ietbeautyoffewwordswholovedtodoneedlework.Hisstomachrumbledjustthenalemanhadasuddeninspirationastohoeasehishuakingthesmallestneedleinthebag,hesmashedatitwitharotilitbentandtookontheshapeofahook.Hethreadedtheeyeoftheneedlewithsomesilkthreadandtiedadeadknot.Thenwadingintoshallowwater,hemaocatunnamediwhichhepiercedwithhishookedouseaslivebaitanddecidedtotryhisluckatfishing.Hetimisticbecausethepreviouslydeadkeseemedtohaverevivedashehadcaughtglimpsesoffishandshrimpsswimmingaroundjustnowwhenhewadedintoit.Thebluewatersofthekewereoncemoreingtolife.Hethrewhisbaitfaroutintothewaterhopingtobeluoughtocatallfishorshrimpforbreakfast.Hesatidlybythebankoftheketowaitfortheoute.Boredbynotreceivinganynibble,hebeganpullingathismake-shiftfishingrodandsawhisthreadsinkdownasifthehookhadcaughtohing.Greatlyexhirated,hepulledhisthreadinchbyinchbacktowardsndbutbegantohavedoubtswhehreadthoughheavyshowednosignle.Surelyalivefishorshrimphoweversmallwouldputupastrugglewhencaughtandhewouldfeelthetensionohread.Hefeltnothing.Whenthefishhookfinallyemergedfromthewater,Mr.Fingerwasgreatlydisappointed.Hehadcaughtadeadfishwithitswhitebellyturnedupwards.Justthenheheardabarelyaudiblecryforhelp.“Helpme!Helpme!Dome!Please,Ibegofyou.”Mr.Fingerexaminedhiscatchmorecarefullyandsawthatatinyfigurewasgingdesperatelytothetailofthedeadfish.Hisheartfeltasifpunchedbyaheavyobjedhethoughtthatinthiswide,wideworld,therecouldneverbeatlewomanthesamesizeashe.Thismustbehisbelovedwife,Vio.Butwhatwasshedoingfloatingier,gingtothetailofadeadfish?Therewasnotimeforsper.Fingerusedallthestrengthofhislittlebodyandfinallysucceededinpullingthedeadfishtoshore.HepriedopenVio’sicycoldhandswhichwasstillgraspingthefishwithadeathlikegrip.Shehadbeeninthecoldwaterfortoolongandhadlostsomuchbodyheatastobealmostonthepointofdeath.

    Mr.Fingerpcedhisbelovedlittlewifeobed.Evenhehimselfdidnotknowwherehefourengthtocarryherfromthebankoftheketothetreeholeandthenclimbupthestairsireewithheronhisback.HefeltpletelyexhaustedbuttherewasnotimeforrestasVio,beingseriouslyhypothermieededimmediatehelp.Hesuddenlyrememberedthatthereshouldbesomeofthewinewhiadebeforeleftihentainersintheeroftheroomandimmediatelywenttogetthehehesametotherestofherbodyincludingherhandsa.SoonVio’sbloodlesstenaoshowsomecnallythatshehadpassedthedangerzoshewasstillveryweak.WhenVioopenedhereyesandsawMr.Fiirelesslymassagingherwholebody,tearsofgratitudefloweddownhercheeksandshemurmured,

    “IamsogdIdidnotkillyouthatdayoryouwouldnotbeheretodaytosaveme.Weweresuchalovingandwell-suitedcouple.Idon’tknowwhythingsgedandwebecameapairoffieremiesbentonkillingeachother.Well,allthatisnowoveranddoh.Wearetogetheragaiiopart.”Mr.FingersawthatViowasstillveryokehaltinglyasifshortofbreath,sohestoppedhersaying,

