fewscatteredstars.Dimflickeringpathlightsshohenarrowpathsleadingihoftherge,darkgarden.Lotus,thebeautygehefullmoon,wasdressedpinlylikeapeasantgirlincottonshirtandskirtandrubberboots.Withanumbrelinonehandandafshlightiher,shewasslowlywalkingonthenarrowpath,iingtheflowerbeds.Sometimes,shewouldwalkintothebeds,turnonherfshlightandscrutihegrowthofapntorflower,snatgawaytheoccasionalslugorsnailthatdaredtoveundercoverofdarknessaonherpreciouspnts.Shekiheflowerbudsreadytoburstintobloomwereandwhichflowerswerefaded,droopingandabouttofallontothesoil.Thoughshecouldnoteetheexaumberofflowersinthegarden,shekhatthenumberofbuddingandbloomingflowersfarexceededthefadingandwitherihewholegardenexudedanauraofthrivingandflourishinggrowth,whichgreatlyfortedher.Gentlebreezeruffledherlong,soft,bckhairasiftellingofherhappinessandsatisfa.Thusshewalkedalohsbeforethebreakofdawn,usingthefshlighttoiherbelovedflowerbedsandsoonfoundthatshehadmademorethanhalfaroundofthergegarden.Justtheomaticsprinklercameoedbythetimer,anumberofwaternozzles,sometallerthahers,raisedtheirheadsfromthesoil.Theyhadbeenstrategicallypddesigocovereveryinchofthegardenaimedtogushoutspraysofwaterasscheduled.Inthedimlight,thincrisscrossingstreamsofwatersoohegardenwithacloudofmistyarticlesthatdrenchedandinuhearea,presentinganalmostmystidfairyndworld.Lotusopenedherumbrelandturnedonherfshlighttofinishheriionoftherestofthegardenbeforetakierinastrawhutbytheedgeofthegarden.Thehumblestrawhutattheedgeofthemeticulouslymanicuredgardearustictouch,quitesimirtoLotus’homend,sosheofteoeheretorestandwhileawaythetime.Suddenlyshewasstartledtoseeafigurerunningtowardstheshedfromthemistyandwaterygarden,butseeingthatitwassomeoneslimandagile,shefigureditmustbeohebeauties,soshecalledout,

    “Who’sthere?eoverhereaoftherain”aurnedonherfshlighttoillumiheway.HearingLotus’voidseeingthelight,thefigurerushedoveranddashedintothehut.ItwasthefamousballerinaNatalie.LotuswhowasquietandserehefullmoonsmiledandhandedherhandkerchiefovertoNataliesaying,“Wipeawaythewaterfromyourface,hairandarmsoryouwouldcatchacold.”Nataliegratefullytookthehandkerchiefofferedtoheranddidasshewastold,saying,

    “ItwasafiarrynightwhenIstartedoutofthehouse.Howeitbegantorainallofasudden?”Lotuspoiowardsthegardenandsaidsmilingly,

    17

    “Lookclosely.Isthatrain?”Natalielookedatthemistynightoutsideandcouldn’thelpughing.Shestoppedwipingherfadholdihandkerchiefinherhandshelookedcarefullyattheseoutsidethestrawhut,saying,“Idon’tnormallyeouttothegardenthisearlyinthem,soIdidn’tknowthesprinklersystemesonatthistime.”

    “Sopyeventmadeyoudashoutthisearlyintothegardenthen?”askedLotus.

