The Merchant

and

the Student

a fairy tale by Arcades Ambo

Once upon a time in a Windy City near an Enchanted Lake named Mi-ChiGan (which means, big water) there lived a student. He was young and handsome, tanned and dark-eyed, and, as students go, rather poor.

Now it happened that one afternoon in August this student was strolling down Michigan Avenue. And as he walked, the coins in his pocket slapped against his leg and made a merry jingle. They were the last five coins he owned and payday was two whole days away.

The student stopped to window-shop and as he fingered the coins in his pocket, the sun ran her hot hands across his back and a playful little breeze fresh from the lake whispered in his ears.

"Hyacinths," the student said. "That's what I'll buy-and feed my soul, too!" And so he crossed Michigan Avenue and went into the Art Institute to lunch in the patio.

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