Once upon a time there was a King and a Queen who loved each other with all their hearts and wanted to have a child. Soon they had the great joy of welcoming into the world a very pretty little girl ... [+]
When you were two, we snapped this photo on the island. Back when your hair tickled your shoulders and a widow in a floral cardigan wrinkled her nose, patted your crown, and mis- proclaimed, "such an interesting girl." It's the same carelessness attending other glances, when lights merge to beams and starfish mask as stones, grinding and bumbling surf through the foam. "They can't run or walk," you sighed. "So they just dance."