Prologue:

Princess Ariadne entered the tent and received the applause due to any other-worldly carrier of delight.

"Her beauty causes men to throw flowers at her feet," said the ringmaster. "And impels women to buy plates with her picture on them. Her horse, August, has killed a barber, a tax collector, and a Gypsy palm reader. An untamable man-killer, until the princess soothed him with her touch."

Princess Ariadne performed her stunts on horseback. Acrobatics, trick shots, cards. As she weaved her spell, however, as she commanded every eye, as her charm saturated the big top, Princess Ariadne was interrupted by, of all things, a goose honk.

"I am King Tuffy," said the villain. "I will marry the beautiful princess. Anyone tries to stop me, and me and my hoard of cut-throats will grab his wrists, beat him with his own fists, and ask him why he hits himself. I know that makes you cry."

"Mmm Mmm," said a priest carried into the ring. "Mmm Mmm Mmm."

"Skip that part," said King Tuffy. "Get to the part where you marry us."

"Mmm mmm, mmm mmm, mm mm mm," said the priest.

"Marry us, or else." King Tuffy pulled the gag from the priest.

"—if anyone knows any reason why this couple should not marry," said the priest, "please speak now or forever hold your peace."

"Mademoiselle Princess," said a be-crowned little dog. "I halt your wedding... with much dashing."

"And who are you?" said King Tuffy.

"It is Spot," said the dog. "I am... the King of the World."

Stooges pounced, stooges swung their wooden boards, stooges reached out, only to land on their faces, to hit themselves, to wonder where the dog even was.

Finally, Spot pulled the largest fool to the ground and the crowd cheered the little dog's triumph.

Then the crowd erupted. The little dog snatched from the air the last flying cork and collapsed at Princess Ariadne's feet.

Princess Ariadne kissed the little dog. A flash lit the ring, from which the smoke cleared. In each other's arms were Princess Ariadne and a regal young man, slim and handsome, the gaudiest and prettiest ever seen. While the crowd cheered their pleasure and astonishment, however, an invisible drama spilled into the darkness around them.

"...stop it," said Tuffy. "Stop struggling..."

"...the imposter has Mademoiselle Princess," said Spot. "The spotlight belongs to me..."

Circumstances usually did not allow Spot to take less than the entire night to dry out from a dunking. So damp Spot was when the stranger approached and unlatched the little dog's cage.

"You can stay here for the rest of your life," said the stranger. "To live outside of the big top. To wait for your brief moments of glory in the light. Or you can leave with me and we can begin your adventure." The little dog shook off fatigue and exhaustion, and the two figures escaped into the darkness of the night.