So she stooped forward as she stood on her step and kissed him, and her
tears fell on his cheek.
"Farewell," she said; and she turned and went up the steps into the
great hall. Jack gazed at her as she entered, and would fain have
followed, but could not stir, the great doors closed together again, and
he was left outside. Then he knew, without having been told, that he
should never enter them any more.
Suddenly he perceived that reeds were growing up between him and the
great doors, and he walked on among them toward the west. Then, as the
rosy sky turned gold color, all on a sudden he came to the edge of the
reed-bed and walked out upon a rising ground. Jack ran up it, looking
for the castle. At last he saw it, lying so far, so very far off that
all its clear outlines were lost; and very soon, as it grew dark, they
seemed to mingle with the shapes of the hill and the forest.
He looked up into the rosy sky, and held out his arms, and called:
"Come! Oh, come!" In a minute or two he saw a little black mark
overhead, a small speck, that grew larger and larger. In another instant
he saw a red light and a green light; then he heard the winnowing noise
of a bird's great wings, and suddenly the great white bird alighted at
his feet and said: "Here I am."
"I wish to go home," said Jack.
"That is well," answered the bird.
As Jack flew through the darkness he thought once again of the little
boy who looked just like himself, who lived in the far castle; and he
did not feel sure whether he himself was upon the back of the bird or
within the castle with Queen Mopsa. Then he fell asleep, and did not
dream at all, nor know anything more until the great bird woke him.
"Wake up, now, Jack," she said, "we are at home."
As they flew toward the earth Jack saw the church, and the wood, and his
father's house, which seemed to be starting up to meet him. In two
seconds he stepped down into the deep grass of his father's meadow.
"Good-by," said the great bird. "Make haste and run in, for the dews are
falling." And before he could ask her one question, or even thank her,
she made a wide sweep over the grass, beat her magnificent wings and
soared away.