“I saw your cloning process, and I’m Ripe Gunter.”

“I had to come up with that,” she said, “I could never catch enough original frogs to sate my appetite. Meat’s scarce and costly in our land, and I like to have some for each meal if possible.”

“Would that cloning device work on me?” he asked.

“Of course it would, but I can’t afford to feed any more little mouths,” she said.

“You wouldn’t need to, if my idea works. Could you taste me and tell me if I’m as nice as the frog.”

The lady picked him up and put out her tongue and touched him against it. She did this a few times.

“I like your taste much more than the frog,” she said.

“Would it help you if I stayed here with you and let you clone me and eat the clones as many times as you liked?”

“Would it? That’s the kindest offer I’ve ever had.”

It was hauntingly pleasant watching her eating his double whole the first time she replicated him, and the novelty would never wear off, he was sure. Once the clone had made its way down into her stomach, she asked if she could do anything for him.

“Could you … still taste the real me sometimes, so I can feel your tongue?” he asked.

“I’d love to. You’re so adorable and handsome and tiny, and …”

With that she broke off and gave him a huge kiss.

*          *          *          *

Tommy Hack watched in admiration as Aymeetungworta’s enormous hands and arms prepared a nice meal for the two young girls. Then she put a bowl on the table beside him, and began breaking up pieces of onion with her bare hands, adding capsicum and various seasonings which she sprinkled with carefree abandon before his admiring eyes.

“This is to go with you,” she said, using a spoon to push the pieces of seasoned onion and capsicum into the bowl, “Don’t worry if you get a little messy though. I’m going to lick you clean before I swallow you.”

Those words sounded wonderfully thrilling. He could hardly decide whether he was keener on being licked by her giant tongue, or keener on being swallowed by her giant throat. In any event, he had come to her country for adventure, and this promised to be the greatest adventure he’d ever had. He paused in his thoughts to consider that it would also be the final one, as he saw her huge hand closing around him and lifting him up, and then lowering him gently into the bowl. She had positioned him on the top of the vegetables, so that he could look out over the top of the bowl and see what went on in the meantime.

“Manthy! Issa! It’s dinner time!” she called, and Tommy watched as the two girls came in.

They looked polite and friendly and very respectful of their mother. He had certainly found a nice instant family in which to be eaten.

The girls sat at the table in their places, of which Issa’s was a high chair, and noticed Tommy.

“Mother, there’s a little man in your dinner,” said Issa.

“I know,” laughed her mother, “Don’t worry about him. Just eat your dinner.”

“Can I play with him, before I go to bed?” asked Manthy.

“No, he’s not a toy. Now tell me what you two have been doing this afternoon.”

“We made paper hats,” said Manthy.

“I’d like to see them,” said her mother.

“Can we put them on then?” asked Manthy.

“Alright, but just you go and get them both quickly, and put Issy’s on while she stays in her high chair,” said her mother.

Manthy got up and ran out of the room excitedly. Tommy marveled at the way she behaved like any other mother towards her daughters, while having an entirely different outlook on Tommy himself.