Stony Ground

Sphinx came to Sheba upon a flying carpet. Where shall we travel more quick as well, she said.

It is of no use to me today, said Sheba, as I needs must scour the ground, as we go to discover those herbs which might hide there.

I shall carry these carpets for use at a future time. Spoke the Sphinx.

The pair of searchers now came to a place of stony ground where some plants might find a place to bury their roots and flourish whilst others that fell upon in the stony places and could not make a living there, growing frail. What manner of herbs and plants shall we be searching in this stony ground, asked the Sphinx, sitting with her tail curled around her mighty front claws.

Sheba, searching close by, replied, In the Stony ground we might observe the plants who benefit from a dry place, me thinks. But I know not the properties wherein they might join our bio-diverse store cupboard.

The Sphinx found a stone with a hole in it and told Sheba the believing that a whole other world lay through and it could be see.

I do not need another world, look here is a small bush with berries upon, I shall take some into my keeping and explore them, said Sheba.

As I am of virtual indestruct, then shall I eat some and tell you it’s being. So saying the Sphinx swallowed some berries and then disappeared to sight.

I am not feeling some effect that I can report, said the Sphinx’s voice from the air. I do not feel either better nor worse, so I think that you might pass over this worthless plant and look further on, upon the stony ground.

Um, OK, said Sheba, one thing though, which seems to have occurred since you ate the berries. You do seem to have disappeared to my sight and are now not at all visible, neither paws, nor tail, nor mane, nor visage, neither claws, nor fur, nor nose, nor ears.

You cannot see my tail at all? Asked the Sphinx, from a slightly different part of the air, sounding concerned.

Not even your tail, said Sheba.

Well, said the Sphinx, This then is a turn of an unexpected nature. Do you have about your medicament store some clever salve that might make me, or at least my tail, visible again?

In short, said Sheba, No.

This is then a sorry pass, it is of great importance that my tail should be seen, as it is of great beauty.

This, said Sheba, is what shall come to pass. If you go about the world in the state of unseen, then trouble will occur. You will stand upon some innocent with your great claws, or a vehicle will collide with you in accident. So, I shall ride upon your back when we are in the near and dear of others and I shall unleash my hair from its clever fixings to fall about you as a fine cloak, so that you yourself shall be made to clear to sight. In this we can travel safe to find some remedy, or salve or unguent that will restore your sight to us, if you see what I mean.

That I do, said the Sphinx, although it would help somewhat if you didn’t speak backwards. Come, cast your hair cloak about me and we shall ride in search of this remedy, thus my tail will be once more available for admiration and praise.

It’s not all about your tail you know, said Sheba,

I think you’ll find that it is, said the Sphinx

So, Sheba sat up high upon the back of the Sphinx and took her hair from out her clever hat which she always wore. Her hair flowed about the Sphinx to make a cloak for all her back and mane and face, except the eyes, and legs and tail so that the shape of the Sphinx once more could see.

And in this style, they set out once more.