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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1148.PDF
14 FLIGHT 23 APRIL 1954 THE FABLE OF MABEL THE MINOSAUR It all happened sevcal million years ago, in one of those intervals between the Great Ice Ages .. Life in those days was nasty, brutish and short; the law of the jungle prevailed, and progress—such as it was—meant merely a crude interpretation of the survival of the fittest. The Mrs. Bruin's Academy of the period was inhabited not by Tiger Tim and Jacko, Jumbo and so on, but by creatures of hideous proportions and frightful savagery. There were foul, poisonous insects, evil-smelling plants, horrible sabre-toothed fishes as large as submarines, preposterous pterodactyls, dreadful dinosaurs and monstrous minosaurs. And this fable is about a very remarkable minosaur whom we will call Denis. Denis was exceptionally intelligent (for minosaurs) ; he had read his Darwin and so knew what his species might expect from posterity. He was also peace-loving, crazy about games and fond of soggy cabbage. " Look here, Mabel," he said to his wife one day," it's time we began to think of the future. This is a tough life. We are threatened on all sides, and frankly I can't see much hope for the children." " We must adapt ourselves," said Mabel, " or perish. You know—natural selection and all that." Denis pensively rubbed his scaly chin. " You mean" he said at length, " that we must grow bigger and tougher, develop thicker hides, stronger claws." " I thought you'd say that," said Mabel. " No, that's just what I don't mean. That's what all the others are doing—and look at them ! They are so big that they can scarcely drag themselves about; their appetites are so enormous that the whole forest is threatened with famine. No, Denis, to survive we must be swift, compact, powerful and versatile. And we must multiply. It is the only way." " But, surely," said Denis, " your proposals are contrary to the age-old principle that there is safety in bulk." • y " True. I prefer to think that there is safety in speed and numbers." Well, as we all know, the pterodactyls, the dinosaurs and so on died out. But what happened to Denis and Mabel and their minosaur offspring has never been discovered. Some authorities claim that they left the forests and colonized the planet Uranus; others maintain that after millions of years of subtle adaptation to changing climatic, economic and military conditions they became lizards, or penguins or company directors. We do not know, but the general concensus of opinion is that in some shape or form they did manage to survive. In pursuance of their firmly held beliefs in matters of twentieth- century defence against air aggression, Folland Aircraft Limited, of Hamble, Hampshire, have undertaken an intensive programme of research, design and prototype development.
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