ewdaysrestandcareandseemedmorebeautifundalluringthanever.ShewastellingMr.Finger,whowasreingonthepalmofherhand,thehappeningsofthestfewdays,howsheandCyclopsclimbeddoweepcliff,brokeopeesofhelndfouher;howshethenclimbedboriouslyupthecliffalobacktothegoldpadexperiehefrightehquakeandthesubsequenttsunami.Shetoldofherstrugglesiurbulentwavesandhowshebattledtoswimawayfromthewhirlpool.FinallyshetoldhimshesawKingDimitri,mouthopen,bitingonhismagicswordbetweenhisteeth,jumponhisflyinghorseandflyofftotheunknown.

    5

    “AllthismusthavebeeiculouslypnnedaedbyDimitritodestroythegoldpaceIlovewithallmyheartandannihitethenewkingdomIcreatedwiththebarbariantribes…”

    “Thatrascal!”criedMr.Finger,“Iwasreallyblindtosiderhimmyfriend.Iusedtothinkhewaslikeabrokenballbytheroadsidethatanyonecouldkickaround.HelookedlikesuchaMr.Goody-good,soeasytogetalongwiththatIneverrealizedhewassuchawickedandviciousruffian!”Mr.Fingerwasalwaysanindiscriminateman,influenlybyhisownlikesanddislikes,regardlessoftruthormorals.Hewasficklelikeagrassthatbendswhicheverwaythewindblows,alwaysagreeingwiththepersonhewasclosesttoatthemoment.AcoldandghastlysmilepassedoverVio’sfadshesaid,

    “Nomatterhowmeticulousorthhhispnswere,DimitrineverdreamedthatIwouldhavesurvivedcatastrophesofsuchmagnitudeaillive.Perhapsheneverevehatsuchapersoed.Imustdemautionfromhimformymotherandmyself.Ihavetobethankfultothefishthatdiedtosavemylife.SomehowIthinkthatfishwasaninationofthebigwhitefishthatusedtocarryusinhermouthbadforthfromtheseshores.Doyourememberthatbigwhitefish?”

    “OfcourseIdo,butstraosayIhaven’tseenherforalongtime.Haveyou?”

    “No”saidVioshakingherhead.“Ihaveher.”Vio’spremonitionswerenotwithoutfoundation.Thatbigwhitefishwasbynatureverykindandlovedtohelpthesmalndhelpless.VioneverdreamedthatthefishcouldhavebeenrapedandkilledbyCyclops.Shelookedintothedistandhereyesstoppedatthenewlyemergedwaterfall,whoseveiloffastmovingandfoamingwatertumbledintothekewithathunderingcrash.

    “Whatwasabovethewaterhassunktothebottom”shemuttered,“andwhatwasburiedatthebottomhasatstrisentothetop.Theearth’scresthasexperiencedhugegesjustasmybrainhas.Earth-shakingexperienceshavejoltedmybrainandIowrecallmemoriesofmypastlife.IhadburiedsuchahugetroveoftreasuresherethatitwassomethingIhadneverbeeet.ToretrieveitIhavereinatedtothispresentlife,hinkingIwouldhavetoghsuthinkablyharrowingtrialsofpainandhatred.

    “Treasure?Whattreasure?Whereisit?”askedMr.Fingerurgently.

    “Thetreasureistherebehierfall”answeredViopointingtothewaterfalliance.“Iburieditthereandnowithasagainemerged.Thevalueofthistreasuretrovefarsurpassesthatofthegoldpace.Iwasfortunateenoughtosurviveunthinkabledisastersandhaeprofitedfrommymisfortunesinregainingmytreasures.”Mr.Fingerlookedtowhereshepointedanduheluminousmoonlightwiththefrothyarticlesdangintheair,hesawamagnifitmulti-coloredrainbowinthenightskyspanningacrosstheke.Thesightwassogloriouslyrespleandawe-inspiringthatbothVioandMr.Fingerexcimedindelightaement.

