orizontallyontheground.Daywasnowbeginningtobreak,buttherewasneshapevisibleacrosstheke.Whatsurprisedhimwasthesoundofrushingwaterwhichhehadneverheardbefore.Hereturohissoftandfortablebed,determioexploreeverythingmorefullywhenitwasbrighter.Lyingthereonthebed,hismindwasbombardedwithallkindsofthoughts.HethoughtofhisromahViososweetandtehebeginningbutwhidedabruptlysodrastically,resultinginVioaryingtokilleachother.Nowhewasback,tryingtomakeupwithhisbelovedwifeandwonderedifshewouldfivehihereforeshejustmightnottrytokillhimthistime.AtthemomentViowasholdingallthecardsaheweakandvulnerableone.Shecouldgehershapeatwillwhilehewasonlythesizeofafinger.Forher,tokillhimwasaseasyasswattingafly.Thewaytogowouldbetoappearrepentantandvulnerableandtrytogainhersympathyandpity.Ifhesucceededhewouldbeabletohaveabeautifulwifeagain.Thinkingso,Mr.Fingerwasgreatlyforted.Heturnedaroundandwassoonsoundasleep.

    Earlymthesunwasshiningaherwasmildaiful.Mr.Fingeropenedhiseyesarestedaic.Hesatupandgotoutofbed.Walkingdownthecrudestairsthathadbeensidethetreehesoonreachedthetreeholeontheground.Theserybeforehimgreatlyshockedhim.Thekewaterwasblueandcrystalclearasbeforebutthewaterlevelhadrisensiderably.Heusedtohavetowalkquiteadistaogettotheke,butnowthewaterwasonlyafewfeetfromhistree.Whatamazedhimmorewasthatthehorizontalgiantlyingontheoppositesideofthekehadfracturedintoseveralsesandnowlookedscatteredanddisorderly.Theheadwasstillclearlydisable,buthisbrokenbodyawereeitherpartiallyabovewaterorpletelysubmerged.Thesolidgoldpacesituatedatthechestofthegiantthatusedtoglitterwitheye-dazzlingbrillianderthesunlighthadpletelydisappeared,androbablyburieduheke.Mr.FingerlookedtotheleftandsawtheruinsofKingDimitri’sfnifitpacewhichhadlongbeenburnttotheground.Whereicy,crystalclearwaterflowedbetweewinPeaksintothemouthoftheke,ahugecliffhadsuddenlyrisenfromtheearth.Watercrashedagainstitandformedawaterfalbouttwentytothirtyyardswide.Mr.Fihought,“Ahyes,thesoundofwaterIheardstnightwasthatofwatercollidingagainstthecliff!ThegesMotherNaturemadeih’scrustwerereallymajestidfrightening.Nowthatthispcehadgedsodrasticallythatitisalmostbeynition,whereamItofindmylittlewife,beautifusaflower?ImayhavetoremainabachelorfortherestofmylifeforwhereelseIfindanotherwomanofmysize?”HisthoughtsturnedbacktothepastandMr.FingerdeeplyregrettedhavingtrickedDornawhichultimatelyledtothedestruofDimitri’smagnifitpadmysteriousKingdom.“IfIhadn’tdo,”hethought,“Iwouldstillbelivingtheeasylifewearingexpehesandenjoyingdeliciousfoodandmouth-wateringwine.Noweverythingisinruins.Oh!HrethavinglisteoVioandcausedallthisdestruaation!”

