"If you want to go into the world, I'm afraid I will have to ask you not to."
"What? Not to what?"
"Want to go into the world."
"Why?"
"Because," replied the door keeper, "It is a very stupid thing to do."
"In what way?"
"Well, because. Everyone in the world wants out and will leave eventually so going in is simply counter productive."
"You see?" interrupted Moana, "I knew there was nothing to see in the world. Now let's go home!"
"Oh, I never said there was nothing to see. There's plenty to see."
"Then let's go!"
"Well, I suppose I asked you kindly enough. Now you just need to solve my riddle."
"Your riddle?" Kiri scowled. "You never mentioned a riddle before."
"A riddle?" asked Moana, brightening considerably. A riddle had never been told on the island that he could not answer and eventually the old man and Kiri had given up asking them.
"Yes, a riddle. And if you cannot answer it, you cannot pass. And if you cannot pass, you will never be able to escape this place."
"Yeah, right. How long will you be able to stand up to our nagging, huh? You'll have to let us go eventually, or you'll go mad."
"No, because if you get my riddle wrong, I will be free."
"Then who will keep the door?" she asked, a feeling of dread creeping up her spine.
"You will. You two will become the new door keepers."
The mouth twisted into a wide, cruel grin, straining the stitches terribly. Something like a giggle escaped through trembling lips, morphing part way into a long, hissing snicker. As one, Kiri and Moana shuddered.
"Well?"
"Let's hear it."
"What walks on four legs--"
"Man." said Moana, promptly.
"I'm not done. What walks on four legs in the morning--"
"Man!"
The mouth glared as no mouth should be able to.
"What? Not to what?"
"Want to go into the world."
"Why?"
"Because," replied the door keeper, "It is a very stupid thing to do."
"In what way?"
"Well, because. Everyone in the world wants out and will leave eventually so going in is simply counter productive."
"You see?" interrupted Moana, "I knew there was nothing to see in the world. Now let's go home!"
"Oh, I never said there was nothing to see. There's plenty to see."
"Then let's go!"
"Well, I suppose I asked you kindly enough. Now you just need to solve my riddle."
"Your riddle?" Kiri scowled. "You never mentioned a riddle before."
"A riddle?" asked Moana, brightening considerably. A riddle had never been told on the island that he could not answer and eventually the old man and Kiri had given up asking them.
"Yes, a riddle. And if you cannot answer it, you cannot pass. And if you cannot pass, you will never be able to escape this place."
"Yeah, right. How long will you be able to stand up to our nagging, huh? You'll have to let us go eventually, or you'll go mad."
"No, because if you get my riddle wrong, I will be free."
"Then who will keep the door?" she asked, a feeling of dread creeping up her spine.
"You will. You two will become the new door keepers."
The mouth twisted into a wide, cruel grin, straining the stitches terribly. Something like a giggle escaped through trembling lips, morphing part way into a long, hissing snicker. As one, Kiri and Moana shuddered.
"Well?"
"Let's hear it."
"What walks on four legs--"
"Man." said Moana, promptly.
"I'm not done. What walks on four legs in the morning--"
"Man!"
The mouth glared as no mouth should be able to.
