In a month or a year they travelled and in it they discovered many new and old plants that could enhance the healing from Sheba’s medicament store. But in all that time they not found a solution to the disappearing of the Sphinx. Until the Sphinx came passing upset.
One day travelling, Sheba mused, Is it that I have not seen it, or is it a thing that I have never seen you eat?
Well, said the Sphinx, when I was young, I did eat anything and everything, but soon I am became only to stone for a few thousand years. When and if I am returned to liveliness, I never really got back the taste for eating. So, no I don’t eat these days.
That then is perhaps a saving of the situation. I shall give you an emetic and see if you can vomit these berries back out.
The Sphinx swallowed the vomit fruit and then vomited out the vomit fruit with the berries as well.
Instantly the Sphinx appeared again, as all should see.
How is my tail looking? She asked, looking back along her back a long towards the end, as the tail made swishing.
Just fine, said Sheba, now we know all we must about these berries from the Stony Ground and can then into my store enhance.
But first they must pass through the jungle lands, where even the stones were green with plants and the growing went on from the lowest to the highest top trees.
What medicines or other shall we find in this green region? asked the Sphinx, occasionally looking back to see if her tail was still visible. It seems that hereabouts all the plants are plants.
I don’t know what you mean by that, said Sheba, we shall be collecting all the poisons of the tree frogs here which live in the cups of great flowers that cling to the elder trees. We must be climbing and asking the frogs for a little cooperation.
I am not built for the tree climb, said the Sphinx in pensive mode, perchance a time has come to use the magic carpets that I have been carrying these last months or years. Also, I am not built for asking, so I shall be taking.
I do not believe in magic carpets at all, indeed magic, like religion, to me is another word for superstition, said Sheba, and please don’t hurt any frogs.
Fine, said the Sphinx, just get onto this electric hovering mat and off we go, up to discuss terms with the Arrow Frogs.
Up into the tree high places they went, each to a place where a great epiphyte flower was holding a small pool of rainwater. In each pool there lived a frog and upon each frog a poison.
Sheba addresses a frog, Oh dauntless Frog of the high canopy, mighty art thou in thy pooly kingdom, wise in the ways of frogs and lethal to the touch. May I in all humbleness come to take sample of your marvelous defensive poison.
No, replied the Frog, not unless you might pay me a million dollars.
What are these dollars? asked Sheba, and why shall two million be too many or none too few?
Well, I feel that I should be bargaining for my services, also I saw someone say this on television, said the Frog. Really, I would be quite prepared to give you some of my fine poison, if you could but transport me to a larger flower, in a fancier location. Its location, location, location with us frogs, every frog believes in a higher flower.
That is a bargain that I can complete, said Sheba. She relocated the frog to a living space of its choice and in return became the guardian of a precious vial of Arrow Frog poison.
The Sphinx addressed a frog high canopy. Give me your poison now or I will tear down your world, she said, tipping the edge of the Frog’s leaf dangerously low.
No, said the frog and if you use force, I will paint you with said poison and in turn you will know how it is to suffer.
You cannot touch me, said the Sphinx, I was all through stone, like a stick of rock, for a thousand years, give or take. I am of the impervious few.
Well said the frog if you are willing to take the risk, have at it. But I warn you that you are looking very flesh and bloody to me.
The Sphinx, having recently experienced the ill effects of the invisibility berries gave pause, I shall not test your poison this now, let us then find another bargain.
If you can sing me a song that your mother, the Djinn, sung to you all those years ago when you were a kitten upon her knee, then I shall give you a sample of my bounty. Said the Frog.
The Sphinx sang a song of Djinn words so beautiful that the frog cried and its pool of water o’er flowed the great flower wherein its pool lay.
I will give you this poison and you must never sing that song to me again.
Now that Sheba and the Sphinx had complete of search, then they must to the Great City of Az for to meet up with the Blue Woman Knight and her new born Knight
The Sphinx said as they travelled, I think that I am in love with you. You are the only being that I have ever met that has not marvelled at my tail. Will you be my partner until the end of time.
OK, said Sheba.
The Guardians of the Cave 