gafish?WillIonedaybeabletogainthefavorofKingDimitri?”Theseintimatefemalethoughtsandfears,whilereasonable,werereallysuperfluous.InKingDimitri’sKingdom,everyohoughtwerebenign,notevilordeceitful.Tothem,allcreatureswereequal.Ifitwerenotforoutsideinterferehiswasreallyaparadiseoh.KingDimitriwaslikeagardenerwholovedandprotectedflowers.Tohim,allbeautifulwomenwerelikeluxuriantlybloomingflowers.Thergewhitefishswamon.

    “Istherereallyaparadiseoh?”shewondered.Shewasswimmihegoldpacewhensheseemedtoheartinyvoicescallingher.Shelookedaroundandsaairoflittlepeoplecallingandwavingtoher.Thergewhitefishthought,

    “ItwasIwhhtthemoverhere.Perhapstheywaakethembackagaintotheothersideoftheke.”Alwayswillingtohelpothers,thergewhitefishswamheshoreandsighemtoswimouttoher.Thelittlemanjumpedintothewaterandswamvaliantlytowardsher.Shetookhiminhermouthasbeforeandpreparedtoswimaway.Thelittlewomanstoodonshoreandwavedgoodbyetothem.Thelittlemaninhermouthsaid,

    “Thankyoukindlyrgewhitefish.PleasetakemetoKingDimitri’space.”Thoughsheuzzledastowhythelittlemanwouldwanttogothere,shehelessdidasheasked.

    Ieerofthegoldpace,ViohadpreparedtemporarylodgingsforherselfandMr.Finger.Shecollecteddrygrassandcolorfulflowerpetalsfromthegroundsofthegoldpadmadethemintofortablebeds.Thatafternoon,Mr.Fingerwokefromhisnap.Heturnedoverandcameintactwithacurvaceousfigure.Thesewerethehappiestdaysinhislife.Hefeltproudofhimselfandverymuchsatisfied.Hefinallyhadatasteofwhatitwastobeaman.Butthenhesighedandsaid,

    “TheonlyflyimentofmylifenowisIhaven’thadanyreallygoodwiodrinkforquitesometime.Ireallywouldliketodrinktomyheart’stentandbeeintoxicated.”Vio,whowaslyingbesidehim,said,

    12

    “IheardKingDimitriwouldbebaadayortwo.Whydon’tyougotothepatheothersideoftheke?Theretheyaresuretohaveunlimitedwineyoudrink.”

    “Idon’twanttoleaveyou”saidMr.Fingercheekily.“Youarethewomandearesttomyheartinthiswholeentireworld.Dimitrihasallthesebeauties,buttheyalllookdownonmeandIdon’tlikeanyofthem.”

    “Whobelievesinyourrubbish?”saidVio,sntingaghimhalfpyfullyandhalfvexed“Noexcuses.Thergewhitefishiswillingtohelp,sogoingacrossthekeandingbackagainisnoproblematall.I’llwaysbehere.Whenyouwanttoseeme,justgetarideback!”

    penedwasthis.ThatmQueenAishaandsomeofthebeautiescametoihegoldpace.TheyknewKingDimitriwouldbebacksoonandthoughthemightwanttoeandhaveastlookbeforethegoldpacewascoatedwithiron.VioandMr.FingerwerehidinginaerandhappeoheartheirversationsotheyknewofKingDimitri’simmireturly,ViowasbeingimpatientwithMr.Finger,whowasbeingahindraoherpnofrevenge.Hewasalwaysaround;gluedtohersideandwheherewasacehewouldasktomakelove.Shehadnoopportunitytodowhatshewantedmosttodo–seekrevengeforhermother.Sowhensheheardhimpiningabouttheckofwine,shekwasagoldenopportunitytogetridofhimforatimesoshewouldbeunencumbered.

