To Kill a Nandi Bear (short story): Difference between revisions

From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference
Tags: Visual edit apiedit
No edit summary
Tag: 2017 source edit
 
(16 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{title dab away}}
{{real world}}
{{real world}}
{{title dab away}}
{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Story
|range                  = Short Trips (series)
|name=To Kill a Nandi Bear
|series in range        = Short Trips: Past Tense
|series=[[Short Trips (series)#In print|Short Trips short stories]]
|series number in range = 6
|doctor=Fourth Doctor
|number in series      = 15
|companions=[[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]], [[Harry Sullivan|Harry]]
|doctor                 = Fourth Doctor
|setting= [[Malawi|Nyasaland]]
|companions             = [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]], [[Harry Sullivan|Harry]]
|writer=[[Paul Williams]]
|enemy                  = [[Shaman (To Kill a Nandi Bear)|The Shaman]]
|anthology=''[[Short Trips: Past Tense]]''
|setting               = [[Malawi|Nyasaland]]
|prev=One Small Step... (short story)
|writer                 = Paul Williams
|next=Fixing a Hole (short story)
|anthology             = Short Trips: Past Tense
|release date          = 9 April 2004
|series                = ''[[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]]''
|prev                   = One Small Step... (short story)
|next                   = Fixing a Hole (short story)
}}
}}
'''''To Kill a Nandi Bear''''' was the fifteenth short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: Past Tense]]''. It was written by [[Paul Williams]]. It featured the [[Fourth Doctor]], [[Sarah Jane Smith]] and [[Harry Sullivan]].
'''''To Kill a Nandi Bear''''' was the fifteenth short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: Past Tense]]''. It was written by [[Paul Williams]]. It featured the [[Fourth Doctor]], [[Sarah Jane Smith]] and [[Harry Sullivan]].
== Summary ==
== Summary ==
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] materialises in Nyasaland, later to be known as [[Malawi]]. The Doctor, Sarah and Harry exit. They find a dead body, which Harry begins to examine. A group of [[Africa]]s approaches, armed with spears. The first man, the [[Chief (To Kill a Nandi Bear)|chief]], identifies the dead man as [[Mposi]]. A second man, the [[Shaman (To Kill a Nandi Bear)|shaman]], thinks Mposi was killed by a [[duba]], also known as a Nandi bear, and also thinks that the Doctor and his friends summoned the duba to kill Mposi. The chief, a fair man, takes up Harry's offer that they get rid of the duba. Sarah will remain in the village while the Doctor and Harry hunt the duba. The chief gives them one day.
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] materialises in Nyasaland, later to be known as [[Malawi]]. The Doctor, Sarah and Harry exit. They find a dead body, which Harry begins to examine. A group of [[Africa]]s approaches, armed with spears. The first man, the [[Chief (To Kill a Nandi Bear)|chief]], identifies the dead man as [[Mposi]]. A second man, the [[Shaman (To Kill a Nandi Bear)|shaman]], thinks Mposi was killed by a [[duba]], also known as a Nandi bear, and also thinks that the Doctor and his friends summoned the duba to kill Mposi. The chief, a fair man, takes up Harry's offer that they get rid of the duba. Sarah will remain in the village while the Doctor and Harry hunt the duba. The chief gives them one day.
Line 18: Line 24:
Before leaving to hunt the duba, Harry and the Doctor are fed in the chief's hut. Harry thinks the chief should tell his people that the duba is not real, but the chief replies that the shaman has much power in the tribe.
Before leaving to hunt the duba, Harry and the Doctor are fed in the chief's hut. Harry thinks the chief should tell his people that the duba is not real, but the chief replies that the shaman has much power in the tribe.


Sarah, meanwhile, is waited on in another hut by a [[girl (To Kill a Nandi Bear)|girl]], who she learns is the daughter of Mposi.  
Sarah, meanwhile, is waited on in another hut by a [[girl (To Kill a Nandi Bear)|girl]], who she learns is the daughter of Mposi.


