The Martian Chronicles Ylla Summary

  • Now the story actually gets going. First, we get a look at Ylla and Yll, an unhappily married Martian (i.e. from Mars!) couple who used to be in love.
  • You know they're meant to be together, because they've practically got the same name. Think "Alexander" and "Alexandra," or "Joseph" and "Josephine."
  • Now she does the housework while he ignores her. So, your ordinary 1940s couple.
  • Ylla starts to have some scandalous dreams about an Earth Man named Nathaniel York, who will hop on over to Earth, tell her she's pretty, and sweep her off her feet. 
  • York has a co-pilot named Bert, but Bert apparently isn't the type to sweep Martian housewives off their feet.
  • (Hint: if you're having sexy dreams about someone other than your lawfully wedded spouse, you should probably keep them to yourself.)
  • Anyway, it turns out that all Ylla needed to do was cook up a reason for Yll to be jealous, because now he's definitely paying attention to her. 
  • He tries to distract her and makes up excuses for why she can't go out to meet Nathaniel York. 
  • Since Ylla talks in her sleep, she gives away a few deets about how the Earth Men are coming. 
  • Yll heads off with his gun, telling Ylla he's going "hunting." And he is—hunting (and killing) Earth Men.
  • Surprisingly, this doesn't make their marriage any happier.