| "Mating Call" | |
|---|---|
| Short story by Frank Herbert | |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Publication | |
| Published in | Galaxy |
| Publication type | Periodical |
| Media type | Print (Magazine) |
| Publication date | 1961 |
"Mating Call" is a short story by science fiction author Frank Herbert which first appeared in Galaxy magazine in 1961 and later in Herbert's 1985 short story collection The Worlds of Frank Herbert. It deals with topic of alien reproduction and possible consequences of inter-species sharing of knowledge after the first contact .
Plot
editLaoconia Wilkinson, senior field agent of the Social Anthropological Service, and Marie Medill, a doctor in music, are sent to planet Rukuchp to help with a newly risen reproduction problem of Rukuchp natives that occurred after the natives were introduced to human music. Finally allowed to visit the natives Big Sing, they realize that the Rukuchp reproduce by parthenogenesis which is induced by music (singing). The Big Song, leaves not only all of Rukuchp pregnant, but also all of the human females that listened to their song, as well as agents Wilkinson and Medill.
Significance
editLike in many of Herbert's stories, several ideas mentioned in "Mating Call" are develop fully in his other works,[1]
Publication history
edit1. Galaxy magazine, Volume 20 No. 1, April 1961.
2. Herbert, Frank. The Worlds of Frank Herbert, London: New English Library, 1970.
References
edit- ^ O'Reilly, Timothy. Frank Herbert. New York: Frederick Ungar, 1980.
Category:1965 short stories Category:Short stories by Frank Herbert Category:Works originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction