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Spluttering, I reen water up tofar ahead in his peculiar half-flight across the marshes

“Wait!” I called, andcicadas and kingfishers in its wake

“Waiting, waiting, lady-in, gentlereat heron sang out over his ereen and blue, and I could not keep up

But as I stopped, panting, fur soaked in sweat, I saw a narled hall of tamarinds which arched up to ainst the doorpost

“How do you hunt even the s me to be stunned at the sound of my own name from this bizarre creature’s mouth

A little lunch service carved from cattails androots sat on a sentleman would be proud to call his The tamarinds had coiled around each other to make three chairs and an array of cabinets, tables, and twisting staircases that vanished into a fil over the roo I could not believe that I would fit in the little hall, but it seeed branches shifted and sighed to e on which I could rest

“They are so considerate, my tammies,” the Heron said fondly, as he dipped his beak into a srant bed with a heavy sigh,like lamp oil Only then did I notice that ere not alone

A huge creature the color of dried blood stood cale bowl of oak leaves The rear of the hall had swelled tall and wide to accoled rather horribly around themselves, and as he slurped at his tea, I could see that his teeth were not teeth at all, but a bright ridge of solid bone

“Beast! This is the one of who that he has come directly to my Marsh?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the scarlet beast replied in a hter like the fall of leaves on the water “We do so rarely get such… august guests”

“Majesty?” I asked, unsure of what idom the Heron could rule

“Of course I a This is Beast, who is a kind of courtier ofto have but one courtier, but he is quite a good one”

“How kind of

you, Eentle mockery in his voice

“Think nothing of it, ood friend! Noe must to business, for there is not much time”