The design and appearance of the Holy hat and all its little characters lay smoking on.
There seemed about it a place to put your head, in the fair centre, with a brim or brims woven from the soft part of a tree and cloths of many hues. Adorned on each, small ornaments, and shamanic symbols all round, so that the front was not instantly obvious. Also, miniature plastic fruit.
I shall attempt communication, said Pernil, keeping a safe distance and moving away from the plume of smoke that came, where the grass was blackened in a circle of one cubit over.
Hello, oh fabulous and spirit resistant Hat, might we enquire if you are machine washable or should we just apply a moistened damp cloth to enhance your many virtues? Pernil spoke.
A section of the Hat, perhaps where for some, a hat band might have been perched, lit up and some digitised characters scrolled across in the conventional fashion.
It read, Hello, no, I am not machine washable, only recommended mechanics may look under my bonnet. If you would be so kind, could you toggle down the third banana, so as to reduce this lethal radiative waves and/or particles that are emanating. If you use your smoking oven glove, no harm will come to the swirls and indents which identify your fingers.
Pernil, reaching out, hand in glove, carefully toggled a banana.
Not that one! The Hat scrolled in all Capitals, That is the self-destruct banana!
Pernil untoggled the self-destruct banana and toggled down the opposite one. The fizzing and crackling sounds stopped abruptly and the smoke around the hat became gone away.
Now that is satisfied, continued the word scroll, What can I do you for? I am in your debt, vis a vis the banana toggling incident and may grant you a boon. I will grant you two thousand four hundred and thirty-three wishes.
Now that is unusual, said Pernil, Normally….
The Blue woman Knight grabbed his ear in an effort to restrain Pernil and while whispering, Don’t haggle, it has been said, let us take it at its word!
Pernil, somewhat shaken, saw the sense, he said to the Hat, We must know the extent of your ability. Can you for instance bring about the equality of the sexes and world peace or is it more along the lines of a takeaway curry and a new coat?
Everything is up for grabs provide it begins with “I wish” and ends with “thank you”, came the scrolling words.
Wow, said Pernil, I wish for the equality of the sexes and world peace, thank you.
No problem, scrolled the Hat, nothing for me to do there really, as over the next thousand years or so, both of those wishes will be satisfied.
This is more tricky than at first I thought, said Pernil, can we make a conference and get back to you?
Certainly, scrolled the Hat, You have twenty three hours, fifty two minutes and some seconds. Sorry, I should have mentioned the time limit.
Pernil and the Knights Blue made a huddle at some distance from the reclining hat.
Shall I threaten the Hat with my sharp edge? Whispered The Blue woman Knight, gripping the hilt of her sword, or just run it through?
Let us save the threatening till later if at all possible. We may yet get some great effect from this encounter. Let us each tender our wishes and we shall consider.
The Blue Knight(woman) let her sword settle in its scabbard.
The Guardians of the Cave 