This time, I thought long and hard before choosing my journey. To tell the truth, the adventures I had experienced with the Aztecs and the Huns had made me quite hesitant. Many times, I even thought it might be wiser to leave all those journeys in the past; no matter how interesting they were, I didn’t know what surprises they could suddenly present me with. But once again, my curiosity defeated my caution…

One morning – it was the holiday season – I went to see Uncle Peter in his workshop. I found him sitting at his desk, with a map spread out in front of him, examining it with great concentration, so much so that he didn’t even notice me when I entered.

— Oh, it’s you, Alki? he exclaimed, surprised, when he saw me in front of him. You arrived just in time to help me solve a problem.

— Me, uncle? I wondered. Me helping a wise man like you solve a problem, especially a scientific one?

— It’s not so much scientific as it is historical, my uncle said. You’ve heard of Babylon, of course…