text: [Themes: Historical, vehicle, humor]
  
  > Describe the surroundings
  You are standing behind the house, in the shade of a lovely tree. A path leads southeast past the back porch, back towards the side yard.
  
  On the back porch is a rubbish bin (which is empty).
  
  You can see a stack of firewood (on which is a cat) here.
  
  The cat yawns and stretches, scanning the yard with sleepy green eyes.
  
  > Search bin
  The rubbish bin is empty.
  
  The cat shifts position on top of the log pile.
  
  > examine the tree
  It's close enough to the house that the lower branches brush the upper storey windows.
  
  Nearby, a bird sings. The cat sits up and looks around eagerly. Seeing only you, it yawns disdainfully, and flops back onto the logs.
  
  > Go southeast
  This is a grassy stretch just east of the vine-covered house. A clearing lies south, a garden path leads southwest, and another path leads northwest, behind the house.
  
  A birdbath stands in the middle of the yard.
  
  To the west is a narrow door, nearly hidden by a rose trellis.
  
  > Sing
  Inspired by the voices of birds in the treetops, you extemporise a little tune to amuse yourself. The birds sing along cheerfully.
  
  > fill the birdbath
  You fill the birdbath with water from the tin pot.
  
  A little bird flutters down from the treetops, settles briefly on the edge of the basin, and flits away again, chirping happily.
  
  > Sing
  Inspired by the voices of birds in the treetops, you extemporise a little tune to amuse yourself. The birds sing along cheerfully.
  
  A pygmy nutfinch flutters down from the treetops, and lands on the edge of the birdbath.
  
  > Sing
  Inspired by the voices of birds in the treetops, you extemporise a little tune to amuse yourself. The birds sing along cheerfully. The pudgy little nutfinch listens, utterly fascinated by your performance. It flutters out of the basin and lands at your feet, where it watches you with interest.
  
  > Sing
  Inspired by the voices of birds in the treetops, you extemporise a little tune to amuse yourself. The birds sing along cheerfully. The pudgy little nutfinch listens, utterly fascinated by your performance.
  
  > examine the nutfinch
  The nutfinch is small, but round and plump-looking.
  
  The nutfinch keeps one eye on you, but ruffles its wings restlessly.
  
  > get the nutfinch
  Trying to grab the pudgy little nutfinch would not be particularly helpful at present.
  
  The nutfinch, losing interest in you, flutters back into the birdbath.
  
  > check your inventory
  You are carrying:
  some leaves and twigs
  a tin pot
  an artifact
  a letter opener
  a handkerchief
  a programme
  a manuscript
  some newspaper clippings
  a loose flyer
  a coin
  a small sign
  a purse (which is open but empty)
  
  > go to the northwest
  You are standing behind the house, in the shade of a lovely tree. A path leads southeast past the back porch, back towards the side yard.
  
  On the back porch is a rubbish bin (which is empty).
  
  You can see a stack of firewood (on which is a cat) here.
  
  The cat licks itself languidly.
  
  The nutfinch follows you, hopping along in your tracks.
  
  > Sing
  The pudgy little nutfinch listens, utterly fascinated by your performance.
  
  The cat notices the nutfinch with hungry eyes. In a flash, the cat leaps from its perch and charges into the yard. The bird flies up into the treetops, out of harm's way.
  
  The cat skulks around in the bushes for a while, and then disappears.
  
  > get the firewood
  Taken.
  
  > go to the east
  This is a small alcove. A small salon is north, and the exit is back west.
  
  You can see a pump here.
  
  The orange tabby cat follows you in.
  
  He sits down inside the doorway for a moment, but soon disappears into a corner.
  
  > go to the north
  The Parlor has been converted into a cozy-looking studio, with a nice little wood stove. The only exit is back south.
  
  The firebox of the iron stove is open.
  
  You can also see a small white trunk here.
  
  > put the leaves in the firebox
  You throw the armload of kindling inside the firebox. Crackling tongues of flame engulf it almost immediately. Soon, the armload of firewood catches fire as well.
  
  > put the pot on stove
  You put the tin pot on top of the stove.
  
  > fill the pot
  You pump vigorously a few times. Water gushes from the spout.
  You fill the tin pot.
  
  > go north
  The Parlor has been converted into a cozy-looking studio, with a nice little wood stove. The only exit is back south.
  
  The firebox of the iron stove is open.
  
  You can also see a small white trunk here.
  
  The fire crackles and sputters, as the fuel settles down amidst a growing mound of ashes.
  
  > put the pot on stove
  You put the tin pot on top of the stove.
  
  The fire crackles and sputters, as the fuel settles down amidst a growing mound of ashes.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  The fire crackles and sputters, as the fuel settles down amidst a growing mound of ashes.
  
  > look at the pot
  The tin pot has a smooth wooden handle.
  
  In the tin pot are some water and an artifact.
  
  The fire crackles and sputters, as the fuel settles down amidst a growing mound of ashes.
  
  > look at the water
  It's just water.
  
  The water is currently in the tin pot.
  
  > close the firebox
  You close the firebox.
  
  > look at the stove
  It's a typical barrel-shaped cast-iron stove, with a pipe extending up through the ceiling, and a heavy firebox below.
  On the stove is a tin pot.
  
  > feel the stove
  It's much too hot to touch.
  
  > feel the pot
  You feel nothing unexpected.
  
  The water in the tin pot is steaming energetically now.
  
  > Sing
  (warming up)
  You sing middle C.
  
  The water in the tin pot starts to boil, and the steam carries a musty scent, which mildly irritates your throat.
  
  You absently clear your throat.
  
  That's odd. At the sound of your voice a strange kind of soft, muffled hum seems to rise from inside the pot -- along with some bubbles -- and then fade away.
  
  (warming up)
  You sing middle C. The artifact, coated with a thick layer of sludge, pops and hisses strangely.
  
  The water in the tin pot is boiling vigorously.
  
  > Sing
  (warming up)
  You sing middle D. The artifact, coated with a thick layer of sludge, pops and hisses strangely.
  
  The water in the tin pot is boiling vigorously.
  
  > sing high C
  You sing the note.
  
  The water in the tin pot is boiling vigorously.
  
  > sing manuscript
  You try out the first few bars of the haunting, almost hypnotic theme... but towards the middle of the manuscript, the notes climb until they are completely out of your range. The professor must have a great deal of faith in you, or must be completely ignorant of the physiological characteristics of the human voice, if he expects you to be able to sing this all the way through.
  
  The water in the tin pot is boiling vigorously.
  
  > Sing markings
  Hmm. You can't seem to see the markings right now. Better check the artifact more closely.
  
  The water in the tin pot is boiling vigorously.
  
  > get the artifact
  (first reaching into the water)
  Ouch! The water is too hot!
  
  The water in the tin pot is boiling vigorously.
  
  > examine artifact
  The artifact is caked with some kind of crusty brown sludge.
  
  The water in the tin pot is boiling vigorously.
  
  > Clean artifact
  But the artifact is still in the hot water.
  
  The water in the tin pot is boiling vigorously.