Page 205 - I Live in the Slums: Stories (The Margellos World Republic of Letters)

“It isn’t appropriate, is it, to put the crown at the entrance to an ordinary
family’s home?” The village chief stooped and picked up the crown. He sized it
up in the sunlight.
“Why isn’t it? It would look good on you.”
His wife smiled surreptitiously. Her expression inspired him, leading him to
remember his morning encounter on the road. He realized that the queen had
been pervading their lives. She wasn’t a visitor; there’s no way she would stay in
Wang Village. Still, there was no way she would leave, either. This was so
intriguing. Before the old king died, he had also pervaded their lives one time,
but the Wang villagers no longer remembered this. The village chief’s mother
had told him, “On a night like that, the stars are dark, and the earth burns from
within its crust . . .” Because no real disaster occurred, everyone adopted a wait-

and-see attitude.
After the village chief put the crown into a large cabinet, the cabinet sparkled
with sound. “Look! She trusts us so much!” his wife whispered to him. “After
all, she’s our queen!” he whispered back.
They were both a little deranged, pacing back and forth in front of the
cabinet, loath to leave.
“Chief! Chief . . . ,” someone shouted outside. He was around thirty.
The chief pulled a long face and went out.
“Why are you still here? You promised to leave.”
“I promised to disappear from Wang Village . . . but last night . . .”
“Stop!” the village chief interrupted, “What do you want now?”
“Give me a job.”
“Clean the manure out of our pigpen. Don’t stop until you’re stinking with
sweat!”
“Sure thing!”
The village chief went inside and closed the door. His wife was staring at

him, rebuking him coquettishly.
“What? He’s young, but he’s been a pessimist for eleven years. What a
disgrace.”

After taking a long time to make the decision, the queen really did arrive at
Wang Village. She came to the long-established Wang Village, but she didn’t

like the villagers to recognize her and consider her one of them. She felt that
would be awkward for her, lacking in style. As the queen hesitated, the unusual
connections between her and the villagers took shape. Someone felt that he had a
direct connection with the queen because he argued with her every day and the
result of the argument would guide him in his actions. His life would be