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diff --git a/old/51995-0.txt b/old/51995-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 694d397..0000000 --- a/old/51995-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6700 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tanglewood Tales, by Nathaniel Hawthorne - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Tanglewood Tales - -Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne - -Illustrator: Virginia Frances Sterrett - -Release Date: May 3, 2016 [EBook #51995] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TANGLEWOOD TALES *** - - - - -Produced by Madeleine Fournier. Images made available by -the Internet Archive - - - - - -[Illustration] - - - Tanglewood Tales - - _by_ - - NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE - - _Illustrated by_ - - _Virginia Frances Sterrett_ - - - - The Penn Publishing Company - - Philadelphia - - - - - Copyright 1921 by - The Penn Publishing Company - - - - - -CONTENTS - - PAGE - -The Minotaur .................... 1 - -The Pygmies...................... 43 - -The Dragon's Teeth............... 73 - -Circe's Palace................... 117 - -The Pomegranate Seeds............ 161 - -The Golden Fleece................ 209 - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - -Cadmus beheld a female figure, wonderfully beautiful - -He tugged and toiled amain - -She whipped up the snakes and ascended high over the city - -"Thou hast slain the monster", cried Ariadne, clasping her hands - -He concluded that his dear son had been eaten by the Minotaur - -This giant and these pygmies were all brethren - -The giant gave them his brotherly kindness - -They were constantly at war with the cranes - -"Alas! my dear children", answered poor Queen Telephassa - -"Sacred Oracle of Delphi, wither shall I go"? - -This pitiless reptile had killed his poor companions - -At a distance he beheld stately towers - -The voyagers examined the web of cloth - -"Wretch"! cried Circe - -They brought along with them a great many beautiful shells - -So she peeped into the entrance of the cave - -They arrived at the sunniest spot in the world - -"I shall not touch it I assure you", said she - -"What shall I do"? said he - -"I am the king's daughter" - -At the appointed hour he met the beautiful Medea - -"What is it"? asked Jason - - - -[Illustration] - - -THE MINOTAUR - -In the old city of Trœzene, at the foot of a lofty mountain, there -lived, a very long time ago, a little boy named Theseus. His -grandfather, King Pittheus, was the sovereign of that country, and was -reckoned a very wise man; so that Theseus, being brought up in the -royal palace, and being naturally a bright lad, could hardly fail of -profiting by the old king's instructions. His mother's name was Æthra. -As for his father, the boy had never seen him. But, from his earliest -remembrance, Æthra used to go with little Theseus into a wood, and sit -down upon a moss-grown rock, which was deeply sunken into the earth. -Here she often talked with her son about his father, and said that he -was called Ægeus, and that he was a great king, and ruled over Attica, -and dwelt at Athens, which was as famous a city as any in the world. -Theseus was very fond of hearing about King Ægeus, and often asked his -good mother Æthra why he did not come and live with them at Trœzene. - -"Ah, my dear son," answered Æthra, with a sigh, "a monarch has his -people to take care of. The men and women over whom he rules are in the -place of children to him; and he can seldom spare time to love his own -children as other parents do. Your father will never be able to leave -his kingdom for the sake of seeing his little boy." - -"Well, but, dear mother," asked the boy, "why cannot I go to this -famous city of Athens, and tell King Ægeus that I am his son?" - -"That may happen by and by," said Æthra. "Be patient, and we shall see. -You are not yet big and strong enough to set out on such an errand." - -"And how soon shall I be strong enough?" Theseus persisted in inquiring. - -"You are but a tiny boy as yet," replied his mother. "See if you can -lift this rock on which we are sitting?" - -The little fellow had a great opinion of his own strength. So, grasping -the rough protuberances of the rock, he tugged and toiled amain, and -got himself quite out of breath, without being able to stir the heavy -stone. It seemed rooted into the ground. No wonder he could not move -it; for it would have taken all the force of a very strong man to lift -it out of its earthy bed. - -[Illustration: He tugged and toiled amain.] - -His mother stood looking on, with a sad kind of a smile on her lips and -in her eyes, to see the zealous and yet puny efforts of her little boy. -She could not help being sorrowful at finding him already so impatient -to begin his adventures in the world. - -"You see how it is, my dear Theseus," said she. "You must possess far -more strength than now before I can trust you to go to Athens, and -tell King Ægeus that you are his son. But when you can lift this rock, -and show me what is hidden beneath it, I promise you my permission to -depart." - -Often and often, after this, did Theseus ask his mother whether it -was yet time for him to go to Athens; and still his mother pointed -to the rock, and told him that for years to come, he could not be -strong enough to move it. And again and again the rosy-cheeked and -curly-headed boy would tug and strain at the huge mass of stone, -striving, child as he was, to do what a giant could hardly have done -without taking both of his great hands to the task. Meanwhile the rock -seemed to be sinking farther and farther into the ground. The moss grew -over it thicker and thicker, until at last it looked almost like a soft -green seat, with only a few gray knobs of granite peeping out. The -overhanging trees, also, shed their brown leaves upon it, as often as -the autumn came; and at its base grew ferns and wild flowers, some of -which crept quite over its surface. To all appearance, the rock was as -firmly fastened as any other portion of the earth's substance. - -But, difficult as the matter looked, Theseus was now growing up to be -such a vigorous youth, that, in his own opinion, the time would quickly -come when he might hope to get the upper hand of this ponderous lump of -stone. - -"Mother, I do believe it has started!" cried he, after one of his -attempts. "The earth around it is certainly a little cracked!" - -"No, no, child!" his mother hastily answered. "It is not possible -you can have moved it, such a boy as you still are!" Nor would she -be convinced, although Theseus showed her the place where he fancied -that the stem of a flower had been partly uprooted by the movement of -the rock. But Æthra sighed, and looked disquieted; for, no doubt, she -began to be conscious that her son was no longer a child, and that, -in a little while hence, she must send him forth among the perils and -troubles of the world. - -It was not more than a year afterwards when they were again sitting on -the moss-covered stone. Æthra had once more told him the oft-repeated -story of his father, and how gladly he would receive Theseus at his -stately palace, and how he would present him to his courtiers and the -people, and tell them that here was the heir of his dominions. The eyes -of Theseus glowed with enthusiasm, and he would hardly sit still to -hear his mother speak. - -"Dear mother Æthra," he exclaimed, "I never felt half so strong as now! -I am no longer a child, nor a boy, nor a mere youth. I feel myself a -man! It is now time to make one earnest trial to remove the stone." - -"Ah, my dearest Theseus," replied his mother, "not yet! not yet!" - -"Yes, mother," said he, resolutely, "the time has come." - -Then Theseus bent himself in good earnest to the task, and strained -every sinew, with manly strength and resolution. He put his whole brave -heart into the effort. He wrestled with the big and sluggish stone, -as if it had been a living enemy. He heaved, he lifted, he resolved -now to succeed, or else perish there, and let the rock be his monument -forever! Æthra stood gazing at him, and clasped her hands, partly with -a mother's pride, and partly with a mother's sorrow. The great rock -stirred! Yes, it was raised slowly from the bedded moss and earth, -uprooting the shrubs and flowers along with it, and was turned upon its -side. Theseus had conquered! - -While taking breath, he looked joyfully at his mother, and she smiled -upon him through her tears. - -"Yes, Theseus," she said, "the time has come and you must stay no -longer at my side! See what King Ægeus, your royal father, left for -you, beneath the stone, when