"That's one of the best parts about this whole thing. Whenever you finish reading a story you're supposed to write down what you thought of it. Then at the end of each day the bard reads it and knows what people think of his story."

"Okay – I guess.  I'm getting a little hungry. I think I'll walk around some, see what's to eat. Want me to bring you something?"

"Yeah, that'd be good. And don't forget to stop at some of the booths – you just might read something you like."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Xena, I just don't understand this?"

"Don't understand what?"

"I know for a fact at least twenty-five or thirty people stopped to read my scrolls, but LOOK – only six people took the time to write down what they thought!"

"Maybe they didn't like the stories but didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Well if they didn't like them at least they could have said why. That's what this festival is all about. You let the writers know why you did or didn't like the stories. That way maybe the next one will be better. Or the author could go back and rewrite the story and make it better.  I've only had time to walk around and read a few if them, but I made sure I wrote down something about them. And I'm sure you did too, right?"

"Well. . . ."

"Come on, Xena. Don't tell me you didn't bother to write something."

"It was a long story, and when I got finished I was hungry."

"Would it have taken that long to write something? If nothing else just to let the author know it wasn't completely terrible."

"It's that important?"

"Of course it is! Authors really want to know if people like what they have written. It's almost like we have an obligation to let them know, especially people like me who have scrolls of my own to be read."

"You're right, I should have. I'll tell you what – why don't you put your scrolls up and we'll walk around and read some of them and we can both write down what we think of them."

"Now that's the kind of attitude I like."

"And there IS a booth I've been hearing about that I'd like to find."

"Oh, yeah? What kind of stories?"

"Stories about you and Ares."

"You've got to be kidding! Ares – and ME? I don't think so. YOU and Ares are supposed to be the hot item."

"I don't know. I hear those stories are really popular with some people. Come on, let's read a few of them. It might be fun."

"Yeah, I bet. And while we're at it, let's see if we can find some stories about you and Joxer."

"That's not funny."

The End