} 'Twas a long sad tale that one, Supplicant. Ok, are you all tucked in?
} I'll read you a story...
}
} /\/\any years ago when the world was a happier place, there lived
} Princess Cindarella, a beautiful and virtuous young woman with shining
} gold tresses and a pleasant disposition.
}
} At first after marrying the Prince and leaving her Sugly Isters behind,
} she was the happiest Princess in the whole kingdom. The sun was
} shining, the birds were twittering in the trees, and all was at peace
} with Cindarellas world.
} She couldn't have been happier. No longer did she have the scrub the
} floors, clean the fireplace, darn the socks, fix the dresses, and do
} all those nasty things her evil step-mother had her do. Cindarella was
} free to roam around her beautiful crystal palace, and didn't have to do
} anything. Anything at all. Ever. Not a thing.
}
} At first it was marvellous, but as the years grew on, Cindarella
} became tired of her effortless existence. Occasionally she'd try to do
} a little work around the castle, but Prince Charming would stop her
} straight away, because he didn't want his princess to have to work for
} anything ever again. He knew the horror and torment she had endured as
} a young woman, and thought he was doing the right thing by telling her
} to put her feet up.
}
} Cindarella became more and more frustrated. There was nothing she
} could do to help - the servants were under strict orders not to let
} Cindarella participate in their day-to-day chores. "Oh, what to do,"
} she would sigh.
}
} Inspiration hit one lovely summer's day. A marching band passed
} through the nearby town. Cindarella loved the joyous tones,
} particularly those of the piccolo. She was sure she could feel her
} slippers tingling with delight. Later in the day she summoned one of
} the palace servants to fetch the piccolo player from the band. She
} decided to learn to play this shrill, bright instrument. "Prince
} Charming will simply _adore_ it, " she gleefully thought.
}
} Twice a week she walked the short distance to the Piccolo players
} house, and many months later she had become quite a proficient player.
} Tonight was the night, she decided, when her skill and talent would
} finally be revealed to her husband, who never suspected a thing all
} this time.
}
} A big dinner party was announced. Dignitaries and Nobles from all
} around the land came to dine at the crystal palace of Prince Charming
} and Princess Cindarella. They wined and dined on the most sumptuous
} foods, and a jolly good time was had by all. Especially Cindarella,
} growing ever more excited by the minute as she prepared for her first
} solo piccolo recital.
}
} Ching ching ching! The rap of a spoon on a crystal goblet quickly
} hushed the babbling guests; they all turned their attention to the
} now-radiant Cindarella. "Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished guests
} and ambassadors. I take great pleasure in announcing that tonight
} marks a very important event. If you will be so kind as to listen, I
} shall be performing a solo piece on my piccolo, that I have been
} learning for some time." After a moment's mystified silence from Prince
} Charming the dining hall erupted into thunderous applause as Cinderalla
} glided over to her husband, the picollo shaking in her hands as she
} prepared to play....
}
} The first note rang out. Perfect, clear as a summers day, loud,
} confident, beautiful. The entire audience was in paroxysms of pure
} ecstasy.
}
} Then, she played the second note.
}
} It was ever so _slightly_ sharp. It appeared that there had been a
} little too much wine and excitement in the Princesses evening. Her
} slippers started to tingle, resonating to the note that she played.
} She wobbled unsteadily, the glass slippers seemed to be giving way from
} beneath her. Looking down, she noticed that they had completely
} disintegrated! Just one wrong note caused her beautiful slippers to
} fragment leaving her standing on nothing but a pile of glass dust.
}
} But still the note echoed around the dining hall, seemingly gaining
} more strength as it bounced off the crystal palace walls. Suddenly,
} there was an almighty CRASH!, as one of the beautiful windows collapsed
} in upon itself. This was followed shortly after by great cracks
} appearing in the crystal palace walls. This single note was echoing
} throughout the entire palace, causing everything to come crashing down
} around their very ears. Not one piece of the crystal palace was left
} intact. Within thirty seconds, all that was left were the Prince, the
} Princess, and the guests, sitting where the once was a cystal table,
} now all reduced to dust.
}
} A _very_ long minute passed in silence. Prince Charming was the
} first to speak. "Cinderella, my dear, People living in glass slippers
} shouldn't blow tones....."
}
} You owe the Oracle some piccolo-proof double glazing.
|