he lifted it in his mighty arms, and laid -it on the spot whence you have now removed it." - -Theseus looked, and saw that the rock had been placed over another slab -of stone, containing a cavity within it; so that it somewhat resembled -a roughly-made chest or coffer, of which the upper mass had served as -the lid. Within the cavity lay a sword, with a golden hilt, and a pair -of sandals. - -"That was your father's sword," said Æthra, "and those were his -sandals. When he went to be king of Athens, he bade me treat you as -a child until you should prove yourself a man by lifting this heavy -stone. That task being accomplished, you are to put on his sandals, in -order to follow in your father's footsteps, and to gird on his sword, -so that you may fight giants and dragons, as King Ægeus did in his -youth." - -"I will set out for Athens this very day!" cried Theseus. - -But his mother persuaded him to stay a day or two longer, while she got -ready some necessary articles for the journey. When his grandfather, -the wise King Pittheus, heard that Theseus intended to present himself -at his father's palace, he earnestly advised him to get on board of -a vessel, and go by sea; because he might thus arrive within fifteen -miles of Athens, without either fatigue or danger. - -"The roads are very bad by land," quoth the venerable king; "and they -are terribly infested with robbers and monsters. A mere lad, like -Theseus, is not fit to be trusted on such a perilous journey, all by -himself. No, no; let him go by sea!" - -But when Theseus heard of robbers and monsters, he pricked up his -ears, and was so much the more eager to take the road along which they -were to be met with. On the third day, therefore, he bade a respectful -farewell to his grandfather, thanking him for all his kindness; and, -after affectionately embracing his mother, he set forth, with a good -many of her tears glistening on his cheeks, and some, if the truth must -be told, that had gushed out of his own eyes. But he let the sun and -wind dry them, and walked stoutly on, playing with the golden hilt of -his sword, and taking very manly strides in his father's sandals. - -I can tell you only a few of the adventures that befell Theseus on the -road to Athens. It is enough to say, that he quite cleared that part -of the country of the robbers, about whom King Pittheus had been so -much alarmed. One of these bad people was named Procrustes; and he was -indeed a terrible fellow, and had an ugly way of making fun of the poor -travellers who happened to fall into his clutches. In his cavern he had -a bed, on which, with great pretence of hospitality, he invited his -guests to lie down; but if they happened to be shorter than the bed, -this wicked villain stretched them out by main force; or, if they were -too tall, he lopped off their heads or feet, and laughed at what he -had done, as an excellent joke. Thus, however weary a man might be he -never liked to lie in the bed of Procrustes. Another of these robbers, -named Scinis, must likewise have been a very great scoundrel. He was in -the habit of flinging his victims off a high cliff into the sea; and, -in order to give him exactly his deserts, Theseus tossed him off the -very same place. But if you will believe me, the sea would not pollute -itself by receiving such a bad person into its bosom, neither would the -earth, having once got rid of him, consent to take him back; so that, -between the cliff and the sea, Scinis stuck fast in the air, which was -forced to bear the burden of his naughtiness. - -After these memorable deeds, Theseus heard of an enormous sow, which -ran wild, and was the terror of all the farmers round about; and, as he -did not consider himself above doing any good thing that came in his -way, he killed this monstrous creature, and gave the carcass to the -poor people for bacon. The great sow had been an awful beast, while -ramping about the woods and fields, but was a pleasant object enough -when cut up into joints, and smoking on I know not how many dinner -tables. - -Thus, by the time he reached his journey's end, Theseus had done many -valiant feats with his father's golden-hilted sword, and had gained -the renown of being one of the bravest young men of the day. His -fame travelled faster than he did, and reached Athens before him. As -he entered the city, he heard the inhabitants talking at the street -corners, and saying that Hercules was brave, and Jason too, and Castor -and Pollux likewise, but that Theseus, the son of their own king, would -turn out as great a hero as the best of them. Theseus took longer -strides on hearing this, and fancied himself sure of a magnificent -reception at his father's court, since he came thither with Fame to -blow her trumpet before him, and cry to King Ægeus, "Behold your son!" - -He little suspected, innocent youth that he was, that here, in this -very Athens, where his father reigned, a greater danger awaited him -than any which he had encountered on the road. Yet this was the truth. -You must understand that the father of Theseus, though not very old -in years, was almost worn out with the cares of government, and had -thus grown aged before his time. His nephews, not expecting him to -live a very great while, intended to get all the power of the kingdom -into their own hands. But when they heard that Theseus had arrived in -Athens, and learned what a gallant young man he was, they saw that -he would not be at all the kind of person to let them steal away his -father's crown and sceptre, which ought to be his own by right of -inheritance. Thus these bad-hearted nephews of King Ægeus, who were -the own cousins of Theseus, at once became his enemies. A still more -dangerous enemy was Medea, the wicked enchantress; for she was now the -king's wife, and wanted to give the kingdom to her son Medus, instead -of letting it be given to the son of Æthra, whom she hated. - -It so happened that the king's nephews met Theseus, and found out who -he was, just as he reached the entrance of the royal palace. With all -their evil designs against him, they pretended to be their cousin's -best friends, and expressed great joy at making his acquaintance. -They proposed to him that he should come into the king's presence as -a stranger, in order to try whether Ægeus would discover in the young -man's features any likeness either to himself or his mother Æthra, and -thus recognize him for a son. Theseus consented; for he fancied that -his father would know him in a moment, by the love that was in his -heart. But, while he waited at the door, the nephews ran and told King -Ægeus that a young man had arrived in Athens who, to their certain -knowledge, intended to put him to death, and get possession of his -royal crown. - -"And he is now waiting for admission to your majesty's presence," added -they. - -"Aha!" cried the old king, on hearing this. "Why, he must be a very -wicked young fellow indeed! Pray, what would you advise me to do with -him?" - -In reply to this question, the wicked Medea put in her word. As I -have already told you, she was a famous enchantress. According to -some stories, she was in the habit of boiling old people in a large -caldron, under pretence of making them young again; but King Ægeus, -I suppose, did not fancy such an uncomfortable way of growing young, -or perhaps was contented to be old, and therefore would never let -himself be popped into the caldron. If there were time to spare from -more important matters, I should be glad to tell you of Medea's fiery -chariot, drawn by winged dragons, in which the enchantress used often -to take an airing among the clouds. This chariot, in fact, was the -vehicle that first brought her to Athens, where she had done nothing -but mischief ever since her arrival. But these and many other wonders -must be left untold; and it is enough to say, that Medea, amongst a -thousand other bad things, knew how to prepare a poison, that was -instantly fatal to whomsoever might so much as touch it with his lips. - -So, when the king asked what he should do with Theseus, this naughty -woman had an answer ready at her tongue's end. - -"Leave that to me, please your majesty," she replied. "Only admit -this evil-minded young man to your presence, treat him civilly, and -invite him to drink a goblet of wine. Your majesty is well aware that -I sometimes amuse myself with distilling very powerful medicines. Here -is one of them in this small phial. As to what it is made of, that is -one of my secrets of state. Do but let me put a single drop into the -goblet, and let the young man taste it; and I will answer for it, he -shall quite lay aside the bad designs with which he comes