A Tabula Rasa

But, says Arthur reasonably, it's an E, not an R for Riobamba.

I was about to explain, says Gaius.

E for Endangered, says the Growling Grass Frog.

Good guess, says Gaius. But E is also for Ecuador, in which country lies Riobamba, home of the Riobamba marsupial frog.

Also endangered, says Arthur.

Arthur, you surprise me, says Gaius. Have you engaged in your own amphibian research?

No, says Arthur. I meant E is for Endangered as well as for Ecuador. And for any number of E-words.

Further proof, if it were needed, says Gaius.

What of? asks Arthur.

The empty promise of your prognosticating salt business, says Gaius.

Enterprise, says Arthur.

All right, enterprise, says Gaius. I see where you're going.

Ecuador? says Arthur.

Here is a good test, says Gaius. Will we or will we not be invited to Ecuador?

Arthur looks vacant.

The Growling Grass Frog takes out more salt.

He really wants to be invited to Ecuador.

Can he influence the fall of the salt?

I'll scatter it on this brown paper bag, says the Growling Grass Frog.

No, don't, says Gaius. I was planning to transfer my filamentous green algae to that.

Use mine, says Arthur. He chucks his empty vanilla slice bag over his shoulder.

It lands delicately on the back seat, a tabula rasa.

The Growling Grass Frog prays a silent prayer to the map gods.

He hopes there are map gods.

If there are they must know the shape of the country of Ecuador.

If they wish to prove their existence, (and of course, they may not) they will influence the fall of the salt into the shape of the country of Ecuador.

The map gods (putative) have an idea in their heads of all the world's borders.

It's one thing to know it.

It's another thing to draw it in salt.

There are two map gods (that we know of), Map and Gog.

One does the borders, one does the cities.

Map spreads the salt roughly in the shape of a biscuit.

Gog sticks his gog-pointer smack in the middle.

That's Riobamba.

They withdraw. It's now up to the readers.

Done, says the Growling Grass Frog.

Gaius turns and looks over his shoulder.

Jumping Jupiter!

Even he cannot deny that the salt has formed a perfect picture of Ecuador, with Riobamba in the middle.

It looks as though, when he gets to Newcastle University, his hopes will come to fruition.

Their research team will invite him to travel to Ecuador and participate in the habitat translocation of the Riobamba marsupial frog.

Arthur will crow, if he tells him.

Let Arthur find out soon enough.