January 4. “Whose turn is it, Button, to continue the story?”

“Your turn.”

After about a couple of months, her trusted aide came and whispered in her ear—Ma’am, for the first time in all these years, I see that most of our people have some kind of a breathing problem. The leaves and flowers on our trees and plants are turning yellow and falling off. Even the dolphins that used to swim really close to the island aren’t coming this way anymore! Can you tell what the problem is?

I don’t have a clue. What do you think it is? B

I can’t think of anything but, of late, even I have started wheezing since the last one month. Do you think it has anything to do with those tobacco sticks?

What rubbish. Ask the doctor to figure what is happening. He’ll know best. B

One visit to the doctor was enough to tell that it was all the cigarette smoke that was behind the fiasco on the island.

Yet no one knew how to tell the princess that she must give up smoking if she wanted to save her paradise. B

A little boy who had been listening to the conversation volunteered to go and speak to her.

Ishika wasn’t particularly fond of children but agreed to meet the lad. B

What is it that you wish to tell me?

“I’m going to bed. Suddenly feeling too sleepy.”