THE STORY OF BABEL:
In the beginning there was only one kind of Mathematician,
created by the Great Mathamatical Spirit form the Book: the
Topologist. And they grew to large numbers and prospered.
One day they looked up in the heavens and desired to reach up
as far as the eye could see. So they set out in building a
Mathematical edifice that was to reach up as far as “up” went.
Further and further up they went … until one night the edifice
collapsed under the weight of paradox.
The following morning saw only rubble where there once was a huge
structure reaching to the heavens. One by one, the Mathematicians
climbed out from under the rubble. It was a miracle that nobody was
killed; but when they began to speak to one another, SUPRISE of all
suprises! they could not understand each other. They all spoke
different languages. They all fought amongst themselves and each went
about their own way. To this day the Topologists remain the original
Mathematicians.
- adapted from an American Indian legend
of the Mound Of Babel