Дюна

           Therealizationthatallreligionshadatleastonecommoncommandment:

           “Thoushaltnotdisfigurethesoul.”

           2.TheCommissionofEcumenicalTranslators.

           C.E.T.convenedonaneutralislandofOldEarth,spawninggroundofthemotherreligions.Theymet“inthecommonbeliefthatthereexistsaDivineEssenceintheuniverse.”Everyfaithwithmorethanamillionfollowerswasrepresented,andtheyreachedasurprisinglyimmediateagreementonthestatementoftheircommongoal:

           “Weareheretoremoveaprimaryweaponfromthehandsofdisputantreligions.Thatweapon—theclaimtopossessionoftheoneandonlyrevelation.”

           Jubilationatthis“signofprofoundaccord”provedpremature.Formorethanastandardyear,thatstatementwastheonlyannouncementfromC.E.T.Menspokebitterlyofthedelay.Troubadourscomposedwitty,bitingsongsabouttheonehundredandtwenty-one

           “OldCranks”astheC.E.T.delegatescametobecalled.(ThenamearosefromaribaldjokewhichplayedontheC.E.T.initialsandcalledthedelegates

           “Cranks—Effing-Turners.”)Oneofthesongs,“BrownRepose,”hasundergoneperiodicrevivalandispopulareventoday:

           “Considerleis.

           Brownrepose—and

           Thetragedy

           Inallofthose

           Cranks!AllthoseCranks!

           Solaze—solaze

           Throughallyourdays.

           Timehastoll’dfor

           M’LordSandwich!”

           OccasionalrumorsleakedoutoftheC.E.T.sessions.Itwassaidtheywerecomparingtextsand,irresponsibly,thetextswerenamed.Suchrumorsinevitablyprovokedanti-ecumenismriotsand,ofcourse,inspirednewwitticisms.

           Twoyearspassed...threeyears.