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           "Doyouknow,it’sluckywemetsolate.Iwouldn’thavewantedyoutomeetmewhenIwastwenty-oneandfulloffoolishness."

           "Theyhavespeciallawsforprettygirlstwenty-one."

           "SoyouthinkIwaspretty?"

           Henoddedgood-humoredly.

           "Buthowcanyoutell?"sheasked."Whenyoumeetadragonthathaseatenaswan,doyouguessbythefewfeathersleftaroundthemouth?That’swhatitis—abodylikethisisadragon,allscalesandfolds.Sothedragonatethewhiteswan.Ihaven’tseenherforyears.Ican’tevenrememberwhatshelookslike.Ifeelher,though.She’ssafeinside,stillalive;theessentialswanhasn’tchangedafeather.Doyouknow,therearesomemorningsinspringorfall,whenIwakeandthink,I’llrunacrossthefieldsintothewoodsandpickwildstrawberries!OrI’llswiminthelake,orI’lldanceallnighttonightuntildawn!Andthen,inarage,discoverI’minthisoldandruineddragon.I’mtheprincessinthecrumbledtower,nowayout,waitingforherPrinceCharming."

           "Youshouldhavewrittenbooks."

           "Mydearboy,Ihavewritten.Whatelsewasthereforanoldmaid?IwasacrazycreaturewithaheadfulofcarnivalspanglesuntilIwasthirty,andthentheonlymanIeverreallycaredforstoppedwaitingandmarriedsomeoneelse.Soinspite,inangeratmyself,ItoldmyselfIdeservedmy:fatefornothavingmarriedwhenthebestchancewasathand.Istartedtraveling.Myluggagewassnowedunderblizzardsoftravelstickers.