text: THE MAGIC WINDOW (This story is set in earth’s twin planet GAIA 2 which is 800 years younger and is evolving.) That morning the King was holding court when the Prime Minister (PM) said ”Your Highness we’ve got a famous wizard Magi here who comes from a far off land. He will show his prowess.” Magi said “Your Highness I can enchant a window such that a spirit that goes in will attain human form.” The King said “Let us take a practical case. PM you must remember the case of Bez who was murdered but we couldn’t find out who did it. All people who were associated with him are dead. If Magi can pass their spirits through that window, we may perhaps learn the truth.” Magi said “Very well Your Highness. I’ll raise the spirit of Bez by lighting a fire and throwing a special incense into it.” The PM spoke into Magi’s ear saying certain others would also have to be summoned. Magi nodded and said “I’ll also materialize Mini, Roxa and Wizma who were involved in the case.“ Mini was the one who married Bez. Roxa was a competitor to Mini. Wizma was a witch who helped Roxa. Magi asked “Which window shall I use?” The King said “Use that window of the conference hall. From here I can see what all happens.” “Very well Your Highness.” Magi raised a fire in a brazier and sprinkled incense into it as he said his incantations. All on a sudden a spirit which could be seen only in profile went through the magic window and gained human form. Magi in succession materialized Mini, Roxa and Wizma. Seeing the others Bez said “I’m very happy to see you all here. It is as if my life is unfolding.” Mini said “You were a worthless fellow. You married me but played around with Roxa as if she had something else which I lacked.” Bez said “Don’t forget she is around and will answer any points that may come up.” Wizma said “Bez your death caused a furore. So many including me, were questioned a lot by the judge. In fact I was even told I would be tortured if I didn’t speak the truth.” Bez said “Let the truth unfold. It’ll start with me. I was a rich man. I was young and handsome. People said I was the right man to wed Mini who was a beautiful young girl from a noble family.” Mini said “Even before that you handled me. I’m not ashamed to speak the truth. You started by flicking flies off my body in a friendly way .I got excited when you applied extract of flowers over my bosom. I had asked you to do it again. Once you did that it wasn’t long before you made full use of my bosom. I was so thrilled that I gave you room to fondle the remaining feminine asset.” Bez said ”Didn’t I praise them? And you gave me licence to go all the way.” Mini said “I was a fool. I allowed you to cast aside my pareyou. Then you invaded me.” Roxa said “Mini, he not only did it to you. During the spring festival we women danced. At that time Bez fondled all the women including me.” Mini asked “How did they allow it?” Roxa said “He wasn’t yet married then and each of the girls thought he would choose her. We women can interpret the touch of a man. Bez influenced many women and fondled them at ease.” Mini said “Then came my marriage to Bez, He was a good husband. In bed before he began to toil he would say keep talking to me. I would talk to him about everything and it would be a long talk before he finished. Then you came into the picture. And he went sniffing after you. I again ask what have you got that I didn’t have? He would admire my ardour in bed. He can’t deny it.” Roxa said “I wanted him to take me also as his second wife. He said he was considering it but in the meantime I heard you were in the family way and was furious. When he came to me I did all I could to see that I also got into the family way. I contacted Wizma and she gave me medicines for me to conceive. She even gave me....” Wizma said “I’m an apothecary and had rendered all help I could. Some of the medicines I gave had multifunctions. Why reveal it all now?” Roxa said “I want the truth to be known. When I asked Wizma for help I didn’t know what she would do. She got Bez to meet her in secret and told him about what I had wanted her to do. At that time Wizma was living alone near the river. Bez later told me about the snake. She had a very good figure. She was young. May be she wanted a child through him. He told me about the snake and snake catcher.” Bez said “I gave you no details.” “Can I not guess what happened? She must have left something to boil on the oven and when there was some noise she must have rushed into his arms seeking safety from the snake she had seen in the vicinity and which, according to her, was waiting to be caught by the snake catcher. Once a woman falls into his arms, Bez would waste no time. Her pareyou will fly up or out and he would access all of the woman.” Wizma said “Roxa is a brazen hussy for speaking openly about lovers and their doings.” Roxa laughed and said “It applies to you also. You bedded Bez. Anyway Mini was the lucky one as she was pregnant through him. Wizma, you were barren.” Wizma was furious and said “Don’t say that. Just one or two encounters with a man isn’t enough for pregnancy.” Roxa laughed and said “Whatever it is, Mini delivered a son and was soon again in the family way.” Mini said “Roxa, that is true. Not knowing the full facts, you quarrelled with Wizma about her not heeding to her requests.” Roxa said “That doesn’t matter. In the end Bez was killed and nobody knows who the killer is.” Bez said “I must fill in some details. Wizma did come to me and gave me Roxa’s plan about harming Mini and her fetus. When she approached me I must talk in the superlatives about the time she gave me. Much better than Mini and Roxa.” Roxa asked “What prevented you from taking Wizma also as your wife. Our law allows it and you were quite rich to afford another wife.” “Actually I had been thinking about it. But meantime Wizma gave me a medicine to make me more vigorous. I blindly swallowed it and I was gone.” Wizma said “I gave you the correct medicine but the roll which you took was poisoned. The roll had been substituted.” Mini asked “Who could’ve done it? Somebody else, who had access to your bedroom! I know you had accessed her in our home.” Bez said “Just as I had thought! It was Roxa. She killed me.” Mini and Wizma immediately rushed towards Roxa saying “We’ll kill you.” Magi’s magic window seemed to be closing and all in the room rushed out to become spirits again. The King said “Well done Magi. PM, reward Magi with 10 pieces of gold.” END NOTE: PAREYOU is the single garment worn by all on the islands of that planet. *