Why did the stone /burn/?

(yay 500th topic on General Discussion!!!)

You know how the stone burns and becomes hot as Mrs. Brisby holds it? Was that supposed to be a test of Mrs. Brisby's courage?

If so, personally I don't think that's a good way to test courage :P

Did anyone interpret the burning of the stone differently? Is it not as important as I've thought it was for the past 3 years?

That's what happens when you mess with powers you don't even understand, I would say.

IMO, to have something capable of such fantastic power as the stone and not give off some heat would be unnatural. Think of the sun... It's a few million light years from earth yet we still feel the effects of it's energy output in the form of heat. Closer to home, think of our bodies and the activities we put them through. Each and every one of those activities results in the expenditure of energy which iin turn results in heat to varying degrees depending on just how demanding that activity may be.
I hope that this clears things up for you.

PEACE :)
NIMHmaniac

I'd be willing to bet that if the Stone obeyed thermodynamics, then the act of moving the cinder block would've generated enough waste heat to fry the unfortunate Mrs. Brisby. The energy required to lift a (perhaps 5kg?) cinder block seems small to us, but it sure wouldn't be to a mouse.

A great point Arrow, the stone at most times seemed inert and as the movie said "it sleeps", Mrs Bisby`s heart and dire need awoke such a power that at first grasp was like white hot power until she (not knowing) controlled it or it her to save her children, Just my outlook on this.

This was one of the most biggest parts in the movie you will not ever read in the book.
To me makes the book another great source of the on going tale :)

Almost reminds me of an Egyptian myth. Ra presented Osiris with a crown that burnt whoever wore it as a test of wether or not the wearer was worthy of ruling Egypt.

I think it was said in some circles that a ruby (red stone) was endowed with a 'fiery spark from the planet Venus, one which would still burn long after the earth had turned to dust'. This could be symbolic of Jonathan and Mrs. Brisby's eternal and undying love, since Jonathan 'meant it for her'.

As the stone requires courage of the heart to operate, and it fell off of Brisby's neck, perhaps it was also testing her in conjunction with Nicodemus's spirit, which seemed to be temporarily present as it floated from the mud back to her, to make sure she really had the needed energy built up inside her to do what she had to do, in order to save her family through its use.

Notice how she collapsed afterwards, a testament to its energy drain.