    Mr.Fingerlookedalroundhimandsawonlywater,watereverywhere.Hedidnotknowwheretogofromhereorwhattodo.Suddenlyhisgazewasarrestedbysomethiahweedsintheshallowwater.HewadedirieveitandreizedthatitwasalittleembroideredbagLotususedtoweararoundherwaist,andwonderedhowitcametoturnuphere.Immediatelytheimageofthegentle,endearinggirlcametomind.Heundidthebuttonofthebagandfoundasewingkittainingsomesewingneedlesandsilkthreadbelongingtothecalmandqu

orizontallyontheground.Daywasnowbeginningtobreak,buttherewasneshapevisibleacrosstheke.Whatsurprisedhimwasthesoundofrushingwaterwhichhehadneverheardbefore.Hereturohissoftandfortablebed,determioexploreeverythingmorefullywhenitwasbrighter.Lyingthereonthebed,hismindwasbombardedwithallkindsofthoughts.HethoughtofhisromahViososweetandtehebeginningbutwhidedabruptlysodrastically,resultinginVioaryingtokilleachother.Nowhewasback,tryingtomakeupwithhisbelovedwifeandwonderedifshewouldfivehihereforeshejustmightnottrytokillhimthistime.AtthemomentViowasholdingallthecardsaheweakandvulnerableone.Shecouldgehershapeatwillwhilehewasonlythesizeofafinger.Forher,tokillhimwasaseasyasswattingafly.Thewaytogowouldbetoappearrepentantandvulnerableandtrytogainhersympathyandpity.Ifhesucceededhewouldbeabletohaveabeautifulwifeagain.Thinkingso,Mr.Fingerwasgreatlyforted.Heturnedaroundandwassoonsoundasleep.

    Earlymthesunwasshiningaherwasmildaiful.Mr.Fingeropenedhiseyesarestedaic.Hesatupandgotoutofbed.Walkingdownthecrudestairsthathadbeensidethetreehesoonreachedthetreeholeontheground.Theserybeforehimgreatlyshockedhim.Thekewaterwasblueandcrystalclearasbeforebutthewaterlevelhadrisensiderably.Heusedtohavetowalkquiteadistaogettotheke,butnowthewaterwasonlyafewfeetfromhistree.Whatamazedhimmorewasthatthehorizontalgiantlyingontheoppositesideofthekehadfracturedintoseveralsesandnowlookedscatteredanddisorderly.Theheadwasstillclearlydisable,buthisbrokenbodyawereeitherpartiallyabovewaterorpletelysubmerged.Thesolidgoldpacesituatedatthechestofthegiantthatusedtoglitterwitheye-dazzlingbrillianderthesunlighthadpletelydisappeared,androbablyburieduheke.Mr.FingerlookedtotheleftandsawtheruinsofKingDimitri’sfnifitpacewhichhadlongbeenburnttotheground.Whereicy,crystalclearwaterflowedbetweewinPeaksintothemouthoftheke,ahugecliffhadsuddenlyrisenfromtheearth.Watercrashedagainstitandformedawaterfalbouttwentytothirtyyardswide.Mr.Fihought,“Ahyes,thesoundofwaterIheardstnightwasthatofwatercollidingagainstthecliff!ThegesMotherNaturemadeih’scrustwerereallymajestidfrightening.Nowthatthispcehadgedsodrasticallythatitisalmostbeynition,whereamItofindmylittlewife,beautifusaflower?ImayhavetoremainabachelorfortherestofmylifeforwhereelseIfindanotherwomanofmysize?”HisthoughtsturnedbacktothepastandMr.FingerdeeplyregrettedhavingtrickedDornawhichultimatelyledtothedestruofDimitri’smagnifitpadmysteriousKingdom.“IfIhadn’tdo,”hethought,“Iwouldstillbelivingtheeasylifewearingexpehesandenjoyingdeliciousfoodandmouth-wateringwine.Noweverythingisinruins.Oh!HrethavinglisteoVioandcausedallthisdestruaation!”

    Mr.Fingerlookedalroundhimandsawonlywater,watereverywhere.Hedidnotknowwheretogofromhereorwhattodo.Suddenlyhisgazewasarrestedbysomethiahweedsintheshallowwater.HewadedirieveitandreizedthatitwasalittleembroideredbagLotususedtoweararoundherwaist,andwonderedhowitcametoturnuphere.Immediatelytheimageofthegentle,endearinggirlcametomind.Heundidthebuttonofthebagandfoundasewingkittainingsomesewingneedlesandsilkthreadbelongingtothecalmandqu