JOURNEY TO THE SUN AND THE MOON 07

valley and dense forest, until he came to a land where
there was no drinking water. The inhabitants, when they
heard the object of Jean’s journey, begged him to ask the
Sun and Moon why a well, that was the chief water supply
of the district, no longer gave good water. Jean promised
to do so, and resumed his journey.

After long and weary wanderings he reached the Sun’s
abode, and found him about to start on his travels.

“O Sun,” said he, “stop one moment, do not depart
without first answering a few questions.”

“Be quick then and speak, for I have to go all round
the world to-day.”

“Pray tell me why you do not warm or light the earth
by night as well as day?”

“For this simple reason, that if I did, the world and
everything upon it would be very soon burnt up.”

Jean then put his questions concerning the pear-tree and
the well. But the Sun replied that his sister, the Moon,
would be able to answer him on those points.

Hardly had the Sun finished speaking before he was
obliged to hurry off, and Jean travelled far and fast to meet
the Moon. On coming up to her he said, ‘“‘Would you
kindly stop one moment? there are a few questions I should
like to ask you.”

“Very well, be quick, for the earth is waiting for me,”
answered she, and stood still at once.

“Tell me, dear Moon, why you do not light the world by
day as well as by night? And why you never warm it?”

“ Because if I lit up the world by day as well as by night

the plants would produce neither fruit nor flower. And
G