i came to a crossroads. i saw a castle in the distance.
an old peasant woman was passing by and i enquired of her as to whom the castle belonged to.
“to count cagliostro, the snake-charmer.” she replied.
“do you think i might find employment with the count?”
“the local folk fear and shun hm, so he is always looking for help. a stout looking fellow such as yourself should would most likely be welcomed with open arms.”
in due course i presented myself to the count. i found him to be a man of gravity and impeccable manners, though more than a bit aloof.
“i could use a man to clean the snakes’ cages, and to clean the vipers’ pit, and to feed the python and clean her cage. do you think you can do that?”
“i do.”
“very well. but keep in mind, you are responsible for your own safety. if you become incapacitated for any' reason, you may find yourself being made use of by being fed to the python. is that agreeable to you?”
i assured him that it was, and embarked on my new career.
in making the acquaintance of the python, i discovered that she was a sorceress named desdemona who had been bewitched by her previous owner before being sold to the count. i commiserated with her, but not having any expertise in sorcery or even alchemy, there was nothing i could do for her.
life in the castle was not so bad, although punctuated by occasional droughts and tornados, and despite the count’s being a stern taskmaster who demanded good service.
in the cold evenings, with my day’s work done, i would often sit beside the fire in the kitchen. the fire was usually tended by a scullery maid named griselda who was a saint, and a man of all work named dee, who was a mystic and theologian. i learned a great deal from both of them during my years in the castle, but they were never able to enlighten me on the best way to remove the spell from poor desdemona, whom i had promised to assist and who remained trapped in the body of the python.
one night the castle was rent with howls and shriekings far louder than those routinely visited on it by the forces of nature. a troop of demons, summoned how and by whom i never knew, had descended on it and carried away by the count, for what reasons - if any - i also never found out.
the faithful old cook, thais, thus freed from the count’s influence, turned into a blue bird and flew away.
i freed the snakes and some other creatures from the count’s menagerie - including a camel, a tiger, and two peacocks - and griselda, dee, and i packed such meager provisions as we could carry and set out from the now deserted castle.
griselda and dee were determined to cross the rivers and mountains into the steppes of the center of the world, and reach the great city of go, where they hoped to find and meet the great mage dr eusebius.
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desdemona and i volunteered to accompany them, as did the camel, who had not fled with the other animals, and whose name was cora lee.
so on a windy, drizzly morning we set out, with desdemona in a basket on my back, cora lee loaded with water bottles, dried figs, and other edibles, dee carrying his enormous leatherbound book of the prayers and spells of all nations, and griselda confidently leading the way.
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