Every day, before dinner, she and her
children carried baskets of bread and rolls and other foods from the
castle and gave them to her people. The people all loved the Princess as
much as she loved them.'
***
The Little Old Man slowly straightens and waves his cane at us. We all
stand.
'Good-bye, good-bye,' he says. 'The sun is low in the sky. It is time for
you to return to your campsites. I will see you all again another time,
and we'll all go on another voyage across stormy seas to strange lands
and strange people, and even stranger Things. Good-bye, good-bye. I
wish you well.'
The Little Old Man turns and, leaning heavily on his cane, goes into his
tiny hut and closes the door. The story of the Princess's escape from a
land of enchantment has ended.
***
We hike back to our campsite. It is late evening when we arrive. We
have a quick supper and slip into our sleeping bags.
'This was really a good vacation,' I say to Suzanne. 'Tomorrow morning
we'll sail back to our home at Three Palms. I'm glad we're going home,
because next week we start school.
Suzanne is sound asleep.
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