Haroun and the Sea of Stories

‘It is precisely because happy endings are so rare,’ the Walrus continued, ‘that we at P2C2E House have learnt how to synthesize them artificially. In plain language: we can make them up.’

Nonsense,’ retorted the Walrus. ‘I know perfectly well what you want. You’ve been on a great adventure, and at the end of great adventures everybody wants the same thing.’

‘Oh? And what’s that?’ asked Haroun, a little belligerently.

‘A happy ending,’ the Walrus said.

. To ruin a love story you must turn it into a tale of hate. To ruin a tragedy you must make it capable of inducing helpless laughter.’

‘To ruin an Ocean of Stories,’ muttered Iff the Water Ge

lot of trouble, hot water, a mess

Believe in your own eyes and you’ll get into a