The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire

Long, long time ago,

when little blinky lights in big darkness even more shiny,

when great light circle real smooth,

not pockety like now,

when whole world very different,

back then, there no three-horn,

no longneck,

not even sharptooth!

No, only one type animal,

who fill sky with mighty screech and big floppy sound.

This most smart, most brave,

most handsome creature to ever rule world!

The flyers!

What?

Hold it right there!

That's not even close to the way it happened.

Is too.

Says who?

My Uncle Pterano, that who.

He tell me all about it when me just nesting.

Well, he told you wrong.

I did not know you had an uncle.

Well, um...

That because he go away when we all babies.

Go away? Ha!

You mean he was sent away.

My father once told me that the grown-ups kicked your uncle out of the herd.

Wow. What did he do?

Uh, I forget that part.

But I do remember it was pretty awful.

Ha!

Lookee!

Who are they?

Far Walkers.

Grandpa said we were coming into the wandering time.

Where are they wandering from?

Away from the cold lands, looking for food.

They know they can rest here, and then go on their way.

Yeah.

With a belly full of our tree stars.

Only if you not eat them all first.

What did you say?

I say, "Oh, gee! That sure be the worst."

Littlefoot! Littlefoot!

Littlefoot, that is your grandma calling.

Huh?

Ducky!

Spike!

Let us go home, Spike.

Cera! Time for bed. Huh?

We better go.

A world run by flyers. Ha!

Was too! Was not!

Was too! Was not!

Was too. Was not!

Littlefoot! Huh?

Littlefoot!

Um... Coming!

Ow!

Huh?

Whoa!

Grandpa! Grandma! Did you see it?

Wasn't that amazing?

Wasn't what amazing, Littlefoot?

The way that thing flew across the sky!

And that light, and that noise. And...

You didn't see any of it?

Littlefoot, we need to talk.

Okay.

About what?

About what you saw last night.

You see, dear, word has gotten around.

And it's made some of our guests a bit, well, upset.

Upset?

That's putting it mildly.

There's no reason to get all huffy.

Bah, yourself!

Littlefoot,

why don't you tell everyone exactly what you saw.

Well, I saw a flying rock.

There, you see?

Nothing unusual about a flying rock. We've all seen them.

Yeah, but this one was different.

Oh...

Well, it flew real low,

and it shined like the bright circle, only blue.

And it made a crackling sound, like fire in the trees.

Look here. Nobody else saw this thing. How do you explain that?

I don't know.

I guess everybody else was asleep.

You believe me, don't you, Grandpa?

Of course I believe you, Littlefoot.

But...

But what?

But perhaps you saw a flying rock that only seemed different.

Perhaps you were still a little sleepy.

Or maybe it was something you saw in a dream. Isn't that also possible?

Well, I...

I guess so. Only...

It's always like this, isn't it?

Yes, if they don't see it with their own eyes, it doesn't exist.

What limited thinking.

I beg your pardon?

As well you should.

I mean, what if the little longneck did

see something extraordinary?

Miraculous!

Impossible.

Really?

Have you really seen all there is to see?

Are there no mysteries left for you?

Well... No.

Ah! Then why do you call the Mysterious Beyond "mysterious"?

Why not the "Boring Beyond"?

Or the "Ooh, Nothing Out Here Of Any Interest To Us Beyond"?

Don't you ever wonder what's out there?

* Beyond the Mysterious Beyond

* Out past the smallest light that's twinkling

* You cannot even have an inkling

* Of what is going on

For example, there's this enormous black...

* Beyond the Mysterious Beyond

* Out where the darkness is the scariest

* Out where the wonders are the rariest

* Past the edge of dawn

* There's so much more to everything

* Than anyone supposes

* The answers lie inside your dreams

* And underneath your noses

* Beyond this Mysterious Beyond

* They act like they really think they know it all

* That I won't believe it till they show it all

* I trust what my eyes can see

* Not some dumb beyond

Friends of yours?

Uh, not really.

They joined up with us some time ago.

Always asking questions, talking in riddles.

Harmless, I think,

but, well, they are a bit strange.

You're all a bit strange, if you ask me.

* Beyond the Mysterious Beyond

* Think of the things that we could see there

* Oh, how I wish that we could be there

* All of my friends and me

* If stars can fall and rocks can fly

* And mountains catch on fire

* We can set our sights beyond the sky

* Or maybe even higher

* Beyond the Mysterious Beyond

* Trust in your own imagination

Huh.

* You are a part of the creation

* Of all that lies beyond

* The Mysterious Beyond

* The Mysterious Beyond

* Beyond

I'm sorry, but what are you saying?

We're saying, what if this was no ordinary flying rock?

What if it was, for example, a stone of cold fire?

What does the Rainbow Face mean?

What is a stone of cold fire?

Glad you asked.

Some say that these stones can shine light without heat.

Some believe they can give powers far beyond our comprehension,

heal the sick and other miracles.

Then again, still others believe that such stones

are a message.

What kind of message?

A message from beyond the Mysterious Beyond.

Quiet!

You're not from around here, are you?

You might say that.

Then let me tell you how things work in these parts.

Oh, please do!

This should be fascinating.

First, a flying rock is a flying rock.

Second, fire can't be cold.

And third, there is nothing beyond the Mysterious Beyond.

You're sure?

Yes. And I'm also sure I don't want any raving Rainbow Faces

filling our young ones' heads with rubbish.

Please? I know where it fell.

We could go find it and... No.

The Smoking Mountains are far away in the Mysterious Beyond.

Totally off-limits.

There are sharpteeth and fire pits.

And that's that.

But... I'm sorry, Littlefoot,

but until the Far Walkers leave the valley,

it might be better if we didn't make any more fuss about that flying rock.

All right?

Yes, Grandpa.

Of course, you can always talk to me about it.

I am curious about such things, you know.

I know, Grandpa.

So, what do you think it was?

Well, that's hard to say.

My turn! My turn!

How come you not play?