adamnaboutthemysteriousdudeyoutalkedaboutbutIwantthesefemales.”

    “Heyboss,you’llgetbothmoneyandfemales,Iamsureofit.Justdon’tfetuswhenyoudo.Youhavethesteakbutwe’llgettognawsomebones,right?”Theothermenalsobegantocmorandshoutnottobefotteivity,whowashidingintheair,hadlongzoomedinonthisgroupofmobsters.Hethought,

    13

    “Thisishumawork,lookingtotakeforoneselfwhatbelongstoothers.Letmeteachthesefellowsalessooadswhoarehankeringforatasteofaswan.”

    WhenImaginationsawtwobeautifulnymphsdriftingdownfromtheskies,theirclothingflutteringinthebreeze,sheimmediatelyjumpedupexcitedlytogivethemawarmembrace.ThemotionlessformofDimitrilyingsoundasleepinthemidstoftherosescaughttheeyesofClementineandCharmaine,whosighedandsaid,

    “FatherZeushasbeensendingoutscoutstoloDimitriinthefourersoftheearth,notknowingheissoundasleeprighthereintherosegarden.HoyFatherZeuswouldbetohearthis!“

    “Let’sallowKingDimitritosleeponuninterrupted”suggestedImagination“ametointroducetoyoutoafriend.”ShewavedtoCharinasignalioeahetwonymphs.Charinawalkedoversmiling.ShefirstembracedClementineaasifherarmsweregemptyair.ThensheembracedCharmaineandagaiasifshewashuggingavacuousvoid.SuddenlysherememberedDimitritellingheraboutthe24beautiesinhisKingdomofDreams,howtwoofthemwerenymphswithimagebutnosubstahatistosaytheyhadnofleshbodies.ShecludedthatthenymphsbeforehermustbethetwoDimitrihadmentionedanduoodwhyImaginationwantedhertomeetthem.LittledogMaureenyatthefeetofitsmistress,lookingupatthetwonymphswhohadflowndownfromtheskies.ClementineandCharmainereacheddownandsoftlypatteditsheadandteasedhimsaying,“Ah,littledog,lovelylittledog.Ibetyouarethecleverestdoginthewholeans.”

    “eon,everyo’ssitdownandtalkinsteadofstandingonceremony”saidImagination.“KingDimitrihadalittletoomuchtodrinktonight,soIthinkweshouldlethimsleepitoff.”Sayingso,thefourbeautiessatdownonthewoole.Havingnofleshbodies,ClementineandCharmaineneedednofoodordrink.Imaginatiohesisterswell,havingoftealotoftimewiththemintheKingdomofDreams,talkingandughing.Ah!Thosehappy,carefreedayswereliketheflowingwater,goneforever,oreturn.“Howhaveyoutwobeendoingthesedays?”tinuedImagination.“What’sbeenkeepingyoubusy?Ohyes,youjustmentiohatKingZeushassentscoutsoutlookingfDimitri.Doyouknowwhatyourheavenlyfatherwantswithhim?”

    “Actually,there’snothingurgent”answeredClementine.“YouknowhowFatherZeusis.Helikesthingsaroundhimtobelivelyandbustlingwithactivityandhatesitwhenit’squietandstillwithnothingmuchgoingolyhewasinagoodmoodandtherewasnotmuthehorizon,sohedecidedtogiveamagnifitba,invitingallthegodsonOlympusandthekingsofvariouskingdomstojoin.OfcourseKingDimitri,beingoneofhisfavoritepeople,wasanhuests.FatherZeussentpeopleoutwiththeinvitation,andwasfrustratedwhentheycouldn’tfindhimahat’sall.Also,KingZeussuddenlyrememberedthewonderfulwinehewasonceofferedattheKingdomofDreams.Itwasmadefromthearofahundredflowersandtastedjustoutofthisworld,impossibletodescribewithwords.Justthethoughtofthiswinewouldmakehimdroolwithenvy,sohesewoofustotheKingdomofDreamstolearnhowto

adamnaboutthemysteriousdudeyoutalkedaboutbutIwantthesefemales.”

