By the time Sofya and Meili were dressed in their outfits, with their hair done and ready for their dance, the birthday guests had been left unattended for long enough to have toasted each other many times and they could politely be described as 'very merry'.
"Sofya, are you really sure this outfit is okay for me to dance in in public?" Meili asked her friend for at least the fifth time.
"Of course, Meili! This is a traditional grasslands outfit for dancing. Who could possibly object to it? Even your mother and father could not complain, without offending my brother," said Sofya smugly, having thought all of the angles through carefully in advance.
"Anyone who has seen a grasslands dance has seen this outfit many times before. Perhaps not quite as beautiful as that one that you're wearing," she looked at Meili admiringly.
"It is very beautiful, isn't it?" said Meili, turning in a circle to watch her full skirt spin. "Yours is very beautiful too, Sofya."
