THE MAN OF THE MOON 57 



nacs, is very important in the affairs of Mother 

 Earth." 



" Of course, I didn't think of that sort of 

 work. I mean that you did not help Heart of 

 Nature's garden to grow by making heat or 

 rain or anything of that sort." 



" No not exactly ; but I make a cool and 

 pleasant light at night for my namesake, the 

 Moon Moth, and his kin to see their pathways 

 to the Flower Market. I watch the Brother- 

 hood of Beasts upon their hunting trips, and I 

 paint magic pictures in cloud and earth and 

 water to give delight to Heart of Man. One 

 thing I do besides all this, a very important 

 thing, I help make the tides both rise and 

 fall. 



" The Earth tips as she turns daily on her axle 

 I mean axis and I, though cold and lifeless, 

 have still the power of drawing water toward me, 

 and twice a day it rushes and rolls up and twice 

 spreads back again." 



" Is it very important that the tides should go 

 up and down ? " asked Anne, incautiously. 



" Important ! If it was never high tide how 

 could the big ships that go dancing to and fro 

 across the water ever reach dry land ? They 

 would all stick fast in the mud. I wish you 



