awhowasstandingnearby.

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidDeannaaocarryoutherorders.TurningtoWhiteFairythequeensaid,

    21

    “CarryoutKingDimitri’sordersahepeopletoyoursecretsanctuarydeepinthedensemountains.HavethemsetuptentthereandawaitfornewsfromKingDimitri.Becautiousaive.Doheenemyhaveaclueastowherethepeoplearehiding.”WhiteFairynoddedandalsolefttheGreatHall.ItwasfortuthenativesinKingDimitri’sKingdomofDreamshadalwayslivedanomadlife,huntingandfishing,soevacuationwaseasilyaplished.Theypulleduptheirtents,foldedthemandstoredthemintheirhorsecartoretherwiththeirfoodandfarmingandhuntinginstruments.Then,drivingtheircarts,theywerereadytomove.Injustonesinglenight,theyalldisappeared,leavingnotraceoftheirdestinationontheway.

    Atthiscriticaljuncture,whenbattlecouldbreakoutatanytime,themostcarefreeandleisurelypersoninthewholeKingdomwasMr.Finger.Livingirawhutbytheke,heroamedaroundatwill.Goodfoodanddrinkwerebroughttohimeverydayandhehadnoworriesofanykind.Butthepeacefullifeturnedbafterawhileandhelongedforhisbeautifulwife,Vio,wwhenshewouldbeingback.

    “Ithinksheisafraidofbeingdiscoveredbythatbig,bckbirdMedusa”hethought.“OnedayIwilltakemybowandarrowandkillher!”Thenherememberedthatatparting,ViohadaskedhimtothinkofwaystohelpaveherbystealingKingDimitri’smagicswordandmagicbowandarrow.”Ihaverackedmybrainsallthistime,butotthinkofanywaytodothat.HowIfaceVioagainwithoutaplishingwhatsheaskedmetodo?”Justthen,shoutsofpeopleandneighingofhorseswereheardfromGiantMountainacrosstheke.ThatwasMedusa,overseeiroopsbuildingupdefeifications.Itwassu.Mr.Fingerwashungryandthirsty,wwhyDornahadnoteyettodeliverhisfoodanddrinks,whenhesawabckspotflyingover.HekwasnaughtygirlDornaingthimhissustenance.Heimmediatelycameoutfromthepatchofflowersandwavedfranticallyather.Onseeinghim,Dornaflewdownandstoppednearby.ShegotoffherflyingbroomandhandedoverapaperbagtoMr.Finger,saying

    “Hereyouare.That’syourmealfortheday.Enjoy.”Thelittlemansaidnowordofthanks.Handsonhip,hesaidarrogantly,

    “Whyareyousotetoday?Iamfamishedyouknow.hatagain!”

    “TheonlythingyouknowiseatinganddrinkiedDornasarcastically,alsoputtingherhandsonherhips.“EveryoheKingdomisbusypreparingforbattlewiththebarbariantribes.tyourselfasluckythatIstillbringyouyourfoodanddrink.Butnotonlyareyounotgratefulforourtakingsuchgoodcareofyou,butyoudaretose?SeeifIwillbringyouanymorefoodtomorrow!”

    “Whatdoyourbattleshavetodowithme?Youmusttimefoodanddrink.”Sayingso,hetookoutthefoodfromthepaperbag.Itwassteak,roastdudlettucesad,presentedondelicateptes.Ofcoursetherewasabottleofliquor.

    “Wherethereisbattle,therewillbebloodshed.Aren’tyouatalledabouttheKingdom?KingDimitriisreallyunfortuohavehadyouasafriend.”

    “OfcourseIknowtherewillbedeadandwoundedinbattle”saidMr.Finger,whileeatinganddrinking,“Butwhathasthattodowithme?Evenifyoualldie,it’snoneofmybusiness.Ionlyneedfoodanddrink.”

    “IfIwereKingDimitri,IwouldhavedrivenyoufromtheKingdomlongago.IwouldnevergiveyouthisVIPtreatmentandoodfoodanddrinkeveryday.”

    21

    “Idon’twanttostayhere.

awhowasstandingnearby.

