# Isaac Asimov \[death likened to crossing a bridge under fire from an archer\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461 "2018-01-12T15:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nightfall1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@Nightfall1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightfall1)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/1 "2018-01-12T15:44:31Z")
Hello Everyone, I hope someone can help me. I remember reading an Isaac Asimov science essay or a foreword or afterword to one of his short stories. It concerns an old fable about death. Every newborn starts at one end of a bridge and they begin to walk across. Death is an archer at the other end and he shoots arrows toward the walkers. He hits very few as they begin to walk but the closer they walk toward the other side the archer hits more and more, his aim getting better. No one ever makes it to the other side. Anyone know what book this appeared in? I’ve looked through all the books I have of his and Googled it but no luck. Thanks in advance ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/2 "2018-01-12T15:47:59Z")
Try THE SLOWLY MOVING FINGER, in OF TIME AND SPACE AND OTHER THINGS. ---
**Author:** ![Nightfall1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@Nightfall1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightfall1)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/3 "2018-01-12T15:59:57Z")
Thanks, I’ll look for it at the public library. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/4 "2018-01-12T16:08:20Z")
Paging Asimovian! ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/5 "2018-01-12T16:13:55Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Paging Asimovian! I have no idea why you think I’d be of any use here. _cough_ Actually, I _am_ of no use here since this doesn’t ring any bells with me. But I deeply appreciate the OP’s username, as that is by far my favorite novella. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/6 "2018-01-12T16:19:27Z")
I’ve read a _lot_ of Asimov and that analogy rings no bells. (As as aside, I’ve always used a “sniper” as my representation of the Grim Reaper.) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/7 "2018-01-12T16:19:44Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Try THE SLOWLY MOVING FINGER, in OF TIME AND SPACE AND OTHER THINGS. [Yep](https://www.e-reading.club/chapter.php/82054/20/Azimov_-_Of_Time_and_Space_and_Other_Things.html). ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/8 "2018-01-12T16:21:13Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > I have no idea why you think I’d be of any use here. _cough_ I just assumed you were a Bulgarian from Simov. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/9 "2018-01-12T16:21:25Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Try THE SLOWLY MOVING FINGER, in OF TIME AND SPACE AND OTHER THINGS. Bingo. “… Death is an archer and life is a bridge. Children begin to cross the bridge gaily, skipping along and growing older, while Death shoots at them. …” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/10 "2018-01-12T16:23:03Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Yep](https://www.e-reading.club/chapter.php/82054/20/Azimov_-_Of_Time_and_Space_and_Other_Things.html). That was worth re-reading. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/11 "2018-01-12T16:31:12Z")
Moved to Cafe Society, and title edited to be more specific. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/12 "2018-01-12T16:39:29Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Moved to Cafe Society, and title edited to be more specific. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Your addition to the original title(“death likened to crossing a bridge under fire from an archer”) sounds like the title of a Harlan Ellison story. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/13 "2018-01-12T16:42:47Z")
I don’t think I’ve read that essay since the late '70s or early '80s; like **Czarcasm** said: thank you for bringing it up, OP; that was totally worth re-reading. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/14 "2018-01-12T16:43:18Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I just assumed you were a Bulgarian from Simov. I don’t believe I’ve said anything to contradict that… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/15 "2018-01-12T16:46:35Z")
Funny, you don’t _look_ Bulgarian. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/16 "2018-01-12T16:59:34Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I don’t think I’ve read that essay since the late '70s or early '80s; like **Czarcasm** said: thank you for bringing it up, OP; that was totally worth re-reading. A bit melon-collie, though, given that we know how “scared of getting old and dying” Asimov did go–at the low end of that 70 to 80 years, from AIDS. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/17 "2018-01-12T17:39:32Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Funny, you don’t _look_ Bulgarian. Pish tosh. I am merely tan from my days sunning on the Bulgarian beaches. Quality essay from Asimov. A shame he didn’t get to make it to 115. His observations about current times would be pretty interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/18 "2018-01-12T17:44:03Z")
In my youth I made a foolish vow to read every single thing he ever wrote…and it turned out to be the smartest “foolish” thing I ever did. ---
**Author:** ![Nightfall1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@Nightfall1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightfall1)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/19 "2018-01-12T19:50:50Z")
Thanks everyone for your comments. I made it a goal to have every book The Good Doctor wrote. I had a heck of a collection at one time. All his fiction and all of his science essays and all his histories. When I started to thin my books from my house a lot of books went to small town libraries and assisted living places. I got rid of all his science essay books because science marches forward. Having science books that are 40 to 50 years out of date didn’t seem like a good use of bookshelves. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461/20 "2018-01-12T20:00:26Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I just assumed you were a Bulgarian from Simov. And I thought he was like a color, shade of purple-gray. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-death-likened-to-crossing-a-bridge-under-fire-from-an-archer/806461.md?page=2)