"These are oaks.

But what is that water, and how far we are out of our reckoning the Lord only knows!" As he spoke he pushed his horse through the tall reeds to the bank of the stream.

Here in the open, away from the shadow of the trees, the full moon had changed the night-time into a wonderful, silver day.

Narrow above and belows the stream widened before him into a fairy basin, rimmed with reeds, unruffled, crystal-clear, stiller than a dream.

The trees that grew upon the farther side were faint gray clouds in the moonlight, and the gold of the fireflies was very pale.