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidDeannaaocarryoutherorders.TurningtoWhiteFairythequeensaid,

    21

    “CarryoutKingDimitri’sordersahepeopletoyoursecretsanctuarydeepinthedensemountains.HavethemsetuptentthereandawaitfornewsfromKingDimitri.Becautiousaive.Doheenemyhaveaclueastowherethepeoplearehiding.”WhiteFairynoddedandalsolefttheGreatHall.ItwasfortuthenativesinKingDimitri’sKingdomofDreamshadalwayslivedanomadlife,huntingandfishing,soevacuationwaseasilyaplished.Theypulleduptheirtents,foldedthemandstoredthemintheirhorsecartoretherwiththeirfoodandfarmingandhuntinginstruments.Then,drivingtheircarts,theywerereadytomove.Injustonesinglenight,theyalldisappeared,leavingnotraceoftheirdestinationontheway.

    Atthiscriticaljuncture,whenbattlecouldbreakoutatanytime,themostcarefreeandleisurelypersoninthewholeKingdomwasMr.Finger.Livingirawhutbytheke,heroamedaroundatwill.Goodfoodanddrinkwerebroughttohimeverydayandhehadnoworriesofanykind.Butthepeacefullifeturnedbafterawhileandhelongedforhisbeautifulwife,Vio,wwhenshewouldbeingback.

    “Ithinksheisafraidofbeingdiscoveredbythatbig,bckbirdMedusa”hethought.“OnedayIwilltakemybowandarrowandkillher!”Thenherememberedthatatparting,ViohadaskedhimtothinkofwaystohelpaveherbystealingKingDimitri’smagicswordandmagicbowandarrow.”Ihaverackedmybrainsallthistime,butotthinkofanywaytodothat.HowIfaceVioagainwithoutaplishingwhatsheaskedmetodo?”Justthen,shoutsofpeopleandneighingofhorseswereheardfromGiantMountainacrosstheke.ThatwasMedusa,overseeiroopsbuildingupdefeifications.Itwassu.Mr.Fingerwashungryandthirsty,wwhyDornahadnoteyettodeliverhisfoodanddrinks,whenhesawabckspotflyingover.HekwasnaughtygirlDornaingthimhissustenance.Heimmediatelycameoutfromthepatchofflowersandwavedfranticallyather.Onseeinghim,Dornaflewdownandstoppednearby.ShegotoffherflyingbroomandhandedoverapaperbagtoMr.Finger,saying

    “Hereyouare.That’syourmealfortheday.Enjoy.”Thelittlemansaidnowordofthanks.Handsonhip,hesaidarrogantly,

    “Whyareyousotetoday?Iamfamishedyouknow.hatagain!”

    “TheonlythingyouknowiseatinganddrinkiedDornasarcastically,alsoputtingherhandsonherhips.“EveryoheKingdomisbusypreparingforbattlewiththebarbariantribes.tyourselfasluckythatIstillbringyouyourfoodanddrink.Butnotonlyareyounotgratefulforourtakingsuchgoodcareofyou,butyoudaretose?SeeifIwillbringyouanymorefoodtomorrow!”

    “Whatdoyourbattleshavetodowithme?Youmusttimefoodanddrink.”Sayingso,hetookoutthefoodfromthepaperbag.Itwassteak,roastdudlettucesad,presentedondelicateptes.Ofcoursetherewasabottleofliquor.

    “Wherethereisbattle,therewillbebloodshed.Aren’tyouatalledabouttheKingdom?KingDimitriisreallyunfortuohavehadyouasafriend.”

    “OfcourseIknowtherewillbedeadandwoundedinbattle”saidMr.Finger,whileeatinganddrinking,“Butwhathasthattodowithme?Evenifyoualldie,it’snoneofmybusiness.Ionlyneedfoodanddrink.”

    “IfIwereKingDimitri,IwouldhavedrivenyoufromtheKingdomlongago.IwouldnevergiveyouthisVIPtreatmentandoodfoodanddrinkeveryday.”

    21

    “Idon’twanttostayhere.