Short SF story. Females use stingers to implant eggs in yearfathers












11















I can't think of any other stories in the anthology and have no memories of the book cover.



The story is told from an adolescent girl's viewpoint in what appears to be a low tech agricultural society.



She lives with her mother, grandmother, a couple of aunts and some younger sisters. Also some man who is known as the yearfather.



The narrative reveals that every two or three years of her life there has been a new yearfather for twelve months or so, always quietly spoken young men who are nevertheless bubbly and entertaining. Then one day they are gone.



Due to circumstances, I think a younger sister has a minor accident, the girl protagonist finds herself alone in the house for most of an afternoon with the current yearfather. Nothing much happens, just some casual conversation.



However, when her older female relatives realise she's been with him they get her alone and ask if, at any time, her stinger had felt funny. Obviously, at this point, the reader realises they are not quite humans.



They make an issue of carefully keeping her away from the yearfather for a few weeks and then decide she is now mature enough for the revelation.



As always by this wintertime, the yearfather is acting unwell, her aunts and mother chain him in the root cellar (I think they do but not certain) and she is taken to witness. He starts whimpering and ends up screaming as big grubs burst out of his body, then bore right back in and begin eating him as he dies.



She is told the facts of life, very soon she will want to sting a male, a yearfather will be procured for her and she will want to mate and then implant, then she too will be a mother.



(Question also posted in SFF Chronicles)



Note: There are some similarities but this is NOT 'Bloodchild'.










share|improve this question





























    11















    I can't think of any other stories in the anthology and have no memories of the book cover.



    The story is told from an adolescent girl's viewpoint in what appears to be a low tech agricultural society.



    She lives with her mother, grandmother, a couple of aunts and some younger sisters. Also some man who is known as the yearfather.



    The narrative reveals that every two or three years of her life there has been a new yearfather for twelve months or so, always quietly spoken young men who are nevertheless bubbly and entertaining. Then one day they are gone.



    Due to circumstances, I think a younger sister has a minor accident, the girl protagonist finds herself alone in the house for most of an afternoon with the current yearfather. Nothing much happens, just some casual conversation.



    However, when her older female relatives realise she's been with him they get her alone and ask if, at any time, her stinger had felt funny. Obviously, at this point, the reader realises they are not quite humans.



    They make an issue of carefully keeping her away from the yearfather for a few weeks and then decide she is now mature enough for the revelation.



    As always by this wintertime, the yearfather is acting unwell, her aunts and mother chain him in the root cellar (I think they do but not certain) and she is taken to witness. He starts whimpering and ends up screaming as big grubs burst out of his body, then bore right back in and begin eating him as he dies.



    She is told the facts of life, very soon she will want to sting a male, a yearfather will be procured for her and she will want to mate and then implant, then she too will be a mother.



    (Question also posted in SFF Chronicles)



    Note: There are some similarities but this is NOT 'Bloodchild'.










    share|improve this question



























      11












      11








      11








      I can't think of any other stories in the anthology and have no memories of the book cover.



      The story is told from an adolescent girl's viewpoint in what appears to be a low tech agricultural society.



      She lives with her mother, grandmother, a couple of aunts and some younger sisters. Also some man who is known as the yearfather.



      The narrative reveals that every two or three years of her life there has been a new yearfather for twelve months or so, always quietly spoken young men who are nevertheless bubbly and entertaining. Then one day they are gone.



      Due to circumstances, I think a younger sister has a minor accident, the girl protagonist finds herself alone in the house for most of an afternoon with the current yearfather. Nothing much happens, just some casual conversation.



      However, when her older female relatives realise she's been with him they get her alone and ask if, at any time, her stinger had felt funny. Obviously, at this point, the reader realises they are not quite humans.



      They make an issue of carefully keeping her away from the yearfather for a few weeks and then decide she is now mature enough for the revelation.



      As always by this wintertime, the yearfather is acting unwell, her aunts and mother chain him in the root cellar (I think they do but not certain) and she is taken to witness. He starts whimpering and ends up screaming as big grubs burst out of his body, then bore right back in and begin eating him as he dies.



      She is told the facts of life, very soon she will want to sting a male, a yearfather will be procured for her and she will want to mate and then implant, then she too will be a mother.



      (Question also posted in SFF Chronicles)



      Note: There are some similarities but this is NOT 'Bloodchild'.










      share|improve this question
















      I can't think of any other stories in the anthology and have no memories of the book cover.



