Now harken, beloved children, let me tell you a bedside story. A tale many say of the greatest discovery ever made.
Now many of the discoveries that have contributed to the advance of women (and men) have been the lucky consequence of events that were not directed toward the ultimate outcome. This was one such.
So, if you are lying comfortably, I will enlighten you.
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And once upon a time it came to pass that . . .
Prince Adidas, the second son of the Hunglo Emperor, could hardly be called imposing or regal in stature - unlike his elder brother, Crown Prince Nike, who had been blessed with features that caused maidens to swoon. Though as compensation Prince Adidas alone had inherited the family intelligence.
Thus it came about that when their father dropped dead of over-exertion whilst clutched between the thighs of his number one concubine, Prince Adidas immediately knew what was required. Hardly pausing to withdraw from a favourite odalisque he called for his personal assassin.
'Assassin,' he commanded, 'you will relieve me of my inconvenient brother.'
And he did.
So it came about that the High Priest requested an audience - though it is recorded that before condescendingly receiving him Prince Adidas made him wait until he had energetically filled his second favourite slave-girl.
'Your Highness,' the High Priest said, averting his gaze from the naked form of the gratified slave-girl, 'as you are now the only living descendent of the late Emperor you are, perforce, our new ruler. Do I have your permission to prepare for your coronation?'
And so it was arranged.
The day following his coronation the new Emperor, Adidas-the-Ever-Ready, sent for his Senior Eunuch and enquired, 'How many women do I have in my Harem?'
'As many as the days of your late father's reign, Sire. For he lived by the principle that a virgin a day keeps boredom at bay.'
'And how much do they cost to maintain?'
'More than all the tribute thy vassals pay. The Treasury is almost as bare as your erotic dancers.'
'Methinks in this modern, fiscal world a Harem must be competitive and self-financing. Henceforth my concubines and odalisques are to accept paying customers.'
And, most willingly, they did.
The next day - that is the day after the day following his coronation - Emperor Adidas-the-Fiscally-Prudent again sent for his Senior Eunuch.
'Senior Eunuch,' he said, 'It would appear that in addition to the concubines I keep for my daily fitness training, my subjects expect me to take an Empress and make an heir.'
'I would most earnestly advise it, Sire. Indeed it is considered wise, as your father was, to beget an heir and a spare. It is a precaution against adventurers attempting to hijack the throne and harem.
'Indeed. I am minded to follow your advice. . . Know you that my preference is for damsels that are young, supple, well rounded, and virgin. Bring to me the seven fairest in all my Empire of Hunglo.'
'Your wish is my command, Sire.'
'Further let it be proclaimed that, in order to adhere to the Politically Correct principles of competition, from the seven I will choose the three that most arouse me,' he ordered. 'After I have deflowered them I shall provide each with a daily workout. At the end of a month the one who hath given me the greatest pleasure shall become my Empress, tasked with bearing me a son or more. The remaining two shall be given in perpetuity to my bodyguard as a token of my benevolent munificence.'
'But Sire,' a junior eunuch inquired, 'what of the remaining four virgins?' (There remains a persistent myth that he had a pecuniary partnership with a certain local madam, though historians have been unable to find any convincing evidence.)
'Why,' said His Serene Highness, 'They shall be my mood change concubines. One to calm my anger, another to banish the blues, a third to beat boredom, and the fourth to massage my vanity. Each shall be a specialist.'
'Oh, how enlightened, Sire.'
'See that they are so trained.'
And, after much enthusiastic practice, they graduated (with honours).
Now it had transpired that whilst surfing her crystal ball, the Seeress Laurel had descried the royal edict. Urgently she sent for her companion, the Mage Manu.
'Opportunity is upon us,' she declared. 'Ensorcel and transmogrify our daughter Little Erotica that she shall be one of the chosen three.'