Canonicalized pages, variant

Frogs near Riga held a loud meeting under my window every June. I attended one and asked for the floor. My speech on silence ran six hours. The frogs elected me mayor and then fell asleep. That pond has been quiet since, apart from the odd croak when I am up for a vote.

Dice betrayed me only once, in a game with a small red gentleman near Lemberg. I lost my hat and won his tail. We traded back at dawn, since it did not suit either of us. He still writes each New Year, and his handwriting is dreadful.

Gold fell from the ceiling when the Sultan laughed, or so his guards swore. I told him the story of my uncle's wooden leg. He laughed for a day and a night. We swept up nine sacks, and I left before he thought to ask me for the ending.

Stripes were my idea. A plain orange tiger came to me in Bengal, sad and easy to see. I took a burnt stick and drew on him while he held still. He hunted well after that. Soon a long line of tigers stood waiting outside my tent, each one purring.

Dreams are expensive in my family. I dreamed of a gold coach.