hither." - -As she said this, Medea smiled; but, for all her smiling face, she -meant nothing less than to poison the poor innocent Theseus, before -his father's eyes. And King Ægeus, like most other kings, thought any -punishment mild enough for a person who was accused of plotting against -his life. He therefore made little or no objection to Medea's scheme, -and as soon as the poisonous wine was ready, gave orders that the young -stranger should be admitted into his presence. The goblet was set on a -table beside the king's throne; and a fly, meaning just to sip a little -from the brim, immediately tumbled into it, dead. Observing this, Medea -looked round at the nephews, and smiled again. - -When Theseus was ushered into the royal apartment, the only object -that he seemed to behold was the white-bearded old king. There he sat -on his magnificent throne, a dazzling crown on his head, and a scepter -in his hand. His aspect was stately and majestic, although his years -and infirmities weighed heavily upon him, as if each year were a lump -of lead, and each infirmity a ponderous stone, and all were bundled -up together, and laid upon his weary shoulders. The tears of both joy -and sorrow sprang into the young man's eyes; for he thought how sad -it was to see his dear father so infirm, and how sweet it would be to -support him with his own youthful strength, and to cheer him up with -the alacrity of his loving spirit. When a son takes his father into his -warm heart, it renews the old man's youth in a better way than by the -heat of Medea's magic caldron. And this was what Theseus resolved to -do. He could scarcely wait to see whether King Ægeus would recognize -him, so eager was he to throw himself into his arms. - -Advancing to the foot of the throne, he attempted to make a little -speech, which he had been thinking about, as he came up the stairs. -But he was almost choked by a great many tender feelings that gushed -out of his heart and swelled into his throat, all struggling to find -utterance together. And therefore, unless he could have laid his -full, overbrimming heart into the king's hand, poor Theseus knew not -what to do or say. The cunning Medea observed what was passing in the -young man's mind. She was more wicked at that moment than ever she had -been before; for (and it makes me tremble to tell you of it) she did -her worst to turn all this unspeakable love with which Theseus was -agitated, to his own ruin and destruction. - -"Does your majesty see his confusion?" she whispered in the king's ear. -"He is so conscious of guilt, that he trembles and cannot speak. The -wretch lives too long! Quick! offer him the wine!" - -Now King Ægeus had been gazing earnestly at the young stranger, as he -drew near the throne. There was something, he knew not what, either -the white brow, or in the fine expression of his mouth, or in his -beautiful and tender eyes, that made him indistinctly feel as if he had -seen this youth before; as if, indeed, he had trotted him on his knee -when a baby, and had beheld him growing to be a stalwart man, while he -himself grew old. But Medea guessed how the king felt, and would not -suffer him to yield to these natural sensibilities; although they were -the voice of his deepest heart, telling him, as plainly as it could -speak, that here was our dear son, and Æthra's son, coming to claim -him for a father. The enchantress again whispered in the king's ear, -and compelled him, by her witchcraft, to see everything under a false -aspect. - -He made up his mind, therefore, to let Theseus drink off the poisoned -wine. - -"Young man," said he, "you are welcome! I am proud to show hospitality -to so heroic a youth. Do me the favor to drink the contents of this -goblet. It is brimming over, as you see, with delicious wine, such as I -bestow only on those who are worthy of it! None is more worthy to quaff -it than yourself!" - -So saying, King Ægeus took the golden goblet from the table, and was -about to offer it to Theseus. But, partly through his infirmities, and -partly because it seemed so sad a thing to take away this young man's -life, however wicked he might be, and partly, no doubt, because his -heart was wiser than his head, and quaked within him at the thought -of what he was going to do--for all these reasons, the king's hand -trembled so much that a great deal of the wine slopped over. In order -to strengthen his purpose, and fearing lest the whole of the precious -poison should be wasted, one of his nephews now whispered to him,-- - -"Has your majesty any doubt of this stranger's guilt? There is the -very sword with which he meant to slay you. How sharp, and bright, and -terrible it is! Quick!--let him taste the wine; or perhaps he may do -the deed even yet." - -At these words, Ægeus drove every thought and feeling out of his -breast, except the one idea of how justly the young man deserved to be -put to death. He sat erect on his throne, and held out the goblet with -a steady hand, and bent on Theseus a frown of kingly severity; for, -after all, he had too noble a spirit to murder even a treacherous enemy -with a deceitful smile upon his face. - -"Drink!" said he, in the stem tone with which he was wont to condemn -a criminal to be beheaded. "You have well deserved of me such wine as -this!" - -Theseus held out his hand to take the wine. But, before he touched it, -King Ægeus trembled again. His eyes had fallen on the gold-hilted sword -that hung at the young man's side. He drew back the goblet. - -"That sword!" he exclaimed; "how came you by it?" - -"It was my father's sword," replied Theseus, with a tremulous voice. -"These were his sandals. My dear mother (her name is Æthra) told me -his story while I was yet a little child. But it is only a month since -I grew strong enough to lift the heavy stone, and take the sword and -sandals from beneath it, and come to Athens to seek my father." - -"My son! my son!" cried King Ægeus, flinging away the fatal goblet, and -tottering down from the throne to fall into the arms of Theseus. "Yes, -these are Æthra's eyes. It is my son." - -[Illustration: SHE WHIPPED UP THE SNAKES AND ASCENDED HIGH OVER THE -CITY] - -I have quite forgotten what became of the king's nephews. But when -the wicked Medea saw this new turn of affairs, she hurried out of -the room, and going to her private chamber, lost no time in setting -her enchantments at work. In a few moments, she heard a great noise -of hissing snakes outside of the chamber window; and, behold! there -was her fiery chariot, and four huge winged serpents, wriggling and -twisting in the air, flourishing their tails higher than the top of the -palace, and all ready to set off on an aerial journey. Medea staid only -long enough to take her son with her, and to steal the crown jewels, -together with the king's best robes, and whatever other valuable things -she could lay hands on; and getting into the chariot, she whipped up -the snakes, and ascended high over the city. - -The king, hearing the hiss of the serpents, scrambled as fast as he -could to the window, and bawled out to the abominable enchantress -never to come back. The whole people of Athens, too, who had run out -of doors to see this wonderful spectacle, set up a shout of joy at -the prospect of getting rid of her. Medea, almost bursting with rage, -uttered precisely such a hiss as one of her own snakes, only ten times -more venomous and spiteful; and glaring fiercely out of the blaze of -the chariot, she shook her hands over the multitude below, as if she -were scattering a million curses among them. In so doing, however, -she unintentionally let fall about five hundred diamonds of the -first water, together with a thousand great pearls, and two thousand -emeralds, rubies, sapphires, opals, and topazes, to which she had -helped herself out of the king's strong box. All these came pelting -down, like a shower of many-colored hailstones, upon the heads of grown -people and children, who forthwith gathered them up, and carried them -back to the palace. But King Ægeus told them that they were welcome -to the whole, and to twice as many more, if he had them, for the sake -of his delight at finding his son, and losing the wicked Medea. And, -indeed, if you had seen how hateful was her last look, as the flaming -chariot flew upward, you would not have wondered that both king and -people should think her departure a good riddance. - -And now Prince Theseus was taken into great favor by his royal father. -The old king was never weary of having him sit beside him on his -throne, (which was quite wide enough for two,) and of hearing him tell -about his dear mother, and his childhood, and his many boyish efforts -to lift the ponderous stone. Theseus, however, was much too brave and -active a young man to be willing to spend all his time in relating -things which had already happened. His ambition was to perform other -and more heroic deeds, which should be better worth telling in prose -and verse. Nor had he been long in Athens before he caught and chained -a terrible mad bull, and made a public show of him, greatly to the -wonder and admiration of good King Ægeus and his subjects. But pretty -soon, he undertook an affair that made all his foregone adventures seem -like mere boy's play. The occasion of it was as follows:-- - -One morning, when Prince Theseus awoke, he fancied that he must have -had a very sorrowful dream, and that it was still running in his mind, -even now that his eyes were open. For it appeared as if the air was -full of a melancholy wail; and when he listened more attentively, -he could hear sobs, and groans, and screams of woe, mingled with -deep, quiet sighs, which came from the king's palace, and from the -streets, and from the temples, and from every habitation in the city. -And all these mournful noises, issuing out of thousands of separate -hearts, united themselves into one great sound of affliction, which -had startled Theseus from slumber. He put on his clothes as quickly -as he could, (not forgetting his sandals and gold-hilted sword,) and -hastening to the king, inquired what it all meant. - -"Alas! my son," quoth King Ægeus, heaving a long sigh, "here is a -very lamentable matter in hand! This is the woefulest anniversary in -the whole year. It is the day when we annually draw lots to see which -of the youths and maidens of Athens shall go to be devoured by the -horrible Minotaur!" - -"The Minotaur!" exclaimed Prince Theseus and like a brave young prince -as he was, he put his hand to the hilt of his sword. "What kind of a -monster may that be? Is it not possible, at the risk of one's life, to -slay him?" - -But King Ægeus shook his venerable head, and to convince Theseus that -it was quite a hopeless case, he gave him an explanation of the whole -affair. It seems that in the Island of Crete there lived a certain -dreadful monster, called a Minotaur, which was shaped partly like a -man and partly like a bull, and was altogether such a hideous sort of -a creature that it is really disagreeable to think of him. If he were -suffered to exist at all, it should have been on some desert island, -or in the duskiness of some deep cavern, where nobody would ever be -tormented by his abominable aspect. But King Minos, who reigned over -Crete, laid out a vast deal of money in building a habitation for -the Minotaur, and took great care of his health and comfort, merely -for mischief's sake. A few years before this time, there had been a -war between the city of Athens and the island of Crete, in which the -Athenians were beaten and compelled to beg for peace. No peace could -they obtain, however, except on condition that they should send seven -young men and seven maidens, every year, to be devoured by the pet -monster of the cruel King Minos. For three years past, this grievous -calamity had been borne. And the sobs, and groans, and shrieks, with -which the city was now filled, were caused by the people's woe, because -the fatal day had come again, when the fourteen victims were to be -chosen by lot; and the old people feared lest their sons or daughters -might be taken, and the youths and damsels dreaded lest they themselves -might be destined to glut the ravenous maw of that detestable man-brute. - -But when Theseus heard the story, he straightened himself up, so -that he seemed taller than ever before; and as for his face, it was -indignant, despiteful, bold, tender, and compassionate, all in one look. - -"Let the people of Athens, this year, draw lots for only six young men, -instead of seven," said he. "I will myself be the seventh; and let the -Minotaur devour me, if he can!" "O my dear son," cried King Ægeus, -"why should you expose yourself to this horrible fate? You are a royal -prince, and have a right to hold yourself above the destinies of common -men." - -"It is because I am a prince, your son, and the rightful heir of your -kingdom, that I freely take upon me the calamity of your subjects," -answered Theseus. "And you my father, being king over this people, and -answerable to Heaven for their welfare, are bound to sacrifice what is -dearest to you, rather than that the son or daughter of the poorest -citizen should come to any harm." - -The old king shed tears, and besought Theseus not to leave him desolate -in his old age, more especially as he had just begun to know the -happiness of possessing a good and valiant son. Theseus, however, -felt that he was in the right, and therefore would not give up his -resolution. But he assured his father that he did not intend to be -eaten up, unresistingly, like a sheep, and that, if the Minotaur -devoured him, it should not be without a battle for his dinner. And -finally, since he could not help it, King Ægeus consented to let -him go. So a vessel was got ready, and rigged with black sails; and -Theseus, with six other young men, and seven tender and beautiful -damsels, came down to the harbor to embark. A sorrowful multitude -accompanied them to the shore. There was the poor old king, too, -leaning on his son's arm, and looking as if his single heart held all -the grief of Athens. - -Just as Prince Theseus was going on board, his father bethought himself -of one last word to say. - -"My beloved son," said he, grasping the prince's hand, "you observe -that the sails of this vessel are black; as indeed they ought to be, -since it goes upon a voyage of sorrow and despair. Now, being weighed -down with infirmities, I know not whether I can survive till the -vessel shall return. But, as long as I do live, I shall creep daily -to the top of yonder cliff, to watch if there be a sail upon the sea. -And, dearest Theseus, if by some happy chance, you should escape the -jaws of the Minotaur, then tear down those dismal sails, and hoist -others that shall be bright as the sunshine. Beholding them on the -horizon, myself and all the people will know that you are coming back -victorious, and will welcome you with such a festal uproar as Athens -never heard before." Theseus promised that he would do so. Then, going -on board, the mariners trimmed the vessel's black sails to the wind, -which blew faintly off the shore, being pretty much made up of the -sighs that everybody kept pouring forth on this melancholy occasion. -But by and by, when they had got fairly out to sea, there came a stiff -breeze from the northwest, and drove them along as merrily over the -white-capped waves as if they had been going on the most delightful -errand imaginable. And though it was a sad business enough, I rather -question whether fourteen young people, without any old persons to keep -them in order, could continue to spend the whole time of the voyage in -being miserable. There had been some few dances upon the undulating -deck, I suspect, and some hearty bursts of laughter, and other such -unseasonable merriment among the victims, before the high, blue -mountains of Crete began to show themselves among the far-off clouds. -That sight, to be sure, made them all very grave again. - -Theseus stood among the sailors, gazing eagerly towards the land; -although, as yet, it seemed hardly more substantial than the clouds, -amidst which the mountains were looming up. Once or twice, he fancied -that he saw a glare of some bright object, a long way off, flinging a -gleam across the waves. - -"Did you see that flash of light?" he inquired of the master of the -vessel. - -"No, prince; but I have seen it before," answered the master. "It came -from Talus, I suppose." - -As the breeze came fresher just then, the master was busy with trimming -his sails, and had no more time to answer questions. But while the -vessel flew faster and faster towards Crete, Theseus was astonished to -behold a human figure, gigantic in size, which appeared to be striding, -with a measured movement, along the margin of the island. It stepped -from cliff to cliff, and sometimes from one headland to another, while -the sea foamed and thundered on the shore beneath, and dashed its -jets of spray over the giant's feet. What was still more remarkable, -whenever the sun shone on this huge figure, it flickered and glimmered; -its vast countenance, too, had a metallic lustre, and threw great -flashes of splendor through the air. The folds of its garments, -moreover, instead of waving in the wind, fell heavily over its limbs, -as if woven of some kind of metal. - -The nigher the vessel