- Shambleau
"Shambleau" is a
short story by Americanscience fiction andfantasy writerC. L. Moore . Though it was her first professional sale, it is her most famous story. It first appeared in the November 1933 issue of "Weird Tales " and has been reprinted numerous times. It features one of Moore's best-known heroes,Northwest Smith , a gun-toting spacefarer, and is a retelling of theMedusa myth; it looks at themes of sexuality andaddiction .Plot
On Mars, tough smuggler Northwest Smith encounters a young woman being chased by a mob. Instinctively, he decides to protect her. The crowd identifies her as "Shambleau", but Smith does not recognize the name. He is surprised when the mob disperses without violence when he claims her as his own. To his puzzlement, he senses disgust, not hatred, aimed at him.
When Smith takes a closer look at the woman, he realizes that she is not human, though she is attractive. Feeling some responsibility for her, he allows her to shelter in his room, while he conducts his illegal business.
Smith eventually discovers firsthand that a Shambleau feeds on the lifeforce of others using the worms it has instead of hair, while addicting its short-lived victims with pure ecstasy. Fortunately for Smith, his Venusian partner Yarol comes looking for him and finds him before it is too late. Unlike Smith, he knows what the creature is. Though he himself is drawn to the Shambleau, he manages to avert his gaze; then, seeing the Shambleau's reflection in a mirror, Yarol is able to shoot and kill it.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
