Chapter Five Summary

The second poem is just as confusing as the first. It reads, "Until dawn comes we cannot speak. No words can come from these sad beaks" (p. 87). The Baudelaires simply cannot understand how the second poem arrived. They had been watching the tree all night and there was no sign of movement. There is also no way that the second poem had been missed the day before, as they had searched tirelessly around the tree for further clues. Violet is extremely frustrated: why is her friend speaking in riddles? If she has the ability to send notes to them, why not just tell the Baudelaires where they are being held?

Hector is anxious to help the children figure out the puzzle, but it is dawn and they must begin their daily chores. Certainly the riddles are more important than trimming hedges...