came, the more Theseus wondered what this immense -giant could be and whether it actually had life or no. For though it -walked, and made other lifelike motions, there yet was a kind of jerk -in its gait, which, together with its brazen aspect, caused the young -prince to suspect that it was no true giant, but only a wonderful -piece of machinery. The figure looked all the more terrible because it -carried an enormous brass club on its shoulder. - -"What is this wonder?" Theseus asked of the master of the vessel, who -was now at leisure to answer him. - -"It is Talus, the man of Brass," said the master. - -"And is he a live giant, or a brazen image?" asked Theseus. - -"That, truly," replied the master, "is the point which has always -perplexed me. Some say, indeed, that this Talus was hammered out for -King Minos by Vulcan himself, the skilfulest of all workers in metal. -But who ever saw a brazen image that had sense enough to walk round -an island three times a day, as this giant walks round the Island of -Crete, challenging every vessel that comes nigh the shore? And, on -the other hand, what living thing, unless his sinews were made of -brass, would not be weary of marching eighteen hundred miles in the -twenty-four hours, as Talus does, without ever sitting down to rest? He -is a puzzler, take him how you will." - -Still the vessel went bounding onward; and now Theseus could hear the -brazen clangor of the giant's footsteps, as he trod heavily upon the -sea-beaten rocks, some of which were seen to crack and crumble into the -foamy waves beneath his weight. As they approached the entrance of the -port, the giant straddled clear across it, with a foot firmly planted -on each headland, and uplifting his club to such a height that its -butt-end was hidden in a cloud, he stood in that formidable posture, -with the sun gleaming all over his metallic surface. There seemed -nothing else to be expected but that, the next moment, he would fetch -his great club down, slam bang, and smash the vessel into a thousand -pieces, without heeding how many innocent people he might destroy; for -there is seldom any mercy in a giant, you know, and quite as little in -a piece of brass clockwork. But just when Theseus and his companions -thought the blow was coming, the brazen lips unclosed themselves, and -the figure spoke. - -"Whence come you, strangers?" - -And when the ringing voice ceased, there was just such a reverberation -as you may have heard within a great church bell, for a moment or two -after the stroke of the hammer. - -"From Athens!" shouted the master in reply. - -"On what errand?" thundered the Man of Brass. - -And he whirled his club aloft more threateningly than ever, as if he -were about to smite them with a thunderstroke right amidships, because -Athens, so little while ago, had been at war with Crete. - -"We bring the seven youths and the seven maidens," answered the master, -"to be devoured by the Minotaur!" - -"Pass!" cried the brazen giant. - -That one loud word rolled all about the sky, while again there was a -booming reverberation within the figure's breast. The vessel glided -between the headlands of the port, and the giant resumed his march. In -a few moments, this wondrous sentinel was far away, flashing in the -distant sunshine, and revolving with immense strides around the Island -of Crete, as it was his never-ceasing task to do. - -No sooner had they entered the harbor than a party of the guards of -King Minos came down to the water side, and took charge of the fourteen -young men and damsels. Surrounded by these armed warriors, Prince -Theseus and his companions were led to the king's palace, and ushered -into his presence. Now, Minos was a stern and pitiless king. If the -figure that guarded Crete was made of brass, then the monarch, who -ruled over it, might be thought to have a still harder metal in his -breast, and might have been called a man of iron. He bent his shaggy -brows upon the poor Athenian victims. Any other mortal, beholding their -fresh and tender beauty, and their innocent looks, would have felt -himself sitting on thorns until he had made every soul of them happy, -by bidding them go free as the summer wind. But this immitigable Minos -cared only to examine whether they were plump enough to satisfy the -Minotaur's appetite. For my part, I wish he himself had been the only -victim; and the monster would have found him a pretty tough one. - -One after another, King Minos called these pale, frightened youths and -sobbing maidens to his footstool, gave them each a poke in the ribs -with his scepter, (to try whether they were in good flesh or no,) and -dismissed them with a nod to his guards. But when his eyes rested on -Theseus, the king looked at him more attentively, because his face was -calm and brave. - -"Young man," asked he, with his stern voice, "are you not appalled at -the certainty of being devoured by this terrible Minotaur?" - -"I have offered my life in a good cause," answered Theseus, "and -therefore I give it freely and gladly. But thou, King Minos, art thou -not thyself appalled, who, year after year, hast perpetrated this -dreadful wrong, by giving seven innocent youths and as many maidens -to be devoured by a monster? Dost thou not tremble, wicked king, to -turn thine eyes inward on thine own heart? Sitting there on thy golden -throne, and in thy robes of majesty, I tell thee to thy face, King -Minos, thou art a more hideous monster than the Minotaur himself!" - -"Aha! do you think me so?" cried the king, laughing in his cruel way. -"To-morrow, at breakfast time, you shall have an opportunity of judging -which is the greater monster, the Minotaur or the king! Take them away, -guards; and let this free-spoken youth be the Minotaur's first morsel!" - -Near the king's throne (though I had no time to tell you so before) -stood his daughter, Ariadne. She was a beautiful and tender-hearted -maiden, and looked at these poor doomed captives with very different -feelings from those of the ironbreasted King Minos. She really wept, -indeed, at the idea of how much human happiness would be needlessly -thrown away, by giving so many young people, in the first bloom and -rose blossom of their lives, to be eaten up by a creature who, no -doubt, would have preferred a fat ox, or even a large pig, to the -plumpest of them. And when she beheld the brave, spirited figure of -Prince Theseus bearing himself so calmly in his terrible peril, she -grew a hundred times more pitiful than before. As the guards were -taking him away, she flung herself at the king's feet, and besought him -to set all the captives free, and especially this one young man. - -"Peace, foolish girl!" answered King Minos. "What hast thou to do with -an affair like this? It is a matter of state policy, and therefore -quite beyond thy weak comprehension. Go water thy flowers, and think no -more of these Athenian caitiffs, whom the Minotaur shall as certainly -eat up for breakfast as I will eat a partridge for my supper." - -So saying, the king looked cruel enough to devour Theseus and all the -rest of the captives, himself, had there been no Minotaur to save him -the trouble. As he would hear not another word in their favor, the -prisoners were now led away, and clapped into a dungeon, where the -jailer advised them to go to sleep as soon as possible, because the -Minotaur was in the habit of calling for breakfast early. The seven -maidens and six of the young men soon sobbed themselves to slumber. But -Theseus was not like them. He felt conscious that he was wiser, and -braver, and stronger than his companions, and that therefore he had the -responsibility of all their lives upon him, and must consider whether -there was no way to save them, even in this last extremity. So he kept -himself awake, and paced to and fro across the gloomy dungeon in which -they were shut up. - -Just before midnight, the door was softly unbarred, and the gentle -Ariadne showed herself, with a torch in her hand. - -"Are you awake, Prince Theseus?" she whispered. - -"Yes," answered Theseus. "With so little time to live, I do not choose -to waste any of it in sleep." - -"Then follow me," said Ariadne, "and tread softly." - -What had become of the jailer and the guards, Theseus never knew. But, -however that might be, Ariadne opened all the doors, and led him forth -from the darksome prison into the pleasant moonlight. - -"Theseus," said the maiden, "you can now get on board your vessel, and -sail away for Athens." - -"No," answered the young man; "I will never leave Crete unless I can -first slay the Minotaur, and save my poor companions, and deliver -Athens from this cruel tribute." - -"I knew that this would