The Mafic Fishbone: A Fascinating Creature of the Deep

The mafic fishbone is a geological feature found in certain volcanic rocks. It is named after its resemblance to the skeleton of a fish and its composition of mafic minerals. Mafic minerals are dark-colored minerals rich in magnesium and iron, such as pyroxene and olivine. These minerals are common in basaltic and gabbroic rocks, which are both types of volcanic rocks that form from the solidification of magma beneath the Earth's surface. The mafic fishbone is characterized by its elongated and branching shape, which resembles the bones of a fish spine. It typically occurs as a network of fine veins or elongated crystals of mafic minerals within the surrounding rock.

Several things happen, while her mother is ill, that makes Alicia think about using the magic fishbone. One of her young brothers is badly bitten by an ill-tempered pug dog next door, but she manages to stop the bleeding and piece together some old rags to make a proper bandage for him. When the cook runs away with the tall tipsy soldier, Princess Alicia steps in to do the cooking. But, while she is peeling turnips for their soup, the baby of the family falls out of her lap and under a grate. His face is badly bruised and swollen and he will not stop crying, which upsets the rest of the children. But, Princess Alicia distracts them by having them pretend to be cooks, making caps out of old newspapers. She nurses the baby’s wounds and soothes him while supervising the rest of the children, who finish making dinner. Once they finish eating and cleaning up, she has them entertain the baby (and themselves) with “the dance of eighteen cooks.”

The King is perplexed by the fact that his daughter does not use the magic fishbone and asks her several times if she has lost it or forgotten about it. Which is a very good thing for Princess Alicia and Prince Certainpersonio; they are told they will have thirty-five children eighteen girls and seventeen boys.

It typically occurs as a network of fine veins or elongated crystals of mafic minerals within the surrounding rock. The veins or crystals are oriented in a pattern that radiates outward from a central point, giving the appearance of a fishbone. The formation of the mafic fishbone is thought to be related to the cooling and crystallization of magma within the volcanic rock.

Sarah's Journal

Did you know Dickens wrote fairy tales? Until I started researching fairy tales for INTO THE WILD, I had no idea that Dickens wrote anything shorter than 3,000 pages. Today's obscure fairy tale is called "The Magic Fishbone." The original Dickens version is full of fabulous details so I recommend checking it out. But if you don't have time, here's my abridged version:

The Magic Fishbone (from Charles Dickens)

Once upon a time. a king is worried about money. He has nineteen children and a lot of bills, and it's a long way from payday.

Hold up a second. Bills? Payday? What sort of king is this?

He stops at the market and buys a salmon from Mr. Pickles.

On his way home, a grand old lady stops him and says he should offer the salmon to his eldest child, Princess Alicia. After she eats it, he should tell her that the leftover fishbone is a magic gift, which will grant a single wish if she wishes at the right time. The king obeys.

Usually you think of fairy godmother magic as a ll sparkles and rainbows. I love that this fairy's magic involves fish guts.

The next morning, the queen faints. Princess Alicia fetches a bottle of smelling salts, helps her mother to bed, and then proceeds to both nurse the queen and take care of her eighteen younger siblings for the duration of the queen's illness. The king asks Alicia if she still has the magic fishbone. (She does.) He asks her if she's forgotten it. (She hasn't.)

But she seems to have forgotten to call a doctor.

She then rushes upstairs to confide in her best friend, a doll who is really a duchess.

Yikes. Freaky. Living doll. Was she always a doll, or did she get turned into a doll for some misdeed? Does she like being a doll, or does she resent all the afternoons spent at tea parties with Alicia's teddy bears? Is Alicia keeping her prisoner?

Another day, a fierce terrier frightens one of th e little princes so badly that he sticks his hand through a glass door panel. As soon as his siblings see the blood, they begin to wail, but Princess Alicia quiets the m all and then cleans and stitches up her brother's wound. Her father again asks her about the magic fishbone. She says she still has it.

Um, I know Mom is sick, but what's Dad do ing during all of this? And if the wound was deep enough to need stitches, shouldn't a professional look at it?

Later, the baby falls onto the hearth and cries. While she comforts him, she directs her siblings in making dinner, since they recently lost their cook. Seeing his royal daughter cooking and nursing and keeping house and so forth, the king again asks about the magic fishbone. She says s he still has it.

Yes, I know I should be impressed at how self-sufficient she is, yada yada, but I think it's a bit reckless of her not to go to the emergency room. And shouldn't they have baby-proofed the hearth?

The king then sighs sadly and says that they ha ve no money at all. She asks if he has any way of getting any, and he says there isn't. He has tried all he could.

Can't he just raise taxes? What's the point of being king if you can't tax the poor to feed the rich?

As soon as he says this, Alicia draws out the magic fishbone and says, "If you've done everything in your power, then it's time to ask others for help." She then wishes it's payday.

I think Princess Alicia shows a real lack of im agination here. Given that she only gets one wish, she should have used it for more than just a single payday. Plus she really didn't think through how she phrased her wish. Note that she doesn't ask for the money from payday; she asks for it to actually be payday, i.e. she's asking for time travel. This could really cause all sorts of problems.

