| The Cloak and the Staff | |
| Author: | Gordon R. Dickson |
| Genre: | Science fiction novelette |
| Publisher: | Analog Science Fiction |
| Release Date: | 1980 |
"The Cloak and the Staff" is a science fiction novelette by American writer Gordon R. Dickson. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 1981.
A skilled human translator tries to balance his desire to stay alive with his need to lash out at Earth's hulking overlords, who treat humans as cattle, or at best, pets.