A modern tale of an inner-directed sorcerer and an outer-directed sorcerer's apprentice, by fantasy, horror and science fiction writer Fritz Leiber. Leiber (1910-1992) was known for his fantasy works, particularly the Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser series, but he also enjoyed success as a science fiction writer. He received the Gandalf award at the World Science Fiction Convention in 1975 and the Grand Master Award at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 1981.