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TNU 076
Unicorn Sanctuary Postcar.
Unicorn Sanctuary (postcard)
'Sword of the Zenobians' Unicorn Sanctuary
I wanted to do a 'A Unicorn is for ever, not just page 27' bumper sticker, but since this postcard was for the US market, I doubted whether they had the 'A dog is for ever, not just for Christmas' NCDL/RSPCA tagline to compare it with and fully appreciate the joke (I found out later that they did). Anyway, The Sword of the Zenobians, that well known unpublished book in the fantasy genre was, of course, where Perkins kept all the unicorns and other mythical beasts that he had saved from the salvage yard. He said he had 'Shedloads of unicorns' and didn't know what to do with them, so here they are, confusingly all identical and looking a little rotund.

Actually, this isn't a unicorn at all (NO? You're kidding me, right?) but a Shetland that lives at the bottom of our drive that we often feed as we walk past. Stick a horn on and voila!

The location for this is a small and completely untrodden valley leading out of the Elan area of Wales beyond Rhayder which we call 'The Empty Quarter' and gets a more vivid life as 'Area 21' in Something Rotten. No-one ever walks here as it is just empty moorland and I was particulary interested to find the wreakage of an old Miles Master which crashed here in 1942. (We did; a few cowlings and bits and bobs) It was a rotten day. Rained continually. But beautiful, nonetheless. Keen-eyed readers may spot that the sign is the one from TNU 062 just flopped over and stretched a bit. I'm pleased with this picture, especially the shadow behind the sign which are always tricky to get just right.

By-the-by, 'Zenobia' relates to Queen Zenobia who ruled Palmyra (Now in Syria) with a staggering ruthlessness in the 3rd century. Now you know.

Colour postcard, unumbered, given out on US Well of Lost Plots tour, Feb-March 2004. 1000 editions.
To go back to the giveaway list, click HERE
To go back to the giveaway explanation, click HERE