tothestrawhutandgedintohumanforusandNatalieshriekedinjoyandsurpriseahreeofthemcametogetherinatightembrace.Theyhadbeenpanionscloserthansistersaedtobereunitedagainafteralongseparation.Lotuswasmovedtohappytearsanditwasawhilebeforetheycalmeddownandseparated.

    “OhWhiteFairy,wehaven’tseenyouforsuchalongtime.You’timaginehowwehavemissedyou!”saidNatalie.“Howeyouareheretoday?”WhiteFairybedhertussledlonghairwithherfiookadeepbreathandreplied,

    “IfirstwenttothebackyardofDream-maker’sBakery.ThenItriedthewomen’sdormdoor,butfouhemptyandabandoned.Iflewaroundtheareatryingtofindsomeclueastoyourwhereabouts,butcouldnotfindany.JustamomentagoIflewoverthisgardenandwasattractedbythestrawhut.ThenIlookedcloserandsawtwofiguresuhatlookedfamiliarsoIdecidedtoflydowna’sgoingon…YoujustaskedwhyIamheretoday,right?MedusaseofindKingDimitritoreportsomegoodohim.ButIlookedeverywhereandcouldfindnotraanywhere.DoyouhaveanyinformationIcoulduse?ButIamsureyouareintactwithQueenAisha.IthinkitwouldbethesameifIreportedthegoodoher.”EventhenormallysilentLotuswasmovedtowordsandsaid,

    “Lookatyou!Youareperspiringallover!What’sthegoodhatyouareinsuchahurrytoreport?Tellusausbehappytoo.”

    “Yes,”promptedNatalieexcitedly.“Tellus!Tellus!Don’tkeepusinsuspense!”

    17

    “It’sgreatnews!”saidtheWhiteFairy.“KingZeusactuallygrantedourrequestteupthemagnifitgoldpathebottomofthekeaitsoldsiteonGiantMountain.Thegoldpaagaihelightofdayandsparklebrightandshinyuhesun.Isn’tthatgreatnews?”

    “Really?”excimedNatalie.“ThatKingZeuswassojealousofourpuregoldpacethatsparkledandshhteruhesunthanhisbronzeoheSeventhHeaven,thatheorderedKingDimitritodestroythepace.KingDimitrifirstmobilizedhiswholeKingdomtocoatthepairontocoveritsbrilliahenhadtoresorttoahurrieandtsunamitotopplethegoldpacetothebottomofourSunMoonLake.IheardthatKingDimitrialmostlosthislifeinthatendeavor.WhyhasKingZeusgedhismindandisallowingthegoldpacetedupahelightofdayagain?”

    “Right,“saidLotus.“Isn’tthattreatingallthisasajoke?Likechildrenpyinghouse?Whatreallyhappened?”

    “Yes,itis”sighedWhiteFairy.“TomakethislongstoryshortI’lltrytosummarizeitinafewwords.Retly,KingZeusbecameaddictedtothewineImakeoutofahundredflowers,soheoftensummoheSeventhHeaventomakeitforhim.Igottiredofmakingthoselongtrips,soIsuggestedteaghistwindaughtersCharmaineaiobrewthewinesohecouldenjoyitwheneverhewao.Heytoagreeandthatofcourseletmeoffthehookforever,asowoofthemknewhowtobrewthewineIwouldneverhavetogobackthereagaiernoonwhilethethreeofuswererestiweentheworkofwine-making,wesomehowgottotalkingaboutthegoldpace.Isaidthatthegoldpacewassomagnifitandwastheculminationofthousandsofyearsofhumancivilizationandteologyandalsomehatitwassuchawastetoletitsinktothebottomoftheke.CharmaineagreedandsaidthatitwasshewhofalsifiedFatherZeus’andandorderedcelestiartistsandwodowhandfinishbuildingthegoldpacewithinonenight.Shealsothoughtitawastetoletthegoldpaceremainierforever.ThetwosistersdecidedtheywouldtalktheirheavenlyfatherZeusintoresdinghisandahegoldpaceresurfaceagain.Atfirsttheydidnotsuccee

tothestrawhutandgedintohumanforusandNatalieshriekedinjoyandsurpriseahreeofthemcametogetherinatightembrace.Theyhadbeenpanionscloserthansistersaedtobereunitedagainafteralongseparation.Lotuswasmovedtohappytearsanditwasawhilebeforetheycalmeddownandseparated.

