keep firm hold on such sanity, would ever willingly associate with a kender. Raistlin recalled the stupefied look

on Master Theobald's face when he had seen his precious spell components in the hands of a kender. Smiling at

the memory, feeling that he was in the kender's debt, Raistlin gravely accepted the proffered hand. Not only that,

but he introduced the kender to the others.

"This is my brother, Caramon, and his friend, Sturm Brightblade."

Sturm appeared extremely reluctant to shake hands with a kender, but they had been formally introduced and

he could not avoid the handshake without appearing impolite.

"Hi, there, Little Fella," Caramon said, good-naturedly shaking hands, his own large hand completely

engulfing the

kender's and causing Tasslehoff to wince slightly.

"I don't like to mention this, Caramon," said the kender solemnly, "since we've only just been introduced, but

it is very rude to keep commenting on a person's size. For instance, you wouldn't like itverymuch if I called you

Beer Barrel Belly, would you?"

The name was so funny and the scene was so ludicrous-a mosquito scolding a bear-that Raistlin began to

laugh. He laughed until he was weak from the exertion and was forced to sit down on the stump. Pleased and

amazed to see his brother in such a good humor, Caramon burst out in a loud guffaw and clapped the kender on

the back, kindly picked him up afterward.

"Come, my brother," said Raistlin, "we should gather our belongings and start for home. The fairgrounds will

be closing soon. It was very good meeting you, Tasslehoff Burrfoot," he added with sincerity.

"I'll help," offered Tasslehoff, darting eager glances at the many colored balls, the brightly painted box.

"Thanks, but we can manage," Caramon said hurriedly, retrieving the rabbit just as it was disappearing into

one of the kender's pouches. Sturm removed several of the silk scarves from the kender's pocket.

"You should be more careful of your possessions," Tasslehoff felt called upon to point out. "It's a good thing I

was here to find them. I'm glad I was. You really are a wonderful magician, Raistlin. May I call you Raistlin?

Thanks. And I'll call you Caramon, if you'll call me Tasslehoff, which is my name, only my friends call me Tas,

which you can, too, if you like. And I'll call you Sturm. Are you a knight? I was in Solamnia once and saw lots of

knights. They all had mustaches like yours, only more of it-the mustache, I mean. Yours is a bit scrawny right

now, but I can see you're working on it."

"Thank you," Sturm said, stroking his new mustache self-consciously.

The brothers started moving through the crowd, heading toward the exit. Saying that he'd seen all he cared to

see for the day, Tasslehoff accompanied them. Not caring to be seen in public in company with a kender, Sturm

had been about to take his leave of them when the kender mentioned Solamnia.

"Have you truly been there?" he asked.

"I've been all over Ansalon," said Tas proudly. "Solamnia's a very nice place. I'll tell you about it if you'd

like. Say, I have an

idea. Why don't you come home with me for supper? All of you. Flint won't mind."

"Who's Flint? Your wife?" Caramon asked.

Tasslehoff hooted. "My wife! Wait till I tell him! No, Flint's a dwarf and my very best friend in all the world,

and I'm his best friend, no matter what he says, except for maybe Tanis Half-Elven, who is another friend of

mine, only he's not here right now, he's gone to Qualinesti where the elves live." Tas stopped talking at this

juncture, but only because he'd run out of breath.

"I remember now!" exclaimed Raistlin, coming to a halt. "I knew you looked familiar. You were there when

Gilon died. You and the dwarf and the half-elf." He paused a moment, eyeing the kender thoughtfully, then

said, "Thank you, Tasslehoff. We accept your invitation to supper."

"We do?" Caramon looked startled.

"Yes, my brother," said Raistlin.

"You'll come, too, won't you?" Tasslehoff asked Sturm eagerly.

Sturm was stroking his mustache. "My mother's expecting me at home, but I don't believe she'll mind if I

join my friends. I'll stop by and tell her where I'm going. What part of Solamnia did you visit?"

"I'll show you." Tasslehoff reached around to a pouch he wore on his back-the kender was festooned with