The Supreme Aglet tells a Fairy Tale

Once upon a time in the land of Playton, there lived a humble ball maker named Ballio. The mesmerizing balls that Ballio could make were renowned throughout Playton, and it wasn't long before Ballio was being asked by all the villagers if he could make balls for them.

One villager named Zorphine, who was quite resourceful, saw an opportunity to extend Ballio's success and offer the most wonderous balls of all to the villagers.

"Ballio", said Zorphine, "I am one of the few people in all of Playton who can get an audience with the Great Wonder Wizard. Let me get some Wonder Dust from the Great Wonder Wizard, and we will turn your balls into Wonder Balls, and all the villagers will come to us for Wonder Balls and make us rich beyond our wildest dreams".

Ballio liked Zorphine, as they had shared many adventures together. Ballio loved the idea of making Wonder Balls from his regular balls, and the thought of being rich beyond his wildest dreams was interesting indeed. Ballio agreed to join Zorphine in his quest to make Wonder Balls.

"I will be back, you'll see!", said Zorphine. "I will talk to the Great Wonder Wizard and I will have lots of Wonder Dust to make many Wonder Balls!"

So, Zorphine went off to visit with the Great Wonder Wizard. Upon arriving at the wizard's lair, Zorphine called out, "oh Great Wonder Wizard, I come to you to ask for enough Wonder Dust to make Wonder Balls for all the villagers of Playton".

"Zorphine", replied the wizard from his perch, "if I grant you enough Wonder Dust to make Wonder Balls for all the villagers, you must promise that I will also share in the Wonder Balls, for I too want them".

"Of course, your highness", said Zorphine. "There will be Wonder Balls to fill Playton five feet high. Certainly, they will be abundant enough for all to share in their wonder".

At this, the Great Wonder Wizard waved his hands, and in front of Zorphine appeared a large bag of Wonder Dust. Zorphine threw the heavy bag over his back and started back to Playton.

But on the way, Zorphine was met by Crimino the Serpent. "Whatsssss that you have in the bag, Zzzzzorphine?", asked the sly Crimino.

"Why, it's Wonder Dust from the Great Wonder Wizard. I am taking it back to Ballio and we are going to make Wonder Balls".

Seeing an opportunity to steal the Wonder Dust, Crimino set out to persuade Zorphine that he could help them make even more Wonder Balls from the Wonder Dust. Zorphine could not resist Crimino's compelling words, and agreed to let Crimino join him.

Once they returned to Playton, Zorphine began to make his way back to Ballio's house to begin work on the Wonder Balls.

"Not sssssso fasssssst", said Crimino. "If we are going to make ssssssso many Wonder Balls, we musssssst firsssssst use the magic of the Wonder Dusssssst to make even more Wonder Dusssssst". Crimino began scooping Wonder Dust from the bag, and slowly began pouring it in the wind. The dust flowing in the wind made a most beautiful and colorful display, and Zorphine was entranced.

"Look", continued Crimino, "it is beautiful. Nothing was ever sssssso majessssstic".

At that moment, Ballio was passing by and saw Zorphine and the Wonder Dust. "Great!", exclaimed Ballio in excitement over seeing the Wonder Dust. "You got the Wonder Dust from the Great Wonder Wizard! Now we can make Wonder Balls!"

But as Zorphine continued to be occupied by each handful of dust being thrown to the wind, Crimino scooped a scoop with his other hand. "Here, take thissss", he said to Ballio. "Now go away and make your Wonder Balls. I have businessssss to transact."

Ballio took the lone scoop of Wonder Dust back to his house and began making a single Wonder Ball, for there was not enough to make many Wonder Balls.

It wasn't long before Crimino had scooped his last scoop of Wonder Dust from the bag, and Zorphine suddenly realized that there was none left. It was at that moment that Ballio went to the village square to show off the Wonder Ball.

"Look, I have a Wonder Ball, made from my ball and the Wonder Dust that Zorphine got from the Great Wonder Wizard!"

Crimino saw the beautiful Wonder Ball and ran to grab it. "It is mine!", he said as he put his hands on it, "for I helped Zorphine bring the Wonder Dust back to Playton!"

"No, it is mine!", shouted Zorphine, as he also grabbed for the Wonder Ball, "For it was my idea to make Wonder Balls in the first place, and to petition the Great Wonder Wizard for the Wonder Dust to make it!"

"No, it is mine!", thundered the voice of the Great Wonder Wizard as he descended upon them and also began grabbing at the ball. "For I gave the Wonder Dust only because I was told I would receive Wonder Balls of my own!"

Each continued to grab and tug at the Wonder Ball, stretching it every which way and arguing over who its owner was.

Finally, after too much grabbing, too much stretching, and too much tugging, the Wonder Ball exploded, sending all of its Wonder Dust into the wind.

"Hmph!", said the Great Wonder Wizard, "that's what you all get for your greed. I still have plenty of Wonder Dust of my own, but you each have none."

"Hmph!", said Zorphine, "I can make Wonder Balls without the help of the Great Wonder Wizard, and that I shall do! I am determined!"

"Hmph!", said Ballio, "I can always leave Playton and live in the land of Dubyun, where my balls are even more greatly loved, even with no Wonder Dust on them."

"Hmph!", said Crimino, "There are more ssssssuckers for me to ssssteal from. I will go back and wait along the ssssside of the road between Playton and the Great Wonder Wizard's lair."

The moral of the story: I have no idea what's going on, and the world of the Supreme Aglet is once again in perfect balance.