      The story is told from an adolescent girl's viewpoint in what appears to be a low tech agricultural society.



      She lives with her mother, grandmother, a couple of aunts and some younger sisters. Also some man who is known as the yearfather.



      The narrative reveals that every two or three years of her life there has been a new yearfather for twelve months or so, always quietly spoken young men who are nevertheless bubbly and entertaining. Then one day they are gone.



      Due to circumstances, I think a younger sister has a minor accident, the girl protagonist finds herself alone in the house for most of an afternoon with the current yearfather. Nothing much happens, just some casual conversation.



      However, when her older female relatives realise she's been with him they get her alone and ask if, at any time, her stinger had felt funny. Obviously, at this point, the reader realises they are not quite humans.



      They make an issue of carefully keeping her away from the yearfather for a few weeks and then decide she is now mature enough for the revelation.



      As always by this wintertime, the yearfather is acting unwell, her aunts and mother chain him in the root cellar (I think they do but not certain) and she is taken to witness. He starts whimpering and ends up screaming as big grubs burst out of his body, then bore right back in and begin eating him as he dies.



      She is told the facts of life, very soon she will want to sting a male, a yearfather will be procured for her and she will want to mate and then implant, then she too will be a mother.



      (Question also posted in SFF Chronicles)



      Note: There are some similarities but this is NOT 'Bloodchild'.







      story-identification short-stories






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 13 hours ago







      Danny3414

















      asked yesterday









      Danny3414Danny3414

      3,51212166




      3,51212166






















          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          10














          This is The Cabbage Patch, which I found in The First Theodore R. Cogswell MEGAPACK ®: 16 Classic Science Fiction Stories. You can read it on the Internet Archive here as part of a Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine. As for where you read it, you can check ISFDB for publications where it appeared.




          However, when her older female relatives realise she's been with him they get her alone and ask if, at any time, her stinger had felt funny.




          Here's this part:




          Once Aunt Hester caught me
          alone with [the year-father] and her face got
          all hard and twisted and she was
          going to call the patrol and have
          him beaten, but Mother came in
          just then. She sent the year-father
          to his room and then took me
          into the parlor. I knew that she
          was getting ready for one of her
          heart-to-heart talks but there
          wasn’t anything I could do about
          it, so I just sat there and listened.
          Mother’s talks always got so
          wound in on themselves that when
          she was through I usually couldn’t
          figure out what all the fuss had
          been about.



          First she asked me if I’d felt
          anything funny when I was alone
          with the year-father. I asked her
          what she meant by “funny” and
          she sort of stuttered and her face
          got all red. Finally she asked me
          a funny question about my stinger
          and I said “no,” Then she started
          to tell me a story about the wasps
          and the meem but she didn’t get
          very far with that either. She
          wanted to but she got all flustered
          and her tongue wouldn’t work.
          Aunt Hester said nonsense, that
          I was still a little girl and next
          year would be soon enough.
          Mother said she wished she could
          be sure, then she made me promise
          that if ever my stinger felt funny
          when I was around a year-father.
          I’d run and tell her about it right
          away because if I didn’t, something
          terrible might happen.







          share|improve this answer


























          • Good answer! I had read it, in A Shocking Thing.

            – Organic Marble
            yesterday











          • @Organic Marble quick query, what's it mean when it says "user was removed"?

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago











          • @Danny3414 The account of somebody who had voted on one of your posts got deleted and all reputation from it vanished. meta.stackexchange.com/questions/126470/…

            – Organic Marble
            6 hours ago








          • 1





            Ok cheers, I was searching through the site to check but wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago











          Your Answer








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          1 Answer
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          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          10














          This is The Cabbage Patch, which I found in The First Theodore R. Cogswell MEGAPACK ®: 16 Classic Science Fiction Stories. You can read it on the Internet Archive here as part of a Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine. As for where you read it, you can check ISFDB for publications where it appeared.




          However, when her older female relatives realise she's been with him they get her alone and ask if, at any time, her stinger had felt funny.




          Here's this part:




          Once Aunt Hester caught me
          alone with [the year-father] and her face got
          all hard and twisted and she was
          going to call the patrol and have
          him beaten, but Mother came in
          just then. She sent the year-father
          to his room and then took me
          into the parlor. I knew that she
          was getting ready for one of her
          heart-to-heart talks but there
          wasn’t anything I could do about
          it, so I just sat there and listened.
          Mother’s talks always got so
          wound in on themselves that when
          she was through I usually couldn’t
          figure out what all the fuss had
          been about.



