The Staircase to Infinity

I stood in front of the stone blocks… breathing, hard and deep, admiring the dangerous and majestic steps in front of me. But looking down uncovers a path to demise; the stone blocks monotonously continue to infinity, descending infinitely downwards to a never-ending darkness. The path I have longed for lies far up in the sky, somewhere amongst the stars — how much I want to touch them! Perhaps my only desire is to stand above the heavenly staircase, unrestrained, flowing along the drift, across the galaxy, through the universe.

Oh, how weak do I feel right now, to be standing at the staircase to hell, when I’m supposed to oversee the heavens! Oh, pity me, kindhearted and good-willed traveler, please, move the stone blocks for me, as I have traveled too long and have only the slightest energy remaining. I grant you all the magical powers I’ve acquired, to be able to move these massive objects in groups: to transport adjacent stones, as many as you wish, in one slight move.

But please, don’t overestimate your power, as you have to reverse the ordering of the stones. Even with all my magical powers, be mindful to move as little as possible, as these massive objects quickly deplete your energy. Hear me out, dear traveler: the stones are too numerous to count, but I beg you, regardless of the number of stones, plan before you act! Find the least number of moves you need, so you won’t become exhausted, and be able to save us both.

(Based on Bulgaria, 2001)