    “Look,howbeautifulitis!”saidMr.Finger.“Ihaveseenig

ewdaysrestandcareandseemedmorebeautifundalluringthanever.ShewastellingMr.Finger,whowasreingonthepalmofherhand,thehappeningsofthestfewdays,howsheandCyclopsclimbeddoweepcliff,brokeopeesofhelndfouher;howshethenclimbedboriouslyupthecliffalobacktothegoldpadexperiehefrightehquakeandthesubsequenttsunami.Shetoldofherstrugglesiurbulentwavesandhowshebattledtoswimawayfromthewhirlpool.FinallyshetoldhimshesawKingDimitri,mouthopen,bitingonhismagicswordbetweenhisteeth,jumponhisflyinghorseandflyofftotheunknown.

    5

    “AllthismusthavebeeiculouslypnnedaedbyDimitritodestroythegoldpaceIlovewithallmyheartandannihitethenewkingdomIcreatedwiththebarbariantribes…”

    “Thatrascal!”criedMr.Finger,“Iwasreallyblindtosiderhimmyfriend.Iusedtothinkhewaslikeabrokenballbytheroadsidethatanyonecouldkickaround.HelookedlikesuchaMr.Goody-good,soeasytogetalongwiththatIneverrealizedhewassuchawickedandviciousruffian!”Mr.Fingerwasalwaysanindiscriminateman,influenlybyhisownlikesanddislikes,regardlessoftruthormorals.Hewasficklelikeagrassthatbendswhicheverwaythewindblows,alwaysagreeingwiththepersonhewasclosesttoatthemoment.AcoldandghastlysmilepassedoverVio’sfadshesaid,

    “Nomatterhowmeticulousorthhhispnswere,DimitrineverdreamedthatIwouldhavesurvivedcatastrophesofsuchmagnitudeaillive.Perhapsheneverevehatsuchapersoed.Imustdemautionfromhimformymotherandmyself.Ihavetobethankfultothefishthatdiedtosavemylife.SomehowIthinkthatfishwasaninationofthebigwhitefishthatusedtocarryusinhermouthbadforthfromtheseshores.Doyourememberthatbigwhitefish?”

    “OfcourseIdo,butstraosayIhaven’tseenherforalongtime.Haveyou?”

    “No”saidVioshakingherhead.“Ihaveher.”Vio’spremonitionswerenotwithoutfoundation.Thatbigwhitefishwasbynatureverykindandlovedtohelpthesmalndhelpless.VioneverdreamedthatthefishcouldhavebeenrapedandkilledbyCyclops.Shelookedintothedistandhereyesstoppedatthenewlyemergedwaterfall,whoseveiloffastmovingandfoamingwatertumbledintothekewithathunderingcrash.

    “Whatwasabovethewaterhassunktothebottom”shemuttered,“andwhatwasburiedatthebottomhasatstrisentothetop.Theearth’scresthasexperiencedhugegesjustasmybrainhas.Earth-shakingexperienceshavejoltedmybrainandIowrecallmemoriesofmypastlife.IhadburiedsuchahugetroveoftreasuresherethatitwassomethingIhadneverbeeet.ToretrieveitIhavereinatedtothispresentlife,hinkingIwouldhavetoghsuthinkablyharrowingtrialsofpainandhatred.

    “Treasure?Whattreasure?Whereisit?”askedMr.Fingerurgently.

    “Thetreasureistherebehierfall”answeredViopointingtothewaterfalliance.“Iburieditthereandnowithasagainemerged.Thevalueofthistreasuretrovefarsurpassesthatofthegoldpace.Iwasfortunateenoughtosurviveunthinkabledisastersandhaeprofitedfrommymisfortunesinregainingmytreasures.”Mr.Fingerlookedtowhereshepointedanduheluminousmoonlightwiththefrothyarticlesdangintheair,hesawamagnifitmulti-coloredrainbowinthenightskyspanningacrosstheke.Thesightwassogloriouslyrespleandawe-inspiringthatbothVioandMr.Fingerexcimedindelightaement.

    “Look,howbeautifulitis!”saidMr.Finger.“Ihaveseenig