    “Itwasnothingspecial,really…”repliedNatalie,smilingshyly.“Ihadproblemssleepingstnight.InfactIdidn’tsleepallnightandsuddenlythoughtofWhiteFairyaherealfiguredangamidsttheflotupimpulsivelyandthoughtaboutgoingintothegardenanddanceamongtheflowerslikeshedid.Ijustdancedforalittlewhilewhenitstartedtorain.No,no…wheomaticsprinklersystemcameon…Whyareyouupsoearlyandwalkingaboutthegarden?”Lotussighedan

fewscatteredstars.Dimflickeringpathlightsshohenarrowpathsleadingihoftherge,darkgarden.Lotus,thebeautygehefullmoon,wasdressedpinlylikeapeasantgirlincottonshirtandskirtandrubberboots.Withanumbrelinonehandandafshlightiher,shewasslowlywalkingonthenarrowpath,iingtheflowerbeds.Sometimes,shewouldwalkintothebeds,turnonherfshlightandscrutihegrowthofapntorflower,snatgawaytheoccasionalslugorsnailthatdaredtoveundercoverofdarknessaonherpreciouspnts.Shekiheflowerbudsreadytoburstintobloomwereandwhichflowerswerefaded,droopingandabouttofallontothesoil.Thoughshecouldnoteetheexaumberofflowersinthegarden,shekhatthenumberofbuddingandbloomingflowersfarexceededthefadingandwitherihewholegardenexudedanauraofthrivingandflourishinggrowth,whichgreatlyfortedher.Gentlebreezeruffledherlong,soft,bckhairasiftellingofherhappinessandsatisfa.Thusshewalkedalohsbeforethebreakofdawn,usingthefshlighttoiherbelovedflowerbedsandsoonfoundthatshehadmademorethanhalfaroundofthergegarden.Justtheomaticsprinklercameoedbythetimer,anumberofwaternozzles,sometallerthahers,raisedtheirheadsfromthesoil.Theyhadbeenstrategicallypddesigocovereveryinchofthegardenaimedtogushoutspraysofwaterasscheduled.Inthedimlight,thincrisscrossingstreamsofwatersoohegardenwithacloudofmistyarticlesthatdrenchedandinuhearea,presentinganalmostmystidfairyndworld.Lotusopenedherumbrelandturnedonherfshlighttofinishheriionoftherestofthegardenbeforetakierinastrawhutbytheedgeofthegarden.Thehumblestrawhutattheedgeofthemeticulouslymanicuredgardearustictouch,quitesimirtoLotus’homend,sosheofteoeheretorestandwhileawaythetime.Suddenlyshewasstartledtoseeafigurerunningtowardstheshedfromthemistyandwaterygarden,butseeingthatitwassomeoneslimandagile,shefigureditmustbeohebeauties,soshecalledout,

    “Who’sthere?eoverhereaoftherain”aurnedonherfshlighttoillumiheway.HearingLotus’voidseeingthelight,thefigurerushedoveranddashedintothehut.ItwasthefamousballerinaNatalie.LotuswhowasquietandserehefullmoonsmiledandhandedherhandkerchiefovertoNataliesaying,“Wipeawaythewaterfromyourface,hairandarmsoryouwouldcatchacold.”Nataliegratefullytookthehandkerchiefofferedtoheranddidasshewastold,saying,

    “ItwasafiarrynightwhenIstartedoutofthehouse.Howeitbegantorainallofasudden?”Lotuspoiowardsthegardenandsaidsmilingly,

    17

    “Lookclosely.Isthatrain?”Natalielookedatthemistynightoutsideandcouldn’thelpughing.Shestoppedwipingherfadholdihandkerchiefinherhandshelookedcarefullyattheseoutsidethestrawhut,saying,“Idon’tnormallyeouttothegardenthisearlyinthem,soIdidn’tknowthesprinklersystemesonatthistime.”

    “Sopyeventmadeyoudashoutthisearlyintothegardenthen?”askedLotus.

    “Itwasnothingspecial,really…”repliedNatalie,smilingshyly.“Ihadproblemssleepingstnight.InfactIdidn’tsleepallnightandsuddenlythoughtofWhiteFairyaherealfiguredangamidsttheflotupimpulsivelyandthoughtaboutgoingintothegardenanddanceamongtheflowerslikeshedid.Ijustdancedforalittlewhilewhenitstartedtorain.No,no…wheomaticsprinklersystemcameon…Whyareyouupsoearlyandwalkingaboutthegarden?”Lotussighedan