As the Fool walks on in the sunshine, he tries to remember. Did he really see the Nixie-girl? Was she real? Maybe he just fell asleep in the cave and had a strange dream. Things like that had happened to him before. Dreams. He had learned something. Or experienced it. But it is too blurry; he simply can’t grasp it. To distract himself, he juggles as he walks, and walks as he juggles.
Then he sees a castle in the distance. Perhaps he can get something to eat there. Something other than berries, something strengthening. And something to drink without immediately falling into the water. It must have been like that. He wanted to drink, and because he was so tired, he fell into the water and dreamed. Because magic-girls don’t really exist!
The castle gate is closed, and when the Fool knocks, he only hears a gruff voice from inside, shouting for him to go away.
»But why?«
»Because the Queen has disappeared and we are in mourning,« the voice answers through the thick wooden planks.
»Oh. That is sad,« the Fool replies and turns away.

He goes back to the main path and looks for berries in the dense bushes to crudely satisfy his hunger. Then he hears something. A kind of sigh. On a tree stump in a clearing, he sees a lady sitting. She is pretty, but she looks sad. When one of his little bells jingles, she looks in his direction, startled, and lets out a short cry. The Fool backs away. »S… Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you, I am very sorry, I’ll be on my way.«
»Wait.« The lady speaks with a firm voice. »Who are you? What are you doing here?«
»I don’t know,« the Fool answers. »I wanted to become a Wizard, so I set out. But it’s not working and I almost drowned. I’m a Fool! I don’t understand any of it and I am hungry.« He sinks to the dew-damp earth and begins to cry.
The lady gathers her robes and bends down to him. »There, there. It’s not so bad after all. You didn’t drown, you are right here. We can do something about the hunger, and if you really are a Fool, then I might have a wonderful idea. Can you juggle?«
»Yes, my lady, I can. But why do you wish to know?«
»Well, we are in dire need of a Fool. My husband is overworked from ruling and I am sad about it. And that makes everyone else sad. The castle’s inhabitants need someone to cheer them up. Can you do that?«
»Oh, yes, yes, yes,« he jingles merrily, »I can do that. Do you live in the castle?«
The lady straightens up. »Of course. Up there in the highest tower.« She points toward the battlements. »I am the Queen.«

The Fool throws himself into the dirt at her feet. »Oh, Your Highness, I did not know. You see, that’s what a Fool I am. I will gladly juggle for you.«
»Very good. Stand up, I am just the Queen, not a goddess. Let us go to the castle. On the way, you can tell me your story so that I can introduce you to the King and he can take you into his service.«
»What is a goddess?« the Fool asks as he gets up.
»First, tell me your story. The goddesses and gods can wait,« the Queen replies as she wipes the dirt from his face.
»Okay. Should I tell you everything? Well, it was like this. I was a Fool at the court of the Honorable Little King and I am very good at juggling. Sometimes even with four balls. And I can dance a little, too. And one day there was a sad girl who couldn’t solve or complete something on paper, and she said you’d need a Wizard for that. And many, many, many weeks later a Magician came to the castle and he told me I could become a Wizard, too, and that I had already passed the first lesson and now had to pass twenty more and one test or something. But I don’t understand what it means and I burned my palm – look – and then I set out and then … I don’t know. I think I saw a fish-girl.«
»A fish-girl?«
»Yes. Like a girl with a fin. And then I slept and froze and dreamed.«

The Queen looks at him thoughtfully from the side. »That may not have been a dream. These Nixies are just as real as fairies, angels, or the Magician who burned your hand so badly. As real as you and I. But they are dangerous. They show people the darkness and things they should not see. It is best to forget her. Don’t think about it anymore. Was that one of the lessons?«
»Yes, I think so. If I didn’t dream it. Right?«
»Yes. Certainly.«
»Are you also a lesson, Your Highness?«
»No. Certainly not. We are simply here for each other. You help me make the court joyful again – and I will ensure that you never have to be hungry or thirsty again. Shall we do it like that?«
»Oh yes, that would be lovely.«

The Queen nods decisively and hands the Fool a piece of paper with strange symbols on it.
»Good. Here, take this card. If you carry it with you, the guards will always know that you belong with us and are under my protection.«
»Card?« asks the Fool.
»Card,« says the Queen and points to the paper in his hand. »Take good care of it,« she says softly and holds him in a firm embrace for a moment. Then she calls out: »Open the gate, your Queen has returned,« and immediately the heavy gate begins to move and clears the way.