    Alsowhenhewasinthepace,hewouldbeabletogetreliableinformationforher.SoViosettoworkontheinfatuatedMr.Fingersaying,

    “Didn’tyoupromisetofulfillmydearestwishandhelpgetrevengeformymother?Whydon’tyougobacktothepadfindoutwh

gafish?WillIonedaybeabletogainthefavorofKingDimitri?”Theseintimatefemalethoughtsandfears,whilereasonable,werereallysuperfluous.InKingDimitri’sKingdom,everyohoughtwerebenign,notevilordeceitful.Tothem,allcreatureswereequal.Ifitwerenotforoutsideinterferehiswasreallyaparadiseoh.KingDimitriwaslikeagardenerwholovedandprotectedflowers.Tohim,allbeautifulwomenwerelikeluxuriantlybloomingflowers.Thergewhitefishswamon.

    “Istherereallyaparadiseoh?”shewondered.Shewasswimmihegoldpacewhensheseemedtoheartinyvoicescallingher.Shelookedaroundandsaairoflittlepeoplecallingandwavingtoher.Thergewhitefishthought,

    “ItwasIwhhtthemoverhere.Perhapstheywaakethembackagaintotheothersideoftheke.”Alwayswillingtohelpothers,thergewhitefishswamheshoreandsighemtoswimouttoher.Thelittlemanjumpedintothewaterandswamvaliantlytowardsher.Shetookhiminhermouthasbeforeandpreparedtoswimaway.Thelittlewomanstoodonshoreandwavedgoodbyetothem.Thelittlemaninhermouthsaid,

    “Thankyoukindlyrgewhitefish.PleasetakemetoKingDimitri’space.”Thoughsheuzzledastowhythelittlemanwouldwanttogothere,shehelessdidasheasked.

    Ieerofthegoldpace,ViohadpreparedtemporarylodgingsforherselfandMr.Finger.Shecollecteddrygrassandcolorfulflowerpetalsfromthegroundsofthegoldpadmadethemintofortablebeds.Thatafternoon,Mr.Fingerwokefromhisnap.Heturnedoverandcameintactwithacurvaceousfigure.Thesewerethehappiestdaysinhislife.Hefeltproudofhimselfandverymuchsatisfied.Hefinallyhadatasteofwhatitwastobeaman.Butthenhesighedandsaid,

    “TheonlyflyimentofmylifenowisIhaven’thadanyreallygoodwiodrinkforquitesometime.Ireallywouldliketodrinktomyheart’stentandbeeintoxicated.”Vio,whowaslyingbesidehim,said,

    12

    “IheardKingDimitriwouldbebaadayortwo.Whydon’tyougotothepatheothersideoftheke?Theretheyaresuretohaveunlimitedwineyoudrink.”

    “Idon’twanttoleaveyou”saidMr.Fingercheekily.“Youarethewomandearesttomyheartinthiswholeentireworld.Dimitrihasallthesebeauties,buttheyalllookdownonmeandIdon’tlikeanyofthem.”

    “Whobelievesinyourrubbish?”saidVio,sntingaghimhalfpyfullyandhalfvexed“Noexcuses.Thergewhitefishiswillingtohelp,sogoingacrossthekeandingbackagainisnoproblematall.I’llwaysbehere.Whenyouwanttoseeme,justgetarideback!”

    penedwasthis.ThatmQueenAishaandsomeofthebeautiescametoihegoldpace.TheyknewKingDimitriwouldbebacksoonandthoughthemightwanttoeandhaveastlookbeforethegoldpacewascoatedwithiron.VioandMr.FingerwerehidinginaerandhappeoheartheirversationsotheyknewofKingDimitri’simmireturly,ViowasbeingimpatientwithMr.Finger,whowasbeingahindraoherpnofrevenge.Hewasalwaysaround;gluedtohersideandwheherewasacehewouldasktomakelove.Shehadnoopportunitytodowhatshewantedmosttodo–seekrevengeforhermother.Sowhensheheardhimpiningabouttheckofwine,shekwasagoldenopportunitytogetridofhimforatimesoshewouldbeunencumbered.

    Alsowhenhewasinthepace,hewouldbeabletogetreliableinformationforher.SoViosettoworkontheinfatuatedMr.Fingersaying,

    “Didn’tyoupromisetofulfillmydearestwishandhelpgetrevengeformymother?Whydon’tyougobacktothepadfindoutwh