Misled By Fabulists

Why did you say that? asked Gaius.

What? asked Margaret, getting out the sandwiches.

About the crystalline teeth, said Gaius. You said it as though it were a joke.

It was a joke, said Margaret. Haven't you read Dune?

No I haven't said Gaius. What is it, a novel?

Oh Gaius, said Margaret. Yes it's a novel, by Frank Herbert. The sandworms in his novel are hundreds of feet long and have huge crystalline teeth. They can eat anything, and their breath smells of cinnamon. They are able to travel vast distances under the sand at great speed.

Aha, said Gaius. A novel. I see. But a novel must be based upon something. Frank Herbert must have seen these long sandworms with crystalline teeth.

Not necessarily, said Margaret. He may have imagined them.

Well, well, said Gaius. I admit I have been misled by such fabulists in the past. What's in these sandwiches?

Sausages, said Margaret. Sliced. With tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise.

Tomato! said Gaius. You know that tomatoes are poisonous?

No they aren't said Margaret firmly. Eat up! Then we can go and look for worms.

Gaius dutifully ate his poisonous sandwich.

Thank you, Margaret, he said, when he had finished. Now, lead me to the worms.

They walked through the sandhills and down to the edge of the sea. The tide was coming in. They saw many small sand coloured tubes projecting one or two centimetres from the sand, all facing in the same direction. Short strands of seaweed stuck out from the base of each tube.

Gaius bent down for a closer look.

Empty, he said. Where are the worms?

You need to draw them out, said Margaret.

Gaius drew a small chunk of tomato out of his pocket and poked it down one of the tubes.

What's that? asked Margaret sharply. Not tomato, I hope?