THE COAL TO THE KINDLING WOOD 85 



" Jelly cake, where ? " said Waddles, starting up 

 suddenly and then looking foolish when he real- 

 ized his mistake. 



" This time was called the Carbon Time," l con- 

 tinued King Coal, " because during it the car- 

 bonic acid gas from the air was sucked up *by the 

 jungles and stored away. The air then became 

 pure, and higher animals appeared, according to 

 the Plan, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, like your 

 cows and horses, and finally came Heart of 

 Man. 



" Listen, House Child ; when this last Heart 

 came he dug in the earth's bosom and found 

 King Coal and gave him the magic touch that 

 let loose the sunshine stored away in days when 

 man was not, he alone had a use for King Coal, 

 who had cleared the air and made it fit to be 

 breathed by man. 



" Now put me on the grate, House Child, push 

 under the kindlings to give the magic touch, and 

 hear me sing the song of those old days that 

 is pent up within me." 



Anne carefully laid a few sticks on the red 



ashes and placed King Coal on top. The wood 



blazed and the lump settled, but still remained 



cold and black. She gave it a sharp blow with 



1 Carbonic era. 