          First she asked me if I’d felt
          anything funny when I was alone
          with the year-father. I asked her
          what she meant by “funny” and
          she sort of stuttered and her face
          got all red. Finally she asked me
          a funny question about my stinger
          and I said “no,” Then she started
          to tell me a story about the wasps
          and the meem but she didn’t get
          very far with that either. She
          wanted to but she got all flustered
          and her tongue wouldn’t work.
          Aunt Hester said nonsense, that
          I was still a little girl and next
          year would be soon enough.
          Mother said she wished she could
          be sure, then she made me promise
          that if ever my stinger felt funny
          when I was around a year-father.
          I’d run and tell her about it right
          away because if I didn’t, something
          terrible might happen.







          share|improve this answer


























          • Good answer! I had read it, in A Shocking Thing.

            – Organic Marble
            yesterday











          • @Organic Marble quick query, what's it mean when it says "user was removed"?

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago











          • @Danny3414 The account of somebody who had voted on one of your posts got deleted and all reputation from it vanished. meta.stackexchange.com/questions/126470/…

            – Organic Marble
            6 hours ago








          • 1





            Ok cheers, I was searching through the site to check but wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago
















          10














          This is The Cabbage Patch, which I found in The First Theodore R. Cogswell MEGAPACK ®: 16 Classic Science Fiction Stories. You can read it on the Internet Archive here as part of a Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine. As for where you read it, you can check ISFDB for publications where it appeared.




          However, when her older female relatives realise she's been with him they get her alone and ask if, at any time, her stinger had felt funny.




          Here's this part:




          Once Aunt Hester caught me
          alone with [the year-father] and her face got
          all hard and twisted and she was
          going to call the patrol and have
          him beaten, but Mother came in
          just then. She sent the year-father
          to his room and then took me
          into the parlor. I knew that she
          was getting ready for one of her
          heart-to-heart talks but there
          wasn’t anything I could do about
          it, so I just sat there and listened.
          Mother’s talks always got so
          wound in on themselves that when
          she was through I usually couldn’t
          figure out what all the fuss had
          been about.



          First she asked me if I’d felt
          anything funny when I was alone
          with the year-father. I asked her
          what she meant by “funny” and
          she sort of stuttered and her face
          got all red. Finally she asked me
          a funny question about my stinger
          and I said “no,” Then she started
          to tell me a story about the wasps
          and the meem but she didn’t get
          very far with that either. She
          wanted to but she got all flustered
          and her tongue wouldn’t work.
          Aunt Hester said nonsense, that
          I was still a little girl and next
          year would be soon enough.
          Mother said she wished she could
          be sure, then she made me promise
          that if ever my stinger felt funny
          when I was around a year-father.
          I’d run and tell her about it right
          away because if I didn’t, something
          terrible might happen.







          share|improve this answer


























          • Good answer! I had read it, in A Shocking Thing.

            – Organic Marble
            yesterday











          • @Organic Marble quick query, what's it mean when it says "user was removed"?

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago











          • @Danny3414 The account of somebody who had voted on one of your posts got deleted and all reputation from it vanished. meta.stackexchange.com/questions/126470/…

            – Organic Marble
            6 hours ago








          • 1





            Ok cheers, I was searching through the site to check but wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago














          10












          10








          10







          This is The Cabbage Patch, which I found in The First Theodore R. Cogswell MEGAPACK ®: 16 Classic Science Fiction Stories. You can read it on the Internet Archive here as part of a Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine. As for where you read it, you can check ISFDB for publications where it appeared.




          However, when her older female relatives realise she's been with him they get her alone and ask if, at any time, her stinger had felt funny.




          Here's this part:




          Once Aunt Hester caught me
          alone with [the year-father] and her face got
          all hard and twisted and she was
          going to call the patrol and have
          him beaten, but Mother came in
          just then. She sent the year-father
          to his room and then took me
          into the parlor. I knew that she
          was getting ready for one of her
          heart-to-heart talks but there
          wasn’t anything I could do about
          it, so I just sat there and listened.
          Mother’s talks always got so
          wound in on themselves that when
          she was through I usually couldn’t
          figure out what all the fuss had
          been about.



