60 STORIES OF EARTH AND SKY 



" Please, Mooney, how large are you yourself ? " 



"Nearly fifty times less than the Earth, my 

 mother." 



" Oh dear, it gets worse and worse. Don't tell 

 me any more figures, but only the names of the 

 planets and which have moons." 



" Very well listen ! Mercury is the name of 

 the smallest; he runs nearest to the Sun; he has no 

 moon children; neither has Venus, who comes 

 next ; she is really the beauty of Skyland. We 

 all admire her greatly, and she seems to know it. 

 You yourself may often see her in the west of an 

 evening after sunset, smiling both to the setting 

 Sun and to me. I do not smile my brightest at 

 you until after the Sun is well out of sight, for no 

 moon may shine brightly upon its earth until 

 after the Sun has set." 



" What makes sunset, please ? " interrupted 

 Anne. 



"As the Earth turns on its axle, the part you 

 are standing on turns its back on the Sun." 



" Then the Sun is there all the time ? " 



" Certainly ; a part of the Earth turns away, 

 goes into the shadow of itself, that is all." 



" What planet runs beyond Venus ? " 



" The Earth, with me for her only moon child. 

 Beyond her comes Mars, fiery and warlike* though 



