Part 15 (1/2)

”I do,” said Jack. ”But I don't understand. What does this mean, 'One Hand'?”

”What do you think?” said the goblin, his long goblin fingers tapping his sagging paunch.

”I don't know,” Jack replied.

”Sure you do,” the goblin said. Jack, alarmed and confused, turned and moved on.

The frog was pleading now: ”Jack, we have to find Jill.”

Jack shook himself as if he'd been asleep. What was wrong with him? He felt as if a fog were before his eyes. Jill had been stolen! Come on! he thought. Wake up! Go find her!

And then he saw a small clearing among the weapon-smiths. In the center of the clearing, on a stone altar, was a sword lying on a blanket of crushed velvet. Its blade was about the length of Jack's arm. Its handle was iron wrapped in leather. Its cross-guard was simplicity itself, and its pommel was just an iron ball. It was neither long nor short, bright nor dull, new nor old.

And yet there was something about the sword that was different from the others that Jack had seen. There seemed to be nothing special about it, Jack thought, except that it looked exactly as he had always believed a sword should look. In fact, he suspected that he recognized it from somewhere.

Jack walked up to it. He circled the table. He reached for it. It seemed to leap into his hand, like metal filings to a magnet. Jack admired it. Then he recognized it.

It looked just like the sword he wielded in his dreams.

”It likes you,” said a goblin who was suddenly standing by his shoulder. ”That is a good sign.”

Jack held it, and it felt like an extension of his arm. ”It's perfect,” Jack said.

”Jack!” hissed the frog.

”That's right,” said the goblin. ”It is the sword you've always dreamed of. Go ahead,” he smiled. ”Give it a try.”

Jack nodded and stepped back from the table. He whipped the sword through the air. The wind seemed to sing with its pa.s.sing. All the goblins at all the stalls nearby stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Jack. He swung it again. The goblins' black eyes silently followed the motion of the sword.

The frog pushed his head out of Jack's pocket. ”Jack, can you hear me?”

Jack did not reply.

”What do you want to be, my boy?” the goblin asked.

And without hesitation, without even realizing he was saying it, Jack said, ”I want to be respected.”

”With that sword, you will be feared by all,” the goblin a.s.sured him.

Jack thrust the sword again. ”I want to be admired,” Jack said, more forcefully this time.

”You will be!” said the goblin. ”You will be!”

”Jack?” cried the frog.

Jack spun with the sword and cut the air. He was shouting. ”I want everyone to like me!”

”Oh, they will! They will!” cried the goblin. ”Everyone will like you!” And then he added, ”And it will only cost your hand.”

Jack saw himself stabbing a boy who looked quite a lot like Marie-when the sword point dipped. He let it come to rest on the ground. Slowly, he turned to the goblin. ”What does that mean?” he asked. ”I don't understand.”

”Not a single gold piece. Not a single copper. Nothing but your hand.” Then the goblin added, ”Your left one, of course! Not your sword hand!” And he smiled, like he was doing Jack a favor.

Okay, I've got a question for you.

If the goblin is lying, and the sword is just a normal sword, trading your hand for it is probably a bad deal. Right?

But I can tell you right now-and I know this from my extensive research on the subject-that the goblin is notlying.

Anyone who gives up his hand for a goblin sword will gain all the power of the sword. This sword will give Jack what he has always most desired. Quite truly.

And it will only cost his left hand.

Think of what you most desire. Really think of it.

Okay.

Would you give your hand for it?

Jack stood and stared at the goblin man. It had felt like a game, playing with the sword, until now.

Until he knew that he could have it.

And that it had a price.

”Uh, Jack . . .” said the frog. ”Jack . . . is this a joke?”

The goblin man said, ”You will be admired by everyone . . . everyone . . .” Then he said, ”You could give your right hand, if it's easier to part with.”

”Everyone would like me . . . everyone . . .” Jack murmured.

”Jack, can you hear me?” the frog pleaded. ”Jack, this is crazy! It's just a sword . . . Let's find Jill and get out of here . . .”

But Jack did not hear him. He was saying, ”They will like me. They will love me. They will fear me . . .” He knew it was true. He could feel the sword's power humming up his arm.

”Jack! JACK!” The frog shouted.

Jack gripped the sword firmly in his right hand.

He looked levelly at the goblin.