be your resolution," said Ariadne. "Come, -then, with me, brave Theseus. Here is your own sword, which the guards -deprived you of. You will need it; and pray Heaven you may use it well." - -Then she led Theseus along by the hand until they came to a dark, -shadowy grove, where the moonlight wasted itself on the tops of the -trees, without shedding hardly so much as a glimmering beam upon their -pathway. After going a good way through this obscurity, they reached -a high, marble wall, which was overgrown with creeping plants, that -made it shaggy with their verdure. The wall seemed to have no door, nor -any windows, but rose up, lofty, and massive, and mysterious, and was -neither to be clambered over, nor, so far as Theseus could perceive, to -be passed through. Nevertheless, Ariadne did but press one of her soft -little fingers against a particular block of marble, and, though it -looked as solid as any other part of the wall, it yielded to her touch, -disclosing an entrance just wide enough to admit them. They crept -through, and the marble stone swung back into its place. - -"We are now," said Ariadne, "in the famous labyrinth which Dædalus -built before he made himself a pair of wings, and flew away from our -island like a bird. That Dædalus was a very cunning workman; but of -all his artful contrivances, this labyrinth is the most wondrous. Were -we to take but a few steps from the doorway, we might wander about all -our lifetime, and never find it again. Yet in the very center of this -labyrinth is the Minotaur; and, Theseus, you must go thither to seek -him. - -"But how shall I ever find him," asked Theseus, "if the labyrinth so -bewilders me as you say it will?" - -Just as he spoke, they heard a rough and very disagreeable roar, which -greatly resembled the lowing of a fierce bull, but yet had some sort of -sound like the human voice. Theseus even fancied a rude articulation in -it, as if the creature that uttered it were trying to shape his hoarse -breath into words. It was at some distance, however, and he really -could not tell whether it sounded most like a bull's roar or a man's -harsh voice. - -"That is the Minotaur's noise," whispered Ariadne, closely grasping the -hand of Theseus, and pressing one of her own hands to her heart, which -was all in a tremble. "You must follow that sound through the windings -of the labyrinth, and, by and by, you will find him. Stay! take the -end of this silken string; I will hold the other end; and then, if you -win the victory, it will lead you again to this spot. Farewell, brave -Theseus." - -So the young man took the end of the silken string in his left hand, -and his gold-hilted sword ready drawn from its scabbard, in the other, -and trod boldly into the inscrutable labyrinth. How this labyrinth was -built is more than I can tell you. But so cunningly contrived a mizmaze -was never seen in the world, before nor since. There can be nothing -else so intricate, unless it were the brain of a man like Dædalus, who -planned it, or the heart of any ordinary man; which last, to be sure, -is ten times as great a mystery as the labyrinth of Crete. Theseus -had not taken five steps before he lost sight of Ariadne; and in five -more his head was growing dizzy. But still he went on, now creeping -through a low arch, now ascending a flight of steps, now in one crooked -passage, and now in another, with here a door opening before him, and -there one banging behind, until it really seemed as if the walls spun -round, and whirled him along with them. And all the while, through -these hollow avenues, now nearer, now farther off again, resounded the -cry of the Minotaur; and the sound was so fierce, so cruel, so ugly, -so like a bull's roar, and withal so like a human voice, and yet like -neither of them, that the brave heart of Theseus grew sterner and -angrier at every step, for he felt it an insult to the moon and sky, -and to our affectionate and simple Mother Earth, that such a monster -should have the audacity to exist. - -As he passed onward, the clouds gathered over the moon, and the -labyrinth grew so dusky that Theseus could no longer discern the -bewilderment through which he was passing. He would have felt quite -lost, and utterly hopeless of ever again walking in a straight path, -if, every little while, he had not been conscious of a gentle twitch at -the silken cord. Then he knew that the tender-hearted Ariadne was still -holding the other end, and that she was fearing for him, and hoping -for him, and giving him just as much of her sympathy as if she were -close by his side. O, indeed, I can assure you, there was a vast deal -of human sympathy running along that slender thread of silk. But still -he followed the dreadful roar of the Minotaur, which now grew louder -and louder, and finally so very loud that Theseus fully expected to -come close upon him, at every new zigzag and wriggle of the path. And -at last, in an open space, at the very center of the labyrinth, he did -discern the hideous creature. - -Sure enough, what an ugly monster it was! Only his horned head belonged -to a bull; and yet, somehow or other, he looked like a bull all over, -preposterously waddling on his hind legs; or if you happened to view -him in another way, he seemed wholly a man, and all the more monstrous -for being so. And there he was, the wretched thing, with no society, no -companion, no kind of a mate, living only to do mischief, and incapable -of knowing what affection means. Theseus hated him, and shuddered at -him, and yet could not but be sensible of some sort of pity; and all -the more, the uglier and more detestable the creature was. For he kept -striding to and fro, in a solitary frenzy of rage, continually emitting -a hoarse roar, which was oddly mixed up with half-shaped words; and, -after listening a while, Theseus understood that the Minotaur was -saying to himself how miserable he was, and how hungry, and how he -hated everybody, and how he longed to eat up the human race alive. - -Ah, the bull-headed villain! And O, my good little people, you will -perhaps see, one of these days, as I do now, that every human being who -suffers anything evil to get into his nature, or to remain there, is a -kind of Minotaur, an enemy of his fellow-creatures, and separated from -all good companionship, as this poor monster was. - -Was Theseus afraid? By no means, my dear auditors. What! a hero like -Theseus afraid! Not had the Minotaur had twenty bull heads instead of -one. Bold as he was, however, I rather fancy that it strengthened his -valiant heart, just at this crisis, to feel a tremulous twitch at the -silken cord, which he was still holding in his left hand. It was as -if Ariadne were giving him all her might and courage; and, much as he -already had, and little as she had to give, it made his own seem twice -as much. And to confess the honest truth, he needed the whole; for now -the Minotaur, turning suddenly about, caught sight of Theseus, and -instantly lowered his horribly sharp horns, exactly as a mad bull does -when he means to rush against an enemy. At the same time, he belched -forth a tremendous roar, in which there was something like the words -of human language, but all disjointed and shaken to pieces by passing -through the gullet of a miserably enraged brute. - -Theseus could only guess what the creature intended to say, and that -rather by his gestures than his words; for the Minotaur's horns were -sharper than his wits, and of a great deal more service to him than his -tongue. But probably this was the sense of what he uttered:-- - -"Ah, wretch of a human being! I'll stick my horns through you, and toss -you fifty feet high, and eat you up the moment you come down." - -"Come on, then, and try it!" was all that Theseus deigned to reply; for -he was far too magnanimous to assault his enemy with insolent language. - -Without more words on either side, there ensued the most awful fight -between Theseus and the Minotaur that ever happened beneath the sun or -moon. I really know not how it might have turned out, if the monster, -in his first headlong rush against Theseus, had not missed him, by a -hair's breadth, and broken one of his horns short off against the stone -wall. On this mishap, he bellowed so intolerably that a part of the -labyrinth tumbled down, and all the inhabitants of Crete mistook the -noise for an uncommonly heavy thunder storm. Smarting with the pain, -he galloped around the open space in so ridiculous a way that Theseus -laughed at it, long afterwards, though not precisely at the moment. -After this, the two antagonists stood valiantly up to one another, and -fought, sword to horn, for a long while. At last, the