    4

    “Youshouldrestnowandtrytosleep.Everythingwaittilltomorrowwhenyouhavegainedyourstrengthater.”Hetheoutsidetocolleearofflowersandotherwildfruitahemtoher.ThengViotightlytohischest,hetriedtowarmherstillcoldbodywithhisownbodyheat.Thetwolittlepeopleycspedtogetheronthebedandsoo

ietbeautyoffewwordswholovedtodoneedlework.Hisstomachrumbledjustthenalemanhadasuddeninspirationastohoeasehishuakingthesmallestneedleinthebag,hesmashedatitwitharotilitbentandtookontheshapeofahook.Hethreadedtheeyeoftheneedlewithsomesilkthreadandtiedadeadknot.Thenwadingintoshallowwater,hemaocatunnamediwhichhepiercedwithhishookedouseaslivebaitanddecidedtotryhisluckatfishing.Hetimisticbecausethepreviouslydeadkeseemedtohaverevivedashehadcaughtglimpsesoffishandshrimpsswimmingaroundjustnowwhenhewadedintoit.Thebluewatersofthekewereoncemoreingtolife.Hethrewhisbaitfaroutintothewaterhopingtobeluoughtocatallfishorshrimpforbreakfast.Hesatidlybythebankoftheketowaitfortheoute.Boredbynotreceivinganynibble,hebeganpullingathismake-shiftfishingrodandsawhisthreadsinkdownasifthehookhadcaughtohing.Greatlyexhirated,hepulledhisthreadinchbyinchbacktowardsndbutbegantohavedoubtswhehreadthoughheavyshowednosignle.Surelyalivefishorshrimphoweversmallwouldputupastrugglewhencaughtandhewouldfeelthetensionohread.Hefeltnothing.Whenthefishhookfinallyemergedfromthewater,Mr.Fingerwasgreatlydisappointed.Hehadcaughtadeadfishwithitswhitebellyturnedupwards.Justthenheheardabarelyaudiblecryforhelp.“Helpme!Helpme!Dome!Please,Ibegofyou.”Mr.Fingerexaminedhiscatchmorecarefullyandsawthatatinyfigurewasgingdesperatelytothetailofthedeadfish.Hisheartfeltasifpunchedbyaheavyobjedhethoughtthatinthiswide,wideworld,therecouldneverbeatlewomanthesamesizeashe.Thismustbehisbelovedwife,Vio.Butwhatwasshedoingfloatingier,gingtothetailofadeadfish?Therewasnotimeforsper.Fingerusedallthestrengthofhislittlebodyandfinallysucceededinpullingthedeadfishtoshore.HepriedopenVio’sicycoldhandswhichwasstillgraspingthefishwithadeathlikegrip.Shehadbeeninthecoldwaterfortoolongandhadlostsomuchbodyheatastobealmostonthepointofdeath.

    Mr.Fingerpcedhisbelovedlittlewifeobed.Evenhehimselfdidnotknowwherehefourengthtocarryherfromthebankoftheketothetreeholeandthenclimbupthestairsireewithheronhisback.HefeltpletelyexhaustedbuttherewasnotimeforrestasVio,beingseriouslyhypothermieededimmediatehelp.Hesuddenlyrememberedthatthereshouldbesomeofthewinewhiadebeforeleftihentainersintheeroftheroomandimmediatelywenttogetthehehesametotherestofherbodyincludingherhandsa.SoonVio’sbloodlesstenaoshowsomecnallythatshehadpassedthedangerzoshewasstillveryweak.WhenVioopenedhereyesandsawMr.Fiirelesslymassagingherwholebody,tearsofgratitudefloweddownhercheeksandshemurmured,

    “IamsogdIdidnotkillyouthatdayoryouwouldnotbeheretodaytosaveme.Weweresuchalovingandwell-suitedcouple.Idon’tknowwhythingsgedandwebecameapairoffieremiesbentonkillingeachother.Well,allthatisnowoveranddoh.Wearetogetheragaiiopart.”Mr.FingersawthatViowasstillveryokehaltinglyasifshortofbreath,sohestoppedhersaying,

    4

    “Youshouldrestnowandtrytosleep.Everythingwaittilltomorrowwhenyouhavegainedyourstrengthater.”Hetheoutsidetocolleearofflowersandotherwildfruitahemtoher.ThengViotightlytohischest,hetriedtowarmherstillcoldbodywithhisownbodyheat.Thetwolittlepeopleycspedtogetheronthebedandsoo