the great fork mystery, part one

Because they never should have quit making "choose your own adventure" stories...

Once upon a time, in the far, far away kingdom of Baker, a tiny tragedy plagued the lives of noble and peasant alike.

The forks in the kitchen were steadily and surely decreasing in number, and no one knew why. Castle folk found themselves forced to forego food requiring the use of the utensil. The ladies in waiting began a soup club. The stable hands learned how to spoon their steaks. The great king of all the land proclaimed that great reward for the missing utensil would be offered—a tower of books that reached high into the sky, high enough to loom over the castle and threaten to topple in stiff breezes and rain paper upon the whole land.

"Perhaps the forks have begun a southern migration." The steward hypothesized. "They prefer lots of sunshine."

"Or the heated dishwasher has fused them all into spoons—there are a plenteous quantity of spoons," answered the housekeeper.

"I think the blue dragon has been hoarding them in his cave," said the second squire. "He likes shiny things, you know."

But no matter where these good folk searched, the forks could not be found. The scribe circumspectly sent notice to the neighboring kingdoms, and secretly smuggled forks would pass the Baker borders and be sold covertly in the dead of night for absurd quantities of gold coin. These were kept securely hidden by their owners, whose began more and more frequently to lunch in their own private chambers, where none could see—and envy—the use of the rare utensil.

The king became more desperate. "Whatever shall we do?" He cried to his queen. "First we became unable to twirl our pasta, and now, our people grow unsociable and taciturn. And all because of these missing forks!"

The queen calmed him as best she could. "We must simply persevere, my good king," she said. "Perhaps there is a solution we have yet to discover that will solve our woes…"

What could the solution be? Send in your own conclusions!