    “OhWhiteFairy,wehaven’tseenyouforsuchalongtime.You’timaginehowwehavemissedyou!”saidNatalie.“Howeyouareheretoday?”WhiteFairybedhertussledlonghairwithherfiookadeepbreathandreplied,

    “IfirstwenttothebackyardofDream-maker’sBakery.ThenItriedthewomen’sdormdoor,butfouhemptyandabandoned.Iflewaroundtheareatryingtofindsomeclueastoyourwhereabouts,butcouldnotfindany.JustamomentagoIflewoverthisgardenandwasattractedbythestrawhut.ThenIlookedcloserandsawtwofiguresuhatlookedfamiliarsoIdecidedtoflydowna’sgoingon…YoujustaskedwhyIamheretoday,right?MedusaseofindKingDimitritoreportsomegoodohim.ButIlookedeverywhereandcouldfindnotraanywhere.DoyouhaveanyinformationIcoulduse?ButIamsureyouareintactwithQueenAisha.IthinkitwouldbethesameifIreportedthegoodoher.”EventhenormallysilentLotuswasmovedtowordsandsaid,

    “Lookatyou!Youareperspiringallover!What’sthegoodhatyouareinsuchahurrytoreport?Tellusausbehappytoo.”

    “Yes,”promptedNatalieexcitedly.“Tellus!Tellus!Don’tkeepusinsuspense!”

    17

    “It’sgreatnews!”saidtheWhiteFairy.“KingZeusactuallygrantedourrequestteupthemagnifitgoldpathebottomofthekeaitsoldsiteonGiantMountain.Thegoldpaagaihelightofdayandsparklebrightandshinyuhesun.Isn’tthatgreatnews?”

    “Really?”excimedNatalie.“ThatKingZeuswassojealousofourpuregoldpacethatsparkledandshhteruhesunthanhisbronzeoheSeventhHeaven,thatheorderedKingDimitritodestroythepace.KingDimitrifirstmobilizedhiswholeKingdomtocoatthepairontocoveritsbrilliahenhadtoresorttoahurrieandtsunamitotopplethegoldpacetothebottomofourSunMoonLake.IheardthatKingDimitrialmostlosthislifeinthatendeavor.WhyhasKingZeusgedhismindandisallowingthegoldpacetedupahelightofdayagain?”

    “Right,“saidLotus.“Isn’tthattreatingallthisasajoke?Likechildrenpyinghouse?Whatreallyhappened?”

    “Yes,itis”sighedWhiteFairy.“TomakethislongstoryshortI’lltrytosummarizeitinafewwords.Retly,KingZeusbecameaddictedtothewineImakeoutofahundredflowers,soheoftensummoheSeventhHeaventomakeitforhim.Igottiredofmakingthoselongtrips,soIsuggestedteaghistwindaughtersCharmaineaiobrewthewinesohecouldenjoyitwheneverhewao.Heytoagreeandthatofcourseletmeoffthehookforever,asowoofthemknewhowtobrewthewineIwouldneverhavetogobackthereagaiernoonwhilethethreeofuswererestiweentheworkofwine-making,wesomehowgottotalkingaboutthegoldpace.Isaidthatthegoldpacewassomagnifitandwastheculminationofthousandsofyearsofhumancivilizationandteologyandalsomehatitwassuchawastetoletitsinktothebottomoftheke.CharmaineagreedandsaidthatitwasshewhofalsifiedFatherZeus’andandorderedcelestiartistsandwodowhandfinishbuildingthegoldpacewithinonenight.Shealsothoughtitawastetoletthegoldpaceremainierforever.ThetwosistersdecidedtheywouldtalktheirheavenlyfatherZeusintoresdinghisandahegoldpaceresurfaceagain.Atfirsttheydidnotsuccee