Suddenly, it's payday, and the fairy godmother arri ves. She scolds the king for wanting Alicia to have used the fishbone sooner. He promises he's learned his lesson, and the fairy godmother rewards the family with riches. She then goes to chat with her friend the duchess.

What's up with the duchess? How does she know the fairy? What are they talking about? I want her story!

After whispering with the duchess, the fairy godmother then announces she is going to fetch Prince Certainpersonio.

How much do I love that name?

A half-hour later, Prince Certainpersonio and Princess Alicia are married in a lavish ceremony. The duchess is the matron-of-honor.

Ooh, more about the duchess! She's a matron, so that means she's married. Where's the duke? Does he know she's a doll? Is he a doll too? And can I just say how impressive it is that the fairy godmother pulled together a "lavish" wedding in a half-hour? A half-hour to pick out the band, taste the wedding cake options, fit the dress, send the invitations, select the flowers. Maybe she just stole all the trappings from Cinderella.

And the fairy godmother blesses them with 35 children, none of whom will ever have the measles.

Thirty-five children. And this is a reward?

She then takes the fishbone and throws it to the terrible terrier next door. He chokes on it and dies. The end.

I'm thinking she's not a dog person.

12 Comments:

How funny--I'm going to have to track that one down! I'm still wondering how the 13 dancing princesses got off without being arraigned on multiple counts of homicide.

Faith: Well, there was that court case with Gretel and the witch-in-the-oven, but that was ruled self-defense.

At 9:34 AM, Anonymous said.

Okay, Dickens is just plain WEIRD.

Arilou-Skiff: Seriously. That doll duchess is just plain creepy.

This is BIZARRE. I still don't get the doll-duchess.

Sounds like a curse to me: "here're 35 kids, none of whom will ever die off." Yikes!

Q: I agree. As much as I wanted my teddy bears to talk when I was little, I still find the doll-duchess a bit disturbing.

DaviMack: It is a LOT of diapers.

At 5:05 PM, Anonymous said.

Weirdest story ever. Even though it's a fairy tale. About the 30-something children, talk about Labor Day.

My favorite magic doll story would have to be Beautiful Vasilisa.

At 11:38 PM, Anonymous said.

This is a celebrated article as they all are. I have been wondering less this an eye to some measure now. Its notable to note down this info. You are fete and balanced.

At 3:49 PM, Jessica said.

blesses? are we sure 35 children isnt a curse?!

As the magma cools, mafic minerals begin to crystallize and fill fractures or empty spaces in the rock. The orientation of the fishbone pattern is believed to result from the flow of magma or the movement of surrounding rock during the cooling process. The mafic fishbone is not only an interesting geological feature but also provides useful information about the history and formation of the rock. By studying the orientation and composition of the fishbone, geologists can gain insights into the cooling and crystallization process that occurred during the formation of the volcanic rock. This information can help to reconstruct the geological history of an area and provide valuable clues about the tectonic processes that have shaped the Earth's crust. In summary, the mafic fishbone is a unique feature found in volcanic rocks that resembles the skeleton of a fish. It is composed of mafic minerals and is formed through the cooling and crystallization of magma. The fishbone pattern provides valuable insights into the history and formation of the rock, making it an important tool for geologists studying the Earth's volcanic activity and tectonic processes..

Reviews for "The Mafic Fishbone: An Indicator Species for Environmental Health"

1. John - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to reading "The Mafic Fishbone" based on all the hype, but I was sorely disappointed. The plot was confusing and hard to follow, jumping from one storyline to another without any clear connection. The characters were also poorly developed, I couldn't connect or relate to any of them. Overall, it seemed like the author was trying to be too clever and ended up sacrificing coherence and readability.

2. Emily - 1 star - "The Mafic Fishbone" was a complete waste of my time. The writing style was pretentious and overly flowery, making it difficult to understand the actual story. The plot itself was convoluted and lacked any clear direction, leaving me feeling unsatisfied and confused. The characters were flat and uninteresting, making it hard to care about their fates. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.

3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "The Mafic Fishbone" after hearing so many positive reviews, but it turned out to be a letdown. The story felt disjointed and lacked a coherent narrative. The author seemed to prioritize style over substance, resulting in convoluted and confusing prose. I struggled to connect with the characters, who felt one-dimensional and unrelatable. Overall, it was a disappointing read that did not live up to the hype.

4. Michael - 3 stars - "The Mafic Fishbone" had some interesting ideas, but the execution was lacking. The pacing was all over the place, with moments of intense action followed by long stretches of dull exposition. The characters had potential, but their development fell flat, making it hard to care about their journeys. I also found the ending to be underwhelming and unsatisfying. While it had its moments, overall, it was a mediocre read for me.

5. Jessica - 2 stars - I struggled to get through "The Mafic Fishbone" as it felt overly pretentious and inaccessible. The writing style was overly flowery and self-indulgent, making it hard to understand the actual story. The plot was convoluted and confusing, with too many subplots that didn't come together cohesively. The characters lacked depth and their actions often felt arbitrary. It was overall a frustrating reading experience that left me feeling disappointed.

Examining the Unique Anatomy of the Mafic Fishbone