* * * * *
The three of us ate dinner with the director in his cabin. The latter was attached to the camp's main administrative office via breeze-way. And, when Mr. Draconicov returned from there, to join us for dinner, the first thing I noticed was his appearance. Slightly taller and thinner than me. Roughly my age (give or take three years). And, sporting the moustache-free beard typical of Mennonites and Amish both.
During dinner, he explained to us that the name of the lake, "Yo-Tel-T'til," was an Ojibwa word that roughly translated as "small play thing."
"Apparently, there is a local legend about a giantess who bestowed that name upon an Ojibwa brave she captured while he was living off the land (as part of his tribal rite of manhood). The legend goes on to say that the two fell in love. Her widowed mother did not approve. She crushed him beneath her feet. And, the present-day lake was formed from her grieving daughter's tears."
It was while sipping some freshly brewed after-dinner coffee that Sir Anthony broached an interesting subject.
"Forgive me if I'm being too personal, Mr. Draconicov. But, I could not help noticing that your surname sounds more typical of someone who's of straight Slavic descent. Rather than from a Germanic sub-culture like the Volgadeutsch."
Mr. Draconicov chuckled: "Very astute, Sir Anthony! And, quite correct. My ancestors were originally surnamed 'Drachenhof.' After their village of origin, in Steiermark, on the Austro-Slovenian border.* But, almost ninety years after they had settled in Russia (at the invitation of Catherine the Great), the Crimean War broke out. And, to protect all their young people, twelve and over, from forced conscription by Cossack press gangs, they fled to America via Canada. Slavicizing their surnames and posing as Doukhobors!"
"Some settled here, in Michigan, while the rest moved on to Fresno, California. In both cases, they retained the alias as an added precaution. A wise one, too, given the anti-German sentiment that was understandably-yet-sadly so prevalent in the United States during the recent World War."
"A truly inspirational anecdote, sir," I replied.
"I quite agree," Sir Anthony added: "For, it's all too easy to be a fair-weather pacifist. But, to sincerely uphold one's pacifist beliefs, at all costs? Even during war time?? That must truly be a test of faith. One worthy of Job, himself!"
"You are too kind, gentlemen," Mr. Draconicov replied: "Personally, I do not regard myself as anyone special. If for no other reason than I am highly skeptical about the recent World War living up to its hyperbole as the first and last such military conflict. Not with the penchant mankind has exhibited for semi-militaristic expansion, in general, these past sixty years. Indeed; the recent civil war in Russia, alone, would seem to be proof that my fears are not groundless!"
"If, however, our children truly are our best hope for a better future, then I can think of no better _way_ to insure such a future than by instilling an _abhorrence_ of war in the hearts and minds of all the youngsters who come here. For, with all due respect to the late President Roosevelt, the diplomat should _never_ be the servant of the soldier. Rather, they should be equal partners! With the latter bodyguarding the former until such time as all wars (and the need for standing armies to fight them) have gone the way of the dinosaur."
After dinner, we were shown to a guest cabin, where we freshened ourselves up for bed.
"After that little speech of his," Bob Gabriel commented: "...I feel slightly guilty about packing this Mauser."
"I empathize," Sir Anthony countered: "Believe me! But, experience has shown me that there is no such thing as a Garden of Eden that doesn't get infested with snakes, sooner or later. And, in the case of Camp New Hope, that is more than a figure of speech! Better we should be toting these things, and not need them, than the other way round."
"In the meantime," I interjected (in an attempt to get the last word, for once): "I heartily prescribe we hit the sack, right now. As our hosts are all early risers, and we have a lot of ground to tour."
As a doctor, I was naturally highly gratified to see them take my advice.
tbc
Giantess World
Chapter End Notes:
*Steiermark: better known to English-speakers as the Austrian province of Styria.
President Roosevelt: as in, Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt (1858-1919).
President Roosevelt: as in, Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt (1858-1919).