A couple of old crones passed, pushing a yellowish mewling baby in an ancient baby carriage. "Stop for a moment my friends. Rest a little and listen to my tune," said the Secret One.

"Pooh.... We're too busy," said the old crones. "Haven't you anything better to do than play silly tunes ?"

"Did you see his hair ?" he heard the gnarled one say as they moved swiftly on.

"And did you see his clothes ?" said the other pointing a long red nail. "OOH MY....GOODNESS !!" And they began to cackle like a couple of old witches.

At the end of that day the Secret One had not been paid a single coin for his music. And so he began to trudge wearily along the deserted streets for he had nowhere to go and nothing to eat.

Now a strange thing happened then for the Secret One sat down on a wall to rest. And as he kicked his heels in disgust, he realised that the wall was not made of marble as he had thought, but was merely painted to look that way. And he looked up then and saw that the houses too were nothing but sawdust and paste got up to look like something fine.

"For all its airs, this is nothing but a jimcrack place after all," said the Secret One to himself and he noticed suddenly that out of every window stared a sleek dog with glittering eyes.