SubscribeCerements goes to five levels, I think: Mistress Veltis tells the story of getting lost in the catacombs to Klaproth and her other 'prentice, whose name escapes me. (1) That 'prentice, now a master, tells this story at the air burial to Petrefax and the others. (2) Petrefax tells the story of the air burial to Brant and the others at the Inn. (3) Brant relays his experiences at the Inn to the woman at the bar. (4) And Gaiman is telling this story to us. (5)....What Cliffy does not mention is that another one of the stories Mistress Veltis tells her prentices (though only a sentence or two from the reader's perspective) is that of a group of necropolitans lost in a storm who find themselves at an Inn where travellers pass the time by telling stories. This is implied (though not outright stated) to be the same ones who are currently telling their stories in the "higher-level" tale (and given the Inn's status as being outside of time, this is not unreasonable), so the levels are infinite, or at least wrap around on themselves.
Upon further reflection, there's one more level (briefly) in Cerements, although it only takes up a half-sentence. Along with her adventure in the catacombs, Mistress Veltis tells her 'prentices other stories, such as the one about the undertaker who is captured by a hungry giant and tells stories to keep the giant's mind off his dinner. I think there may be a mention or two of the actual stories told by this undertaker -- if so, then this is yet another level, although too minor to really be considered one.
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this is more horizontal than it is vertical, but the book Dodecahedron is an awesome example. it's actually called Dodecahedron, or A Frame For Frames. the way that each story frames another, and the way they are all connected -- it's beautiful, bizarre, and sometimes difficult. "nested" is a great word to explain it!
posted by gursky at 11:16 PM on June 22