A Change is as Good as a Rest

And I need a rest from cables. Let's go back and talk about the Bedtime Story, a.k.a. The Pillow of Sei Shonagon from Knitalong. There has been head-scratching over my choice of text, displeasure for leaving you with a cliff hanger, puzzlement over why that particular part of the story.

Well, for one thing, I like the middles of things better than the ends. For another, it includes most of the characters, even the ones I tend to forget about, like Hark. For a third, it lays out the main conflict and the nature of the hero's quest. Finally (imagine evil laugh here), maybe I want you to read the book. It's only about 100 pages, it wouldn't take much away from your knitting time. The upshot is, I've decided not to change it.

Will it help if I tell you that the Duke gets eaten by the Todal (which is a "blob of glup;" when it comes into a room there is "a smell like old unopened rooms and the sound of rabbits screaming?") That one of the characters is the Golux in disguise ("the only Golux in the world and not a mere Device")? That the Duke is wrong and there is a way to get 1000 jewels within nine and ninety hours (it has to do with Hagga and what she weeps, although everyone is pretty sure that "Hagga weeps no more.")? That Princess Saralinda, who is "warm in every wind and weather," can unfreeze the clocks? Would you be surprised to find that the Duke is not Saralinda's uncle? Would knowing all that satisfy you?

Hmm. Somewhat, but not enough?

I guess I'll just have to knit a back so I can tell the end of the story.