    “Heyboss,you’llgetbothmoneyandfemales,Iamsureofit.Justdon’tfetuswhenyoudo.Youhavethesteakbutwe’llgettognawsomebones,right?”Theothermenalsobegantocmorandshoutnottobefotteivity,whowashidingintheair,hadlongzoomedinonthisgroupofmobsters.Hethought,

    13

    “Thisishumawork,lookingtotakeforoneselfwhatbelongstoothers.Letmeteachthesefellowsalessooadswhoarehankeringforatasteofaswan.”

    WhenImaginationsawtwobeautifulnymphsdriftingdownfromtheskies,theirclothingflutteringinthebreeze,sheimmediatelyjumpedupexcitedlytogivethemawarmembrace.ThemotionlessformofDimitrilyingsoundasleepinthemidstoftherosescaughttheeyesofClementineandCharmaine,whosighedandsaid,

    “FatherZeushasbeensendingoutscoutstoloDimitriinthefourersoftheearth,notknowingheissoundasleeprighthereintherosegarden.HoyFatherZeuswouldbetohearthis!“

    “Let’sallowKingDimitritosleeponuninterrupted”suggestedImagination“ametointroducetoyoutoafriend.”ShewavedtoCharinasignalioeahetwonymphs.Charinawalkedoversmiling.ShefirstembracedClementineaasifherarmsweregemptyair.ThensheembracedCharmaineandagaiasifshewashuggingavacuousvoid.SuddenlysherememberedDimitritellingheraboutthe24beautiesinhisKingdomofDreams,howtwoofthemwerenymphswithimagebutnosubstahatistosaytheyhadnofleshbodies.ShecludedthatthenymphsbeforehermustbethetwoDimitrihadmentionedanduoodwhyImaginationwantedhertomeetthem.LittledogMaureenyatthefeetofitsmistress,lookingupatthetwonymphswhohadflowndownfromtheskies.ClementineandCharmainereacheddownandsoftlypatteditsheadandteasedhimsaying,“Ah,littledog,lovelylittledog.Ibetyouarethecleverestdoginthewholeans.”

    “eon,everyo’ssitdownandtalkinsteadofstandingonceremony”saidImagination.“KingDimitrihadalittletoomuchtodrinktonight,soIthinkweshouldlethimsleepitoff.”Sayingso,thefourbeautiessatdownonthewoole.Havingnofleshbodies,ClementineandCharmaineneedednofoodordrink.Imaginatiohesisterswell,havingoftealotoftimewiththemintheKingdomofDreams,talkingandughing.Ah!Thosehappy,carefreedayswereliketheflowingwater,goneforever,oreturn.“Howhaveyoutwobeendoingthesedays?”tinuedImagination.“What’sbeenkeepingyoubusy?Ohyes,youjustmentiohatKingZeushassentscoutsoutlookingfDimitri.Doyouknowwhatyourheavenlyfatherwantswithhim?”

    “Actually,there’snothingurgent”answeredClementine.“YouknowhowFatherZeusis.Helikesthingsaroundhimtobelivelyandbustlingwithactivityandhatesitwhenit’squietandstillwithnothingmuchgoingolyhewasinagoodmoodandtherewasnotmuthehorizon,sohedecidedtogiveamagnifitba,invitingallthegodsonOlympusandthekingsofvariouskingdomstojoin.OfcourseKingDimitri,beingoneofhisfavoritepeople,wasanhuests.FatherZeussentpeopleoutwiththeinvitation,andwasfrustratedwhentheycouldn’tfindhimahat’sall.Also,KingZeussuddenlyrememberedthewonderfulwinehewasonceofferedattheKingdomofDreams.Itwasmadefromthearofahundredflowersandtastedjustoutofthisworld,impossibletodescribewithwords.Justthethoughtofthiswinewouldmakehimdroolwithenvy,sohesewoofustotheKingdomofDreamstolearnhowto