Minotaur made a -run at Theseus, grazed his left side with his horn, and flung him down; -and thinking that he had stabbed him to the heart, he cut a great caper -in the air, opened his bull mouth from ear to ear, and prepared to -snap his head off. But Theseus by this time had leaped up, and caught -the monster off his guard. Fetching a sword stroke at him with all his -force, he hit him fair upon the neck, and made his bull head skip six -yards from his human body, which fell down flat upon the ground. - -[Illustration: "THOU HAST SLAIN THE MONSTER", CRIED ARIADNE, CLASPING -HER HANDS] - -So now the battle was ended. Immediately the moon shone out as brightly -as if all the troubles of the world, and all the wickedness and the -ugliness that infest human life, were past and gone forever. And -Theseus, as he leaned on his sword, taking breath, felt another twitch -of the silken cord; for all through the terrible encounter, he had held -it fast in his left hand. Eager to let Ariadne know of his success, -he followed the guidance of the thread, and soon found himself at the -entrance of the labyrinth. - -"Thou hast slain the monster," cried Ariadne, clasping her hands. - -"Thanks to thee, dear Ariadne," answered Theseus, "I return victorious." - -"Then," said Ariadne, "we must quickly summon thy friends, and get them -and thyself on board the vessel before dawn. If morning finds thee -here, my father will avenge the Minotaur." - -To make my story short, the poor captives were awakened, and, hardly -knowing whether it was not a joyful dream, were told of what Theseus -had done, and that they must set sail for Athens before daybreak. -Hastening down to the vessel, they all clambered on board, except -Prince Theseus, who lingered behind them, on the strand, holding -Ariadne's hand clasped in his own. - -"Dear maiden," said he, "thou wilt surely go with us. Thou art too -gentle and sweet a child for such an iron-hearted father as King Minos. -He cares no more for thee than a granite rock cares for the little -flower that grows in one of its crevices. But my father, King Ægeus, -and my mother, Æthra, and all the fathers and mothers in Athens, and -all the sons and daughters too, will love and honor thee as their -benefactress. Come with us, then; for King Minos will be very angry -when he knows what thou hast done." - -Now, some low-minded people, who pretend to tell the story of Theseus -and Ariadne, have the face to say that this royal and honorable maiden -did really flee away, under cover of the night, with the young stranger -whose life she had preserved. They say, too, that Prince Theseus (who -would have died sooner than wrong the meanest creature in the world) -ungratefully deserted Ariadne, on a solitary island, where the vessel -touched on its voyage to Athens. But, had the noble Theseus heard these -falsehoods, he would have served their slanderous authors as he served -the Minotaur! Here is what Ariadne answered, when the brave prince of -Athens besought her to accompany him:-- - -"No, Theseus," the maiden said, pressing his hand, and then drawing -back a step or two, "I cannot go with you. My father is old, and has -nobody but myself to love him. Hard as you think his heart is, it would -break to lose me. At first, King Minos will be angry; but he will soon -forgive his only child; and, by and by, he will rejoice, I know, that -no more youths and maidens must come from Athens to be devoured by the -Minotaur. I have saved you, Theseus, as much for my father's sake as -for your own. Farewell! Heaven bless you!" - -All this was so true, and so maiden-like, and was spoken with so sweet -a dignity, that Theseus would have blushed to urge her any longer. -Nothing remained for him, therefore, but to bid Ariadne an affectionate -farewell, and to go on board the vessel, and set sail. - -In a few moments the white foam was boiling up before their prow, -as Prince Theseus and his companions sailed out of the harbor, with -a whistling breeze behind them. Talus, the brazen giant, on his -never-ceasing sentinel's march, happened to be approaching that part of -the coast; and they saw him, by the glimmering of the moonbeams on his -polished surface, while he was yet a great way off. As the figure moved -like clockwork, however, and could neither hasten his enormous strides -nor retard them, he arrived at the port when they were just beyond the -reach of his club. Nevertheless, straddling from headland to headland, -as his custom was, Talus attempted to strike a blow at the vessel, and, -overreaching himself, tumbled full length into the sea, which splashed -high over his gigantic shape, as when an iceberg turns a somerset. -There he lies yet; and whoever desires to enrich himself by means of -brass had better go thither with a diving bell, and fish up Talus. - -On the homeward voyage, the fourteen youths and damsels were in -excellent spirits, as you will easily suppose. They spent most of their -time in dancing, unless when the sidelong breeze made the deck slope -too much. In due season, they came within sight of the coast of Attica, -which was their native country. But here, I am grieved to tell you, -happened a sad misfortune. - -You will remember (what Theseus unfortunately forgot) that his father, -King Ægeus, had enjoined upon him to hoist sunshiny sails, instead -of black ones, in case he should overcome the Minotaur, and return -victorious. In the joy of their success, however, and amidst the -sports, dancing, and other merriment, with which these young folks -wore away the time, they never once thought whether their sails were -black, white, or rainbow colored, and, indeed, left it entirely to the -mariners whether they had any sails at all. Thus the vessel returned, -like a raven, with the same sable wings that had wafted her away. But -poor King Ægeus, day after day, infirm as he was, had clambered to the -summit of a cliff that overhung the sea, and there sat watching for -Prince Theseus, homeward bound; and no sooner did he behold the fatal -blackness of the sails, than he concluded that his dear son, whom he -loved so much, and felt so proud of, had been eaten by the Minotaur. -He could not bear the thought of living any longer; so, first flinging -his crown and scepter into the sea, (useless baubles that they were to -him now!) King Ægeus merely stooped forward, and fell headlong over the -cliff, and was drowned, poor soul, in the waves that foamed at its base! - -[Illustration: He concluded that his dear son had been eaten by the -Minotaur.] - -This was melancholy news for Prince Theseus, who, when he stepped -ashore, found himself king of all the country, whether he would or no; -and such a turn of fortune was enough to make any young man feel very -much out of spirits. However, he sent for his dear mother to Athens, -and, by taking her advice in matters of state, became a very excellent -monarch, and was greatly beloved by his people. - -[Illustration] - - - -[Illustration] - - -THE PYGMIES - -A great while ago, when the world was full of wonders, there lived -an earth-born Giant, named Antæus, and a million or more of curious -little earth-born people, who were called Pygmies. This Giant and these -Pygmies being children of the same mother, (that is to say, our good -old Grandmother Earth,) were all brethren, and dwelt together in a very -friendly and affectionate manner, far, far off, in the middle of hot -Africa. The Pygmies were so small, and there were so many sandy deserts -and such high mountains between them and the rest of mankind, that -nobody could get a peep at them oftener than once in a hundred years. -As for the Giant, being of a very lofty stature, it was easy enough to -see him, but safest to keep out of his sight. - -Among the Pygmies, I suppose, if one of them grew to the height of -six or eight inches, he was reckoned a prodigiously tall man. It must -have been very pretty to behold their little cities, with streets two -or three feet wide, paved with the smallest pebbles, and bordered -by habitations about as big as a squirrel's cage. The king's palace -attained to the stupendous magnitude of Periwinkle's baby house, and -stood in the center of a spacious square, which could hardly have -been covered by our hearth rug. Their principal temple, or cathedral, -was as lofty as yonder bureau, and was looked upon as a wonderfully -sublime and magnificent edifice. All these structures were built -neither of stone nor wood. They were neatly plastered together by the -Pygmy workmen, pretty much like birds' nests, out of straw, feathers, -egg shells, and other small bits of stuff, with stiff clay instead of -mortar; and when the hot sun had dried them, they were