Minidoka 937th Earl of One Mile
Series M
An Historical Fairy Tale
Written circa 1903 ~ eight years
before his first published novel
Minidoka is a captivating, humorous, satirical, and highly imaginative fairy story that presages the ERB talent that was to flower ten years later. Idaho was the setting for the tale and ERB created two imaginary kingdoms separated by the Raft River and “forever at war.” Burroughs’ facility in concocting names that were unusually rhythmic, colourful, or comical, which was strikingly evident in his later works, both the Tarzan and other worlds series, is noticeable at this early period. He liked to experiment with odd syllables and combine them to produce strange words that sounded realistic in the bizarre settings he created. He had a keen ear for original phonetic combinations. There are shades of Lewis Carroll here, and the style surfaces again in the work of John Lennon, the Monty Python comedy troupe and countless fantasy writers.
Dark Horse Pre-Release Promo
"Unlike the Lost Adventure manuscript, Minidoka is complete, right down to Edgar Rice Burroughs' corrections of the typewritten pages," asserts editor Peet Janes. "As important as Lost Adventure was, Minidoka is the strongest glimpse yet into the mind of the Master of Adventure, a masterpiece hidden away for almost a century. As editor of The Lost Adventure I felt privileged to work with a hidden literary treasure. Little did I know that other, finer treasures still lay waiting in the Burroughs archive.""Minidoka follows the pattern of many `Jack' folktales," explains Janes, "but Burroughs puts his singular spin on it, adding social commentary, at times with subtlety, and at times with a sledgehammer. The result is a sprawling fairy tale bright enough to delight younger readers, yet sophisticated enough to entertain adults. This is something that Burroughs fans and fans of 20th century American literature should not miss."
Minidoka, Idaho
Reference: Minidoka County (Idaho) Official WebsiteMinidoka County is located in the fertile Snake River Plain of Southern Idaho approximately 160 miles east of Boise, 160 miles northwest of Salt Lake City, Utah and 90 miles west of Pocatello. The county contains approximately four hundred eighty thousand (480,000) acres, of which 42% is in production agriculture. The county has a unique topography and elevation. Its southern portion, which runs along the Snake River, was originally part of the riverbed. Its northern portion runs over a somewhat higher table and is called the North side project. Its extreme northern and eastern boundaries consist of lava flows with large and small areas of arable land. Although the surface structure is varied, there is only 180 feet difference in elevation from the lowest point at the southwest corner, 4180 feet and its highest point in the northeast corner, 4360 feet.
The winding path of the Snake River, which crossed the area now known as Minidoka County, was the route of the early pioneers heading west. Minidoka Village, established in 1884, was the first permanent settlement and served as a railroad siding. The Bureau of Reclamation has stated that Minidoka is a Shoshone Indian name meaning “broad-expanse”.
In the early 1900’s, government owned land was made available for settlement and ownership by homesteading. Homesteaders were required to file a claim, live on the land for three years and do a limited amount of farming. Around 1912, many homesteaders came to live in the neighborhood of Kimama and Minidoka. However, by 1932 none of the dry land homesteads remained because of a lack of rainfall and other hazards such as frost, wind, weeds and pests.
President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902 which created the Minidoka Project. The project was established by the Secretary of Interior on April 23, 1904 and work began on the diversion works that year. Contracts were also let for the construction of canals and laterals shortly after. Delivery of water to the land began in 1907. The rush of settlers started in 1904 and increased rapidly for two and a half years. The settlers came form everywhere with the desire to own land and establish a home. However, very few had any experience in irrigation and many mistakes were made by both the settlers and the engineers in charge. As a result, many failed and left the land, but those who stayed were amply rewarded for their efforts.
ERB Scholar David Adams in his Chattering From The Shoulder:
"The Wizards of California: Baum & Burroughs" column in ERBzin-e 303 suggests:"The amazing thing about Minidoka is the fact that it is kind of an Ur-text or a primitive template from which all of his subsequent stories are drawn. It might just be a line here or a line there, but it all sounds strangely familiar.
"There are flying monkeys in Minidoka. When Minidoka, Bodine, and Rhi visit Nevaeh ("heaven" spelled backwards) it is a yawning abyss leading to the center of the Earth. Here they meet Tnias Retep (a reverse Saint Peter) who introduces them to Anthropop, the father of monkeys, (Ape-Adam) who had been in Nevaeh so long that he knew more about it and all the animals there than anyone else. This Adam is now a winged monkey who had worked up to the seventh cube and had earned his angel wings. He acts as a Virgil-guide in this Hell for animal abusers, who are punished by the very animals they were cruel to while on Earth.
'Til every snarling skull, with moans, And ghastly groans, each sin atones.'
Fish catch the humans who caught them on Earth and tear the hooks from their cheeks. Hunters are the hunted. Dogs kick half-starved men who return to lick the paw that bruised them. 'Down one great avenue fled the shades of a thousand-thousand-thousand women pursued by the beasts and birds whose furs and feathers had bedecked the women on Earth.' Maybe we aren't so far from Caspak and the Wieroos after all."
Michael Kaluta quote concerning his Minidoka illustrations:
In the realm of Illustrating, I am just starting to sketch out about 16 illustrations for a small, previously unpublished book by Edgar Rice Burroughs, called: Minidoka, 937th Earl OF One Mile, Series M, an historical fairy tale. This book is to be released through Dark Horse Comics, and will have as a cover an unpublished J.Allen St. John painting. Although I work in ink line on all my paintings, it has been quite a while since I was able to concentrate on black and white rendering (there will be 4 color pieces in Minidoka). Also the theme... somewhat ironical satire, will guide the drawing style. I am happy, at this point in my art career to be able to pay back ERB in such a fun fashion... after all, it was the illustrations that accompanied his Mars and Venus stories that solidified my approach to fantasy art.Interview by Steve Cadigan
INDIA'S FAVOURITE QUOTES...to appoint men to office who were particularly unfitted for the position. The trait has come down to us with the blood. (12)
Boast not, my Brother, but remember ever that it is the high head that seeth no the coal hole. (16)
...don't think too much; it's not conductive to longevity. (23)
Go in and win out and I'll be there at the finish. (26)
~ India Boone Grow
For More of India's Favourite ERB Quotations
India's Favourite ERB Quotations I
India's Favourite ERB Quotations II
India's Favourite ERB Quotations III
India's Favourite ERB Quotations IV
ERB C.H.A.S.E.R. Marcia of the Doorstep
 
 
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