129 Days to Opening Day 2008

Opening Day 2008 for the Timber Rattlers is April 3. That is 129 days from today. This off-season, the countdown will be based on books. Each day between now and Opening Day 2008, I will pick a random book out of my library and excerpt a passage off the page number corresponding with the number of days remaining to the first pitch of the new season. I will try not to repeat a book during the countdown.

Today's excerpt is from The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander and it is from the last page of The Book of Three. You might be able to tell from the book cover that this is a sword & sorcery epic. But, there is a bit more to it than that.

"I have returned to the chamber I slept in and found it smaller than I remember. The fields are beautiful, yet not quite as I recalled them. And I am troubled, for I wonder no if I am to be a stranger in my own home."

Dalben shook his head. "No, that shall never be. But it is not Caer Dalben which has grown smaller. You have grown bigger. That is the way of it."

"And there is Eilonwy," Taran said. "What will become of her? Is it -- is it possible you would let her stay with us?"

Dalben pursed his lips and toyed with the pages of The Book of Three. "By all rights," he said, "the Princess Eilonwy should be returned to her kinsmen -- yes, she is a princess. Did she not tell you? But there is no hurry about that. She might consent to stay. Perhaps if you spoke to her."

Taran sprang to his feet. "I shall!"

He hurried from the chamber and ran to Hen Wen's enclosure. Eilonwy was still there, watching the oracular pig with interest.

"You're to stay!" Taran cried. "I've asked Dalben!"

Eilonwy tossed her head. "I suppose," she said, "it never occurred to you to ask me."

Put today's excerpt into a baseball context.