last swallow he was able to
see the end of the line.
Mirestone's hand went stiff as he looked at the thread, for on the end
of it was a pure white feather.
* * * * *
In an instant Mirestone realized that the hex had not worked. Peter's
death at the bridge had been a grotesque coincidence. Had the untimely
plunge in the rapids been the result of the hex the feather would have
long since been red, therefore, the tragedy was no more than an accident
and Mirestone's hands were innocent of the Dutchman's blood. That
realization, of course, didn't bother him, for he was not concerned
whether or not he was responsible for Peter's death, but he was
genuinely worried in the failure of the hex. He wondered if he had done
something wrong. If he had, the last link, that could have corrected him
was broken. From here on in he was on his own.
He calmed himself and began to think. He retraced everything that he had
done to see if he couldn't have found some margin in which error could
have crept in. He remembered how carefully he had bent over the feather
reciting the exact words taught him by Peter. He especially remembered
that part of the hex, for hadn't the feather been ruffled by his breath
when he spoke....
Gradually the truth began to dawn on Mirestone. His own breath must have
released Peter from the hex. The last person's breath that touched the
feather would feel the sting of the power. Mirestone sat back
dumbfounded. He was to be his own guinea pig. What ghastly horror was he
in for? Would he die quickly like the goat or would his death be
prolonged over a period of days like Peter had suggested. He gripped
himself. It wouldn't do to lose control of his senses. There must be a
way out of the predicament. But Peter said that as soon as the feather
turned red there was no turning back. Ah--there's the answer. The
feather is still white ... there's still a chance.
Mirestone grabbed his cloak and raced for the door. He must get an
animal--another goat, perhaps, and expose the feather to its breath. He
must hurry lest the spell will start working.
The slippery mud dragged him back and impeded his progress, but he
struggled on through the blinding storm towards the barn. It was so
black outside that he could hardly make out the buildings. All at once
he saw the barn looming ahead of him. Which door? Every second counted;
he would try the first one he came to. Wait--what's this holding his
cloak? Mirestone turned and fumbled with some barbed wire fencing. It
had snagged him in the dark, and he soon became hopelessly entangled in
it. Crying and shrieking, he tore the cloak from his shoulders and ran
on in his shirt sleeves. He wrenched open a door and sprawled in the
barn head first. On his hands and knees he scurried across the mealy
floor to the goat stall. The kids sprang in terror as he lurched in
drunkenly, grabbing about in the dark for one of them. Catching one by
the hind leg, he groped his way out again.
Thrusting his shoulders forward he slid through the gripping mud,
tearing his way through the engulfing rain with his free hand. His leg
left numb from the wound inflicted by the barbed wire, and a trickle of
blood was running down his shins. Without thinking he reached down to
rub the wound, but quickly yanked his hand up again. What was that
horrible sensation he felt as he passed his hand over the fleshy sore?
He couldn't see in the rain, but his leg told him that it was something
hairy, almost bristly.
He ran on towards the house, stumbling in the treacherous mud. Once he
fell completely down in the slime. Wiping the dripping earth from his
face, he was told again that something was wrong. His cheeks verified
his shin's story of a rough, jagged caress.
Holding his hand in front of his face he saw, amidst a flash of
lightning, a curling, black claw, bristling with long, ragged hairs.
Screaming hysterically he dropped the kid and fell forward into the door
of the house. The latch gave way with his weight and he tumbled into the
cottage.
Dancing madly on the end of a thread was a blood red feather.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The White Feather Hex, by Don Peterson
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WHITE FEATHER HEX ***
***** This file should be named 23308.txt or 23308.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/3/0/23308/
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.
Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.
*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
http://gutenberg.org/license).
Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works
1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works. See paragraph 1.E below.
1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the
collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.
1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning
the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
States.
1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
copied or distributed:
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
1.E.9.
1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.
1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
that
- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is
owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments
must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License. You must require such a user to return or
destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
Project Gutenberg-tm works.
- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
of receipt of the work.
- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the
Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
1.F.
1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
your equipment.
1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.
1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.
1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.
Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org.
Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation
The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at
809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
[email protected]. Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
page at http://pglaf.org
For additional contact information:
Dr. Gregory B. Newby
Chief Executive and Director
[email protected]
Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation
Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.
The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To
SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
particular state visit http://pglaf.org
While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.
International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations.
To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate
Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.
Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily
keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
http://www.gutenberg.org
This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
