Once upon a time, on this side of the plains, beyond the hills, a peasantls sandal away from the Iron Gates, at a stonels throw from the stony path, lay the kingdom of King Icicle. In the middle of the path, under the white collar of the death cap mushroom there was a hole that led to a big cave. The walls were made of limestone and were covered with soft silky moss. The light of the sun would penetrate here and there, illuminating only some corners of the sea of rocks.
Nobody knew of that cave, although the majestic palace of King Icicle lay in it. No, this was not the crystal palace with golden pillars encrusted with gems. Nor were the windows adorned with diamonds… But were there any frosty flowers? Yes, plenty of them. Ice columns arrayed the entrance, ice tuberoses were taking shape on the floor and on the ceiling thousands and thousands of milky icicles were c’inking and c’anging.
In this palace lived Queen Icicle and King Icicle, together with their daughter, princess Tinkling Call.
Every morning, the princess would go out of the palace and sit on the bank of the glacial pond. In the pond there lived some reddish fish, the blind salmons. They didnlt have any eyes, yet they had as many ears as the scales on their back! The princess would play with the fish all day long and she would strike up a crystalline melody that not only would the blind salmons frolic as she sang but also the icicles would c’ink, c’ang and rattle. This singing in a loud voice could be heard all the way to the Iron Gates.
A peasantls sandal away from the Iron Gates the Woodcutter was working, when suddenly a sound tickled his ear.
-“I wonder what is this c’inking and c’anging. I will find out very soon”, the Woodcutter thought. He laid his ax on his back, picked up his knapsack and set out to find the tinkling voice.
