The doors slammed open on the eager faces of the people. The priestess wished she could give them all what they wanted, but she had only messages for four of them.

“For those who wish
To catch the most fish
A whale of a catch
Will be yours to snatch”

“Goddesses demand a price
Of extra sacrifice
before you change to another,
Apollo asks for much the same
to go to marble from game
before he will bless you richly”

I stopped listening after that message, and looked at my Father. He had tears of joy and relief beginning to run out of the corners of his eyes. He bowed low and cried silently until the priestess left the cremographian.

Then we went out of the temple to buy a blessed sheep and have it sacrificed before we left Didymus. Father beamed as he purchased the sheep, telling the vendor and the people how wonderful Apollo was. He praised Apollo as the sheep was sacrificed, staying at the alter until the last smoldering bit of flesh stopped smoking. He sang praises as we left on the long road to home.