ThoughCyclopswasstrohanmostandcouldrecoverquicklyfromhotliquidironspshedontohisbody,itwouldbeadifferentstoryifthewhole10,000lbstripodofboilingliquidirournedandcapsizedonhim.Hisbodywouldbepletelydisiedandreducedtodustandsmoke.SoKingDimitriimmediatelygaveordersforworktostopfortheday.Cyclopshappilypnkeddowytripod,walkedswiftlydownanothersidepathanddisappearedintotheforest.

    KingDimitrimountedhismagichorse,Lightning,andflewovertheketowardsnd.Thedouble-tailedsailboatfollowedinhiswakeandalsomadefortheshore.Thepeoplewereenergizedtoseetheirheroigepersonallytoiheprogressoftheirwork.Loudcheersandshoutsroseintheirmidst.Ridinghishorse,KingDimitricircledthegroundsofthegoldpadsawthattheprojectwasabout95%pleted.Therewasonlyochofgoldoheasterhepacethatobecoated.Afewtripodspouredontothatareawouldtakecareofitandtheworkwouldbepleted.Buttheformerbrilliantandmagnifitpacehadbeenpletelygedbeynition.Theliquidironouredcarelesslyatrandom,withnorhymeorreason,sosomespotswerecoatedthickerthahers.Thesurfacewas,therefore,quiteuneven:somespotswerehigh,lookinglikeasmallmound,whileotherswerescarcelycoated.Allinall,itwasanuglypieceofgildingandwouldlookeveesquewhentheironbeginstorustandbeecoveredwithmoss.Havingfinishedhisiion,KingDimitriflewbacktohisboat.Hereleasedhistwobelovedpettigersandtoldthemtopatrondsecurethearea.Thenhegaveorderstohavethepeoplesetupcamp,cookdinneraforthenight,leavingonlyaskeletooseethatthefireiskeptburning.ThencallingforMedusatoeback,theyallsetsaidforthepace.

    Arrivingatthemiddleoftheke,KingDimitrilookedattheever-gingcloudsandthecrystalclearwaters.Thegeousndscapeofwater,mountainsandskiesbroughthimasenseofpeadcalmthatmadehimfetthetroublesofthestfewdays.Heorderedthepaceattendantstoagaindropanchorandsaidtothebeauties,

    “Inthefaceofsutastiery,howcouldwenothavewine?”Hewavedhishandintheair.Loandbehold,acrystalgobletfullofdarkredearedinhishand.Thebeautiesfollowedsuitandalsowavedtheirhandsintheair.Innotime,crystalgobletsofdarkredwierializedintheirhands.

    “Cheers!”saidKingDimitri,raisinghisgobletofwine.

    “Cheers!”repliedthebeautiesinachorus.KingDimitrisippedhiswineandsaidwithdeepfeeling,

    “ThistimewheurheKingdom,Ihadinteospendsometimewithyoualndhaveamemorablegathering.Ineverimaginedsomuchwouldhappeniwothreedays.Imustreturntothemundaneworldtomorrow.Solittletimeremains!Lifeisliketheever-gingcloudsintheskies.Itmayloeousandmagnifiow,butsoonitwillbeswallowedupbythedarknight.Sowemustenjoyourselveswhilewedopportunitiesslipby.”Heagainraisedhisgobletandtookanothersip.Thebeautieskheirkingwelndwereawarethathehadateothinkofpoetiessinhisheartwhenalroundhimwasrejoig,sotheydidionunhappyorkilljoythings.Manydessertshadappearedoable,asetizersforthewihebeautieswereeatinganddrinkingandtalking.SuddenlyAmaliasaid,

    “pehatbigguycarryiripods?Whydon’tweaskhimtojoinushereandhaveadrink?”Everyonewasstruckdumbbyherartlessquestion.

