You are in the old man's front room. It is dimly lit, a candle flickers, and from another part of the house there is the noise of a radio: the night trots from Forbury. On a sideboard there are three strange objects, each glowing with a faint light. A piece of greenstone. An orange thermos. A small red pocket knife.

The old man explains. The first object is called a 'Pounamu Decoder'. It enables you to understand the words of any living creature, even the secret languages of animals and birds. It is essentially, he says, a translation facility.

The orange thermos contains a secret potion. If you are in a place of danger and you drink from it, you will be instantly transported elsewhere. It is a 'Jump Thermos'.

The knife is a 'Swiss Army Knife'. It is a powerful weapon which will destroy in battle any person or creature foolhardy enough to attack you. It has magical properties conferred on it by the gnomes who forged it so many centuries ago. (Note: ineffective against the bowmen of the emperor or the Dark Lord of Kwesta-kaa.) It also has scissors and a toothpick.

You may choose only one of these magic weapons. You must decide now. Do you choose the Pounamu Decoder? the Jump Thermos? Swiss Army Knife?