The Miracle of the Lily story

shortstory: The Miracle of the Lily (1928) · 1928-04 · Clare Winger Harris

The future people of Earth offer to help the Venusians with their insect problem.

14 total · 3 major · 11 minor

ThemeLevelMotivation
displacement by a rising new species major Insects evolved intelligence and challenged humans for dominion over the Earth.
endangered species major Plants had gone extinct on the Earth by the year 3928. What is more, humans had begun a campaign to exterminate all insects around the year 2900, and Delfair explained how he has seen the last living insect, which was held in captivity.
Venusian extraterrestrial major The people of Earth were shocked to find that the Venusians were insectoid in nature upon making televised contact with them.
boredom minor Nathano described his world of the year 3928 to be soulless and dying from a self-inflicted boredom.
city planet minor Nathano, writing in the year 3928, explained that cities had proliferated all across the Earth by his time.
flying car minor Delfair was flying to work at Oxygen Plant No. 21 in his "volplane" which one gathers is a flying car.
insectoid being minor The humans were horrified to discover that their Venusian friends were actually insectoids that wanted to exterminate a mammal infestation on their planet.
Martian extraterrestrial minor The Martians were described as a self-satisfied people.
nuclear fission power minor Nathano used an atomic powered excavator at one point.
planetary weather control system minor Toward the end of the story Nathano described how temperature and rainfall was regulated on Earth.