Imagine a place where the very path beneath
your feet might complain of your weight and the trees purposely drop twigs on your head for
the sheer merriment of it all, and you'll have an idea of what it's like to be on the Isle
of Wonder.
The Isle of Wonder is a comma-shaped body of land that might as well resemble a question
mark, for confusion and astonishment are sure to be the lot of the unsuspecting visitor.
The island is teeming with life. Vegetation is abundant as are the island's
inhabitants. In fact, the two are frequently one and the same. One can
scarcely pick up a grain of sand on that shore without it demanding to be put right
back ... and this instant, if you please!
The history of this unusual island in an issue of fervent speculation. Many
believe that it was an uninteresting deserted island until a wizard enchanted the whole
place, bringing everything in it to life, and presented it to his daughter as a
birthday present. Others say that the island was once the prison of a beautiful
princess, held captive there by a powerful and jealous queen. The maiden was so
fair that the very trees and stones themselves could not bear to hear her crying and came
to life to provide her companionship. Still another group ardently claims that the
Creator of the Universe simply got tired of the serious business of life-giving and
decided to indulge His or Her sense of humour.
Whatever the origin, a more delightful spot could scarcely be imagined. But be
warned! Those travellers who like to know exactly what to expect from life would be
well-advised to go elsewhere. While most of the island's inhabitants are friendly,
some of the "thornier" natives are capable of being downright rude, and all are
quirksome. Visitors are frequent on the Isle of Wonder, for it offers a refreshing
respite from the ho-hum of everyday life. Even the king and queen enjoy a picnic on
Exclamation Point or a stroll in the gardens, and they are on occasion to be found there
relaxing and passing the time of day with the island's natives.
The rulers of the Isle of Wonder are a pair of queens, rivals in every way, and most
frequently to be found arguing over everything from the colour of the sky to the
consistency of potato hash. Despite their eccentricities, the Isle of Wonder seems
to run smoothly and be a flourishing part of the kingdom, providing many valuable exports
and lending the kingdom a light-heartedness to counter its more serious countrymen on the
Isle of the Sacred Mountain.