Princess Diaries: Mudgoblin Lore

Often, humans believe that "objects" cannot speak but the philosopher Epictetus taught in his discourses that just as speaking was a skill, so was listening and one must develop both.


The other morning I awoke suddenly to the throaty gulump-gulump sound cats make just before the cough up a slimy hairyball.


Now, I have 3 goblins that I've adopted here at the Crystal castle but Gumbo the Mudgoblin is the one with whom the felines commiserate most.  They lick his eyes and rub his fingers, but he sort of quiet and keeps to himself.


On this particular morning, I looked over just in time to see my Siamese - Meiling - gack ALL over Gumbo!  Ew.  I tried to snatch him out of the way, but her aim was true.  My Mudgoblin was covered in goo....


I collected Gumbo and brought him to the sink, turning on the water.  Rubbing my hands with Suntree Soap I put him under the warm faucet and began lathering.


This is all wrong. The thought inserted itself in my mind.  The water is way too warm - I'm a Mudgoblin!


This is how I always know when something is speaking and that I should listen: incongruous thoughts enter sideways into whatever I was initially thinking about and then merge into my full stream of thought.


Did you commiserate with my cat to have her gack on you purposefully?! I asked Gumbo.


My skin was very dry, I like it to be cool and damp.


Well, that sure was a strange way to go about getting me to give you a nice cool, bath! I turned the temperature down.  From now on, I'll be sure to mist your skin now and again.


Gumbo smiled happily.


...and that was how I learned some secret Lore about Mudgoblins!