just as snug and -comfortable as a Pygmy could desire. - -The country round about was conveniently laid out in fields, the -largest of which was nearly of the same extent as one of Sweet Fern's -flower beds. Here the Pygmies used to plant wheat and other kinds of -grain, which, when it grew up and ripened, overshadowed these tiny -people, as the pines, and the oaks, and the walnut and chestnut trees -overshadow you and me, when we walk in our own tracts of woodland. At -harvest time, they were forced to go with their little axes and cut -down the grain, exactly as a woodcutter makes a clearing in the forest; -and when a stalk of wheat, with its overburdened top, chanced to come -crashing down upon an unfortunate Pygmy, it was apt to be a very sad -affair. If it did not smash him all to pieces, at least, I am sure, it -must have made the poor little fellow's head ache. And O, my stars! -if the fathers and mothers were so small, what must the children and -babies have been? A whole family of them might have been put to bed in -a shoe, or have crept into an old glove, and played hide and seek in -its thumb and fingers. You might have hidden a year-old baby under a -thimble. - -Now these funny Pygmies, as I told you before, had a Giant for their -neighbor and brother, who was bigger, if possible, than they were -little. He was so very tall that he carried a pine tree, which was -eight feet through the butt, for a walking stick. It took a far-sighted -Pygmy, I can assure you, to discern his summit without the help of -a telescope; and sometimes, in misty weather, they could not see -his upper half, but only his long legs, which seemed to be striding -about by themselves. But at noonday, in a clear atmosphere, when the -sun shone brightly over him, the Giant Antæus presented a very grand -spectacle. There he used to stand, a perfect mountain of a man, with -his great countenance smiling down upon his little brothers, and his -one vast eye (which was as big as a cart wheel, and placed right in the -center of his forehead) giving a friendly wink to the whole nation at -once. - -[Illustration: This giant and these pygmies were all brethren.] - -The Pygmies loved to talk with Antæus; and fifty times a day, one or -another of them would turn up his head, and shout through the hollow -of his fists, "Halloo, brother Antæus! How are you, my good fellow?" -And when the small, distant squeak of their voices reached his ear, the -Giant would make answer, "Pretty well, brother Pygmy, I thank you," -in a thunderous roar that would have shaken down the walls of their -strongest temple, only that it came from so far aloft. - -It was a happy circumstance that Antæus was the Pygmy people's friend; -for there was more strength in his little finger than in ten million -of such bodies as theirs. If he had been as ill-natured to them as he -was to everybody else, he might have beaten down their biggest city at -one kick, and hardly have known that he did it. With the tornado of -his breath, he could have stripped the roofs from a hundred dwellings, -and sent thousands of the inhabitants whirling through the air. He -might have set his immense foot upon a multitude; and when he took -it up again, there would have been a pitiful sight, to be sure. But, -being the son of Mother Earth, as they likewise were, the Giant gave -them his brotherly kindness, and loved them with as big a love as it -was possible to feel for creatures so very small. And, on their parts, -the Pygmies loved Antæus with as much affection as their tiny hearts -could hold. He was always ready to do them any good offices that lay -in his power; as for example, when they wanted a breeze to turn their -wind mills, the Giant would set all the sails a-going with the mere -natural respiration of his lungs. When the sun was too hot, he often -sat himself down, and let his shadow fall over the kingdom, from one -frontier to the other; and as for matters in general, he was wise -enough to let them alone, and leave the Pygmies to manage their own -affairs--which, after all, is about the best thing that great people -can do for little ones. - -In short, as I said before, Antæus loved the Pygmies, and the Pygmies -loved Antæus. The Giant's life being as long as his body was large, -while the lifetime of a Pygmy was but a span, this friendly intercourse -had been going on for innumerable generations and ages. It was written -about in the Pygmy histories, and talked about in their ancient -traditions. The most venerable and white-bearded Pygmy had never heard -of a time even, in his greatest of grandfather's days, when the Giant -was not their enormous friend. Once, to be sure, (as was recorded on -an obelisk, three feet high, erected on the place of the catastrophe,) -Antæus sat down upon about five thousand Pygmies who were assembled -at a military review. But this was one of those unlucky accidents for -which nobody is to blame; so that the small folks never took it to -heart and only requested the Giant to be careful forever afterwards to -examine the acre of ground where he intended to squat himself. - -[Illustration: THE GIANT GAVE THEM HIS BROTHERLY KINDNESS] - -It is a very pleasant picture to imagine Antæus standing among the -Pygmies, like the spire of the tallest cathedral that ever was built, -while they ran about like pismires at his feet, and to think that, in -spite of their difference in size, there were affection and sympathy -between them and him! Indeed, it has always seemed to me that the Giant -needed the little people more than the Pygmies needed the Giant. For, -unless they had been his neighbors and well wishers, and, as we may -say, his playfellows, Antæus would not have had a single friend in the -world. No other being like himself had ever been created. No creature -of his own size had ever talked with him, in thunder-like accents, -face to face. When he stood with his head among the clouds, he was -quite alone, and had been so for hundreds of years, and would be so -forever. Even if he had met another Giant, Antæus would have fancied -the world not big enough for two such vast personages, and, instead of -being friends with him, would have fought him till one of the two was -killed. But with the Pygmies he was the most sportive, and humorous, -and merry-hearted, and sweet-tempered old Giant that ever washed his -face in a wet cloud. - -His little friends, like all other small people, had a great opinion -of their own importance, and used to assume quite a patronizing air -towards the giant. - -"Poor creature!" they said one to another. "He has a very dull time of -it, all by himself; and we ought not to grudge wasting a little of our -precious time to amuse him. He is not half so bright as we are, to be -sure; and, for that reason, he needs us to look after his comfort and -happiness. Let us be kind to the old fellow. Why, if Mother Earth had -not been very kind to ourselves, we might all have been Giants too." - -On all their holidays, the Pygmies had excellent sport with Antæus. -He often stretched himself out at full length on the ground, where he -looked like the long ridge of a hill; and it was a good hour's walk, -no doubt, for a short-legged Pygmy to journey from head to foot of -the Giant. He would lay down his great hand flat on the grass, and -challenge the tallest of them to clamber upon it, and straddle from -finger to finger. So fearless were they, that they made nothing of -creeping in among the folds of his garments. When his head lay sidewise -on the earth, they would march boldly up, and peep into the great -cavern of his mouth, and take it all as a joke (as indeed it was meant) -when Antæus gave a sudden snap with his jaws, as if he were going -to swallow fifty of them at once. You would have laughed to see the -children dodging in and out among his hair, or swinging from his beard. -It is impossible to tell half of the funny tricks that they played with -their huge comrade; but I do not know that anything was more curious -than when a party of boys were seen running races on his forehead, to -try which of them could get first round the circle of his one great -eye. It was another favorite feat with them to march along the bridge -of his nose, and jump down upon his upper lip. - -If the truth must be told, they were sometimes as troublesome to the -Giant as a swarm of ants or mosquitoes, especially as they had a -fondness for mischief, and liked to prick his skin with their little -swords and lances, to see how thick and tough it was. But Antæus took -it all kindly enough; although, once in a while, when he happened to be -sleepy, he would grumble out a peevish word or two, like the muttering -of a tempest, and