eaffetowardallchildren,includingmyself.Iwaonurseeverybodyandcookforthewholeworld.AfterIuoodtosomeextentwhatitwasliketohavebreasts,IstuffedmychestwithwhateverIcouldfind—sodwashcloths—soImightuandwhatreallymademecurious:howitfelttobealarge-breastedwoman.WhenIsawthesehugeprotrusions,yes,Iadmitit,IroudasSatan.Iuoodatomen,merelycatgsightoftheshadowofmyoverabundas,wouldchaseafterthemandstrivetotakethemintotheirmouths;Ifeltquitepowerful,butisthatwhatIwanted?Iwasbefuddled:Iwahtobepowerfulandtobetheobjectofpity;Iwantedarich,powerfulandintelligentman,whomIdidn’tknowfromAdam,tofallmadlyihme;yetIalsofearedsuchaman.Slidingonthebraceletsmadeoftwistedgoldthatmymotherhidatthebottomofhertrousseauchestothesheetsembroideredwithleafydesigns,inlavender-stedwoolsocks,applyingtherougewithwhichshebrightenedhercheeksonthewaybathepublicbaths,donningmyaunt’severgreencloakandputtingohinveilofthesamecoloraftergatheringupmyhair,Istaredatmyselfinthemirrorwiththemother-of-pearlframe,andshuddered.AlthoughIhadn’ttouchedthem,myeyesandeyelasheshadbeethoseofawoman.Onlymyeyesandcheekswereexposed,butIwasaraordinarilyattractivewomanandthismademeveryhappy.Mymanliness,whichtookhisfactbeforeevenIhad,wasereaturally,thisupsetme.

    InthehandmirrorIheld,Iwatchedateardropslidefrommylovelyeyeandjustthen,apoempainfullycametomind.I’veneverbeeetit,becauseatthatsamemoment,inspiredbytheAlmighty,Isangthatpoemrhythmicallylikeasong,tryingtetmywoes:MyfickleheartlongsfortheWestwhenI’miandfortheEastwhenI’mi.

    Myotherpartsin