The Doctor retrieves Sarah, and tells the tribe that he needs to perform his magic to rid them of the duba. The Doctor begins to chant; a strange creature appears, and the Doctor follows it. Sarah and the tribe follow. The Doctor herds the creature towards the TARDIS, and the creature opens the [[Real world interface|door]] with a [[TARDIS key|key]]. The Doctor calls the creature evil, and tells the tribe he and Sarah must shut the creature in the box. The TARDIS dematerialises.
The Doctor retrieves Sarah, and tells the tribe that he needs to perform his magic to rid them of the duba. The Doctor begins to chant; a strange creature appears, and the Doctor follows it. Sarah and the tribe follow. The Doctor herds the creature towards the TARDIS, and the creature opens the [[Real world interface|door]] with a [[TARDIS key|key]]. The Doctor calls the creature evil, and tells the tribe he and Sarah must shut the creature in the box. The TARDIS dematerialises.
Line 34: Line 40:
* [[Girl (To Kill a Nandi Bear)|Girl]]
* [[Girl (To Kill a Nandi Bear)|Girl]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
* As they are in [[Africa]], Harry hopes to see [[lion]]s.
* As they are in [[Africa]], Harry hopes to see [[lion]]s.
* The Doctor tells his [[companion]]s that they are in what will be Nyasaland in four hundred years, that they know of as [[Malawi]].
* The Doctor tells his [[companion]]s that they are in what will be Nyasaland in four hundred years, that they know of as [[Malawi]].
Line 40: Line 46:


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
''to be added''
* The title is a play on {{w|Harper Lee}}'s {{wi|To Kill a Mockingbird}}.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The Doctor's chanting reminds Sarah of when the [[Third Doctor]] tamed the [[Aggedor]] on [[Peladon]] in the [[40th century]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Monster of Peladon (TV story)|The Monster of Peladon]]'')
* The Doctor's chanting reminds Sarah of when the [[Third Doctor]] tamed the [[Aggedor]] on [[Peladon]] in the [[40th century]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Monster of Peladon (TV story)|The Monster of Peladon]]'')


== Behind the scenes ==
{{ST prose}}
The title is a play on Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird.{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}


[[Category:Fourth Doctor short stories]]
[[Category:Fourth Doctor short stories]]
[[Category:Sarah Jane Smith short stories]]
[[Category:Sarah Jane Smith short stories]]
[[Category:2004 short stories]]
[[Category:Short Trips: Past Tense short stories]]
[[Category:ST short stories]]
[[Category:Short stories set in Africa]]
[[Category:Stories set in Africa]]

Latest revision as of 20:13, 12 February 2024

RealWorld.png

To Kill a Nandi Bear was the fifteenth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Past Tense. It was written by Paul Williams. It featured the Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

The TARDIS materialises in Nyasaland, later to be known as Malawi. The Doctor, Sarah and Harry exit. They find a dead body, which Harry begins to examine. A group of Africas approaches, armed with spears. The first man, the chief, identifies the dead man as Mposi. A second man, the shaman, thinks Mposi was killed by a duba, also known as a Nandi bear, and also thinks that the Doctor and his friends summoned the duba to kill Mposi. The chief, a fair man, takes up Harry's offer that they get rid of the duba. Sarah will remain in the village while the Doctor and Harry hunt the duba. The chief gives them one day.

Before leaving to hunt the duba, Harry and the Doctor are fed in the chief's hut. Harry thinks the chief should tell his people that the duba is not real, but the chief replies that the shaman has much power in the tribe.

Sarah, meanwhile, is waited on in another hut by a girl, who she learns is the daughter of Mposi.

The Doctor retrieves Sarah, and tells the tribe that he needs to perform his magic to rid them of the duba. The Doctor begins to chant; a strange creature appears, and the Doctor follows it. Sarah and the tribe follow. The Doctor herds the creature towards the TARDIS, and the creature opens the door with a key. The Doctor calls the creature evil, and tells the tribe he and Sarah must shut the creature in the box. The TARDIS dematerialises.

Inside the TARDIS, Harry has removed the Bigfoot costume that he had worn. The Doctor is unhappy that they had to deceive the tribe, setting back their progress. Sarah notes that the chief must have known that the Harry duba was false.

The chief admits to his tribe that he knew the creature was the third stranger. Urged on by the shaman, the tribe attacks and kills the chief. After they leave, a duba approaches the dead body.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • As they are in Africa, Harry hopes to see lions.
  • The Doctor tells his companions that they are in what will be Nyasaland in four hundred years, that they know of as Malawi.
  • The Doctor notes that some people think "duba" is another name for hyena.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]