Young Tom was a thinker. Tom knew the world was flat. It didn’t take a genius. He also knew that things, people, trees, dogs, stones, all stayed on the surface of the world, as if pushed down by some force. Based on the grand, clever work of the Great Ruminator of Thurge, Tom also knew that objects that are moving exert forces on objects they come into contact with. The presence of this push downward was therefore proof of the movement of the world! Specifically, it was shooting upwards, really fast.

Tom took his findings to the gods on the Great High Mountain. “I assert that there is a physical law in operation, causing the world to constantly ascend, and all things on it to be pushed towards its surface!” Tom said.

“Ok.” said Fungo, the god of things that fly, “What would you like us to do about it?”

“Repeal it!” said Tom, “And we’ll all fly! Free, like the birds in the sky!”

So the gods repealed the law. Poor Tom had forgotten the Great Ruminator’s law of momentum. Fly they did, and they never stopped.