All the west was very red with the sunset, and the river was red too, and Jack distinctly saw some of the coils of rope glide down from the trees and slip into the water; next he saw the stones that had looked like sheep raise up their heads in the twilight, and then lift themselves and shake their woolly sides. At that instant the large white moon heaved up her pale face between two dark blue hills, and upon this the statue put out its feet and gently rocked the cradle.
Then it spoke again to Mopsa: “What was it that you wished me to tell you?”
“How to find the way over those purple mountains,” said Mopsa.
“You must set off in an hour, then,” said the woman, and she had hardly anything of the stone about her now. “You can easily find it by night without any guide, but nothing can ever take you to it by day.”
“But we would rather stay a few days in this curious country,” said Jack; “let us wait at least till to-morrow night.”
The statue at this moment rubbed her hands together as if they still felt cold and stiff.
“You are quite welcome to stay,” she observed; “but you had better not.”
“Why not?” persisted Jack.
“Father,” said the woman, rising and shaking the figure next to her by the sleeve, “Wake up!” What had looked like an old man was a real old man now, and he got up and began to gather sticks to make a fire, and to pick up the little brown stones which had been scattered about all day, but which now were berries of coffee; the larger ones, which you might find here and there, were rasped rolls. Then the woman answered Jack, “Why not? Why, because it’s full moon to-night at midnight, and the moment the moon is past the full your Queen, whose country you have just left, will be able to cross over the little stream, and she will want to take you and that other mortal back. She can do it, of course, if she pleases; and we can afford you no protection, for by that time we shall be stones again. We are only people two hours out of the twenty-four.”
“That is very hard,” observed Jack.