ing, and
then dying away with a sob, till the marshes were full of this pitiful
crying sound; then she heard steps floundering along, squishing in the
mud and slipping on the tufts, and through the darkness she saw a white
face with great feared eyes.

'T was a man strayed in the bogs. Mazed with fear he struggled on toward
the flickering light that looked like help and safety. And when the
poor Moon saw that he was coming nigher and nigher to the deep hole,
further and further from the path, she was so mad and so sorry that she
struggled and fought and pulled harder than ever. And though she
couldn't get loose, she twisted and turned, till her black hood fell
back off her shining yellow hair, and the beautiful light that came from
it drove away the darkness.

Oh, but the man cried with joy to see the light again. And at once all
evil things fled back into the dark corners, for they cannot abide the
light. So he could see where he was, and where the path was, and how he
could get out of the marsh. And he was in such haste to get away from
the Quicks, and Bogles, and Things that dwelt there, that he scarce
looked at the brave light that came from the beautiful shining yellow
hair, streaming out over the black cloak and falling to the water at his
feet. And the Moon herself was so taken up with saving him, and with
rejoicing that he was back on the right path, that she clean forgot that
she needed help herself, and that she was held fast by the Black Snag.

So off he went; spent and gasping, and stumbling and sobbing with joy,
flying for his life out of the terrible bogs. Then it came over the
Moon, she would main like to go with him. So she pulled and fought as if
she were mad, till she fell on her knees, spent with tugging, at the
foot of the snag. And as she lay there, gasping for breath, the black
hood fell forward over her head. So out went the blessed light and back
came the darkness, with all its Evil Things, with a screech and a howl.
They came crowding round her, mocking and snatching and beating;
shrieking with rage and spite, and swearing and snarling, for they knew
her for their old enemy, that drove them back into the corners, and kept
them from working their wicked wills.

"Drat thee!" yelled the witch-bodies, "thou 'st spoiled our spells this
year agone!"

"And us thou sent'st to brood in the corners!" howled the Bogles.

And all the Things joined in with a great "Ho, ho!" till the very
tussocks shoo