• The strangest thing can happen at the strangest of places, at the strangest time. One such thing occured in a little town called Hemanta.

    It was a special day in Hemanta, for today would be joined in marriage were Jack Strings and Gail Hand. It was a small ceremony which took no longer that half a day. It was obvious that these two were perfect for each other. He made puppets, she collected them. And what a collection she had. All were male, all were unique. There were short ones, tall ones, fat ones, some in cloaks, some in ordinary dress. All were life sized, and had a ring indentation pressed around their left ring fingers.

    Come time for the honeymoon, they left in a cherry carriage, waving happily to the town behind them. They were gone for two days when she came back crying, tattered, a large black suitcase in one hand. She said they were attacked by bears in the countryside immediately following his making her latest addition. The case carried another puppet, life sized, with the same ring indentation on its left hand. She named it Jack.

    This was her eigth puppet. This was her eighth widow.