    “Hewenthome”repliedYokohurriedly,tryingtoheadofffurtherquestions.“Helivesfarawayoverthere”shetinued,pointingtothedenseforestsoher

ThoughCyclopswasstrohanmostandcouldrecoverquicklyfromhotliquidironspshedontohisbody,itwouldbeadifferentstoryifthewhole10,000lbstripodofboilingliquidirournedandcapsizedonhim.Hisbodywouldbepletelydisiedandreducedtodustandsmoke.SoKingDimitriimmediatelygaveordersforworktostopfortheday.Cyclopshappilypnkeddowytripod,walkedswiftlydownanothersidepathanddisappearedintotheforest.

    KingDimitrimountedhismagichorse,Lightning,andflewovertheketowardsnd.Thedouble-tailedsailboatfollowedinhiswakeandalsomadefortheshore.Thepeoplewereenergizedtoseetheirheroigepersonallytoiheprogressoftheirwork.Loudcheersandshoutsroseintheirmidst.Ridinghishorse,KingDimitricircledthegroundsofthegoldpadsawthattheprojectwasabout95%pleted.Therewasonlyochofgoldoheasterhepacethatobecoated.Afewtripodspouredontothatareawouldtakecareofitandtheworkwouldbepleted.Buttheformerbrilliantandmagnifitpacehadbeenpletelygedbeynition.Theliquidironouredcarelesslyatrandom,withnorhymeorreason,sosomespotswerecoatedthickerthahers.Thesurfacewas,therefore,quiteuneven:somespotswerehigh,lookinglikeasmallmound,whileotherswerescarcelycoated.Allinall,itwasanuglypieceofgildingandwouldlookeveesquewhentheironbeginstorustandbeecoveredwithmoss.Havingfinishedhisiion,KingDimitriflewbacktohisboat.Hereleasedhistwobelovedpettigersandtoldthemtopatrondsecurethearea.Thenhegaveorderstohavethepeoplesetupcamp,cookdinneraforthenight,leavingonlyaskeletooseethatthefireiskeptburning.ThencallingforMedusatoeback,theyallsetsaidforthepace.

    Arrivingatthemiddleoftheke,KingDimitrilookedattheever-gingcloudsandthecrystalclearwaters.Thegeousndscapeofwater,mountainsandskiesbroughthimasenseofpeadcalmthatmadehimfetthetroublesofthestfewdays.Heorderedthepaceattendantstoagaindropanchorandsaidtothebeauties,

    “Inthefaceofsutastiery,howcouldwenothavewine?”Hewavedhishandintheair.Loandbehold,acrystalgobletfullofdarkredearedinhishand.Thebeautiesfollowedsuitandalsowavedtheirhandsintheair.Innotime,crystalgobletsofdarkredwierializedintheirhands.

    “Cheers!”saidKingDimitri,raisinghisgobletofwine.

    “Cheers!”repliedthebeautiesinachorus.KingDimitrisippedhiswineandsaidwithdeepfeeling,

    “ThistimewheurheKingdom,Ihadinteospendsometimewithyoualndhaveamemorablegathering.Ineverimaginedsomuchwouldhappeniwothreedays.Imustreturntothemundaneworldtomorrow.Solittletimeremains!Lifeisliketheever-gingcloudsintheskies.Itmayloeousandmagnifiow,butsoonitwillbeswallowedupbythedarknight.Sowemustenjoyourselveswhilewedopportunitiesslipby.”Heagainraisedhisgobletandtookanothersip.Thebeautieskheirkingwelndwereawarethathehadateothinkofpoetiessinhisheartwhenalroundhimwasrejoig,sotheydidionunhappyorkilljoythings.Manydessertshadappearedoable,asetizersforthewihebeautieswereeatinganddrinkingandtalking.SuddenlyAmaliasaid,

    “pehatbigguycarryiripods?Whydon’tweaskhimtojoinushereandhaveadrink?”Everyonewasstruckdumbbyherartlessquestion.

    “Hewenthome”repliedYokohurriedly,tryingtoheadofffurtherquestions.“Helivesfarawayoverthere”shetinued,pointingtothedenseforestsoher