In this heart-warming, hilarious fable, told by William Goldman's alter ego, S. Morgenstern (also the author of The Princess Bride), we learn that the gondoliers of Venice once had the finest singing voices in the world. Morgenstern then goes on to unveil the secret mystery behind their sudden silence, teaching us along the way about such significant, historical figures as John the Bastard, Laura Lorenzini, the centenarian Cristaldi the Pickle, Enrico Caruso, Porky XII, the Great Sorrento, the Queen of Corsica-and, of course, the one and only Luigi, the ace gondolier with the goony smile.