An appropriate fable for Ranma's situation

[Crescent Pulsar S]

I was wondering if there was a Japanese or Chinese fable that could be matched with Ranma's situation, with said situation being stuck with conflicting obligations and expected to make a choice. The closest I've thought of was the one about the frog living in a well, but that's obviously more suitable for a different (but related) context than what I'm aiming for. It's not so much for the solution in the fable, but being able to make the comparison.

[PCHeintz72]

No answer for you on Ranma... maybe old greek legends.

Though I always felt Rumiko was at least partially familiar with the horribly translated movie from way back called 'The Man with the Iron Umbrella', at least I think that was the title... saw it a number of years ago in a store on DVD and on a lark watched it.

It was dreadfully done...

[Crescent Pulsar S]

Outside of Japanese and Chinese fables, the closest thing I've thought of is the story where King Solomon discovers who the true mother of the child is by reasoning that said child should be cut in two and divided among the two women.

[PCHeintz72]

Outside of Japanese and Chinese fables, the closest thing I've thought of is the story where King Solomon discovers who the true mother of the child is by reasoning that said child should be cut in two and divided among the two women.

Gender bending and Transformations in general is in both Greek and Norse Mythologies...

There is a Gender Bender page on TV Tropes, and while I did not go there drectly, it came up in my Google search, and has a mythology section.

[Crescent Pulsar S]

Well, what I'm looking for doesn't have anything to do with gender-bending in particular, anyway. XD

[PCHeintz72]

This could fall under the general concept of the gods testing their subjects...

Heh... it could also fall into star trek... Ranma's own personal Kobayashi Maru scenario... the no win scenario...

[Spokavriel]

The problem there is in Star Trek you are deciding if breaking intergalactic treaty for the chance at rescuing possible survivors in distress is better than letting them die.

I have another violation of the treaty I would have been making but I never see proposed. It likely could have been Kirk's Solution (in Roddenberry's mind). Signal in open transmission to any Klingon Vessel in the zone about the ship in distress and request their assistance in the rescue of only the crew. After all the "Klingons do not take prisoners" not even showing a hint at wanting to recover the ship nor its cargo. Nor even any data it might have collected from inside the Neutral Zone.

Just figure that would be the biggest possible win for the Klingons without risking violating the treaty in a way that lets them lay claim on a Starship for a trophy.

Ranma's situation is different. Multiple engagements all on his honor. One marriage by a law he was ignorant of to Shampoo. And then the various challenges ... Yeah it seems a trial by fire as well as a no win scenario but it is one the Head of the Saotome clan could end parts of. And I don't really see someone's life in danger to break the stalemate so its short of the Kobiyashi Maru.

[Crescent Pulsar S]

I suppose it's kind of like the geis in Irish folklore, in the case where a person ends up with at least two that can result in a situation where they're damned if they do something and damned if they don't.

But I don't know any fables involving a geis, either.

[PCHeintz72]

@Spokavriel

For interesting but not truly canon take on Kobayoshi Maru scenarios... suggest you look at the Pocket books Novel called Kobayashi Maru...

Also... there is a Star Trek Multi crossover out there where in a variant... Ivonova, Marcus, and some Membari from Babylon Five take the test at Ivonova's insistance, and she is taking it at suggestion of captain Garret (from Enterprise C). That is in chapter 49 of:

ST-MULTI 'Those Who Stand' by AlbertG - [Dld Date=06/10/2009] - [Dld Size=1477kb] - [Dld Files=58] - [Status=Complete]

• [Direct] http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1580711/1/Those_Who_Stand
• [Author1] http://www.fanfiction.net/u/115547/AlbertG

This guy is without question the greatest fan fiction sci fi author I've ever read... successfully making a huge multi arc multi cross of some very interesting sci fi stuff from all generations of trek and babylon 5 and battlestar galactica and even forbidden planet...

[Spokavriel]

Original Battlestar, 84's offering or the new one?

[three headed dog]

And I don't really see someone's life in danger to break the stalemate so its short of the Kobiyashi Maru.

I'm not so sure about that. Peoples lives have been in danger for example when Shampoo was going to kill Akane - like the time she was planning on blaming it on Taro so the engagement entanglement could end up with someone dead. Additionally it really isn't all that likely but similar situations have led to family feuds and civil wars in Japanese history (not recent history but still it had happened) so there is a very remote possibility in it leading to an all out war.