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Author
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Comment
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Rosemary
Lake
Registered User
(6/15/03 6:27 pm)
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A pegasus learning to fly
I'm thinking of putting an incident in a book about a young winged horse whose wings don't work right till he learns to use them in a crisis. Is there a precedent for this in public domain?
There's a similar motif in VALE OF THE VOLE, with a winged centuar, under copyright.
Rosemary
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Richard
Parks
Registered User
(6/16/03 10:46 am)
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Learning to Fly
I'm not a lawyer, but it's my understanding that you can't copyright an idea. What you copyright is the _expression_ of an idea. If Vale of the Vole has a winged centaur who learns to fly in the nick of time that shouldn't stop you from using the winged pegasus who learns to fly in the nick of time provided your expression of the notion (that is, the story) is different from Anthony's. (Case in point: A Bug's Life has a winged ant who learns to fly in the nick of time. Wile E. Coyote in a bat suit learns how to fly in the nick of time (only to splat into a canyon wall anyway). The list for that particular trope is practically endless, and has a long pedigree). It's something of a cliche, really, but even that shouldn't matter. All that should count is what YOU do with the notion.
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RymRytr1
Registered User
(6/17/03 6:32 am)
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Re: Learning to Fly
Let us not forget Dumbo; learned to fly in the last possible "nick
of time".
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Rosemary
Lake
Registered User
(6/18/03 9:12 pm)
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Re: Learning to Fly
Thanks. I thought it was a cliche (which is fine) but wasn't quite sure.
I like putting in classical allusions when possible. Do you recall any really early sources?
Rosemary
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Meurglys
Registered User
(6/19/03 6:12 am)
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Re: Learning to Fly
I hope your pegasus is sensible once it learns to fly, like Daedalus, not keen on 'pushing the envelope' like Icarus!
And (can't resist) will your pegasus have a flighty disposition?
Edited by: Meurglys at: 6/19/03 6:14 am
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