Secret Test of Character: Difference between revisions

** In [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' novel ''[[Discworld/Lords and Ladies|Lords & Ladies]]'', an arrogant young witch challenges Granny Weatherwax to a contest in staring at the sun. When Nanny Ogg's grandson runs into the magic circle controlling their power and cries out, Granny looks away from the sun to help him, and Nanny declares that this is a [[Exact Words|test of witchcraft, not power]], and a true witch ''would'' drop a silly contest to help a child. Afterward, it's revealed that Nanny waved a bag of sweets to lure Pewsey, knowing he wouldn't really be hurt. Subverted, in that this wasn't ''meant'' to be how the test worked, but you can't argue with public acclaim (and indeed, the original challenge was meant to discredit Granny Weatherwax).

** Granny Weatherwax is a fan of these, as you'd expect from a ''[[Discworld]]'' witch that honestly believes ''everything'' is a test. These range from being as simple and obvious as asking what you'd take out of your house during a fire—Nannyfire — Nanny Ogg answering that she'd rescue her [[Killer Rabbit|cat that could escape itself]] to appear kindly—tokindly — to a complex [[Xanatos Gambit]] to see whether a witch was worth her training by getting a rival placed above her.

** Completely averted in ''[[Discworld/Mort|Mort]]''. Death takes a titular character as his apprentice and the first job he gives him is to clean the stables of his horse, Binky, which takes hours (he has that horse for a looong time and cleaning its stable is a demeaning job for Death). The whole time doing the job, Mort entertains the thought of the job being this. Maybe Death wants to see if he will argue against his treatment? Maybe he wants to teach him his place? Maybe he wants to get him used to repeatability of moves he will have to face when wielding Death's scythe? After Mort is finally done cleaning the stables, Death asks him why did he have to do it. Mort's answer: "Because you were up to your knees in horseshit." Death is very pleased by that answer, because it is completely true.