As a neglected child living in the palace stables, Cardan meets Aslog. She tells him the story of a boy with a "wicked tongue" and a "heart of stone" who is eventually eaten by a monster because he cannot love. This teaches Cardan that stories—and the roles they assign—are cruel and inescapable, causing him to "hate" them.
The book's structure is anchored by a recurring fairy tale told to Cardan at three different stages of his life by a troll woman named . Como El Rey De Elfhame Aprendio A Odiar Los H...
The Central Narrative: The Tale of the Boy with the Wicked Tongue As a neglected child living in the palace