Page 65 - The Grotesque Children's Book

She replied, “I don't -- I don't know!”

Diavolo leaned closer to her and said, “Well, you must guess something!”

The second eldest guessed maybe it had something to do with catching
the sun's rays from the windows in the ceiling?

“That,” he said, “is incorrect!” He clapped his stubby wings on his back
in delight and did a little dance with his cloven feet.

The third eldest guessed maybe it had something to do with spinning.

Spinning?” had asked Diavolo.

“Yes, like the story with the spinning wheel turning straw into gold.”

“That's a ridiculous idea. What would spinning a wheel have anything to
do with -- never mind, no, you're wrong. You're wrong and you're gullible. Oh,
and you're gold!” Whereupon the third eldest sister joined her two older
sisters, and three corners of the palace were now steadfast upon their heads.

The fourth sister guessed perhaps Diavolo muttered a little incantation
under his breath. It turns out she was the closest to the truth among all her
brothers and sisters, but “close” isn't the same thing as “true,” so, alas for the
fourth daughter, she became the fourth pillar.

The fifth daughter (are you enjoying this? Are you finding it satisfying
after all to hear about the various attempts at truth? You seemed to be so
impatient to follow the youngest Citia in her bid to defeat Diavolo d'Oro. Shall I
stop telling of the siblings now and finish the story with Citia? You're not
answering. I know why. You're pouting. That last time you thought you had
some influence over the end of the story because I lead you to believe that was
the case. But now you're either, as I say, pouting, or fearful of the truth that
you haven't as much influence over your own circumstances as you would like.

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