          First she asked me if I’d felt
          anything funny when I was alone
          with the year-father. I asked her
          what she meant by “funny” and
          she sort of stuttered and her face
          got all red. Finally she asked me
          a funny question about my stinger
          and I said “no,” Then she started
          to tell me a story about the wasps
          and the meem but she didn’t get
          very far with that either. She
          wanted to but she got all flustered
          and her tongue wouldn’t work.
          Aunt Hester said nonsense, that
          I was still a little girl and next
          year would be soon enough.
          Mother said she wished she could
          be sure, then she made me promise
          that if ever my stinger felt funny
          when I was around a year-father.
          I’d run and tell her about it right
          away because if I didn’t, something
          terrible might happen.







          share|improve this answer















          This is The Cabbage Patch, which I found in The First Theodore R. Cogswell MEGAPACK ®: 16 Classic Science Fiction Stories. You can read it on the Internet Archive here as part of a Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine. As for where you read it, you can check ISFDB for publications where it appeared.




          However, when her older female relatives realise she's been with him they get her alone and ask if, at any time, her stinger had felt funny.




          Here's this part:




          Once Aunt Hester caught me
          alone with [the year-father] and her face got
          all hard and twisted and she was
          going to call the patrol and have
          him beaten, but Mother came in
          just then. She sent the year-father
          to his room and then took me
          into the parlor. I knew that she
          was getting ready for one of her
          heart-to-heart talks but there
          wasn’t anything I could do about
          it, so I just sat there and listened.
          Mother’s talks always got so
          wound in on themselves that when
          she was through I usually couldn’t
          figure out what all the fuss had
          been about.



          First she asked me if I’d felt
          anything funny when I was alone
          with the year-father. I asked her
          what she meant by “funny” and
          she sort of stuttered and her face
          got all red. Finally she asked me
          a funny question about my stinger
          and I said “no,” Then she started
          to tell me a story about the wasps
          and the meem but she didn’t get
          very far with that either. She
          wanted to but she got all flustered
          and her tongue wouldn’t work.
          Aunt Hester said nonsense, that
          I was still a little girl and next
          year would be soon enough.
          Mother said she wished she could
          be sure, then she made me promise
          that if ever my stinger felt funny
          when I was around a year-father.
          I’d run and tell her about it right
          away because if I didn’t, something
          terrible might happen.








          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 23 hours ago

























          answered yesterday









          LaurelLaurel

          6,47912247




          6,47912247













          • Good answer! I had read it, in A Shocking Thing.

            – Organic Marble
            yesterday











          • @Organic Marble quick query, what's it mean when it says "user was removed"?

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago











          • @Danny3414 The account of somebody who had voted on one of your posts got deleted and all reputation from it vanished. meta.stackexchange.com/questions/126470/…

            – Organic Marble
            6 hours ago








          • 1





            Ok cheers, I was searching through the site to check but wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago



















          • Good answer! I had read it, in A Shocking Thing.

            – Organic Marble
            yesterday











          • @Organic Marble quick query, what's it mean when it says "user was removed"?

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago











          • @Danny3414 The account of somebody who had voted on one of your posts got deleted and all reputation from it vanished. meta.stackexchange.com/questions/126470/…

            – Organic Marble
            6 hours ago








          • 1





            Ok cheers, I was searching through the site to check but wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again

            – Danny3414
            6 hours ago

















          Good answer! I had read it, in A Shocking Thing.

          – Organic Marble
          yesterday





          Good answer! I had read it, in A Shocking Thing.

          – Organic Marble
          yesterday













          @Organic Marble quick query, what's it mean when it says "user was removed"?

          – Danny3414
          6 hours ago





          @Organic Marble quick query, what's it mean when it says "user was removed"?

          – Danny3414
          6 hours ago













          @Danny3414 The account of somebody who had voted on one of your posts got deleted and all reputation from it vanished. meta.stackexchange.com/questions/126470/…

          – Organic Marble
          6 hours ago







          @Danny3414 The account of somebody who had voted on one of your posts got deleted and all reputation from it vanished. meta.stackexchange.com/questions/126470/…

          – Organic Marble
          6 hours ago






          1




          1





          Ok cheers, I was searching through the site to check but wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again

          – Danny3414
          6 hours ago





          Ok cheers, I was searching through the site to check but wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again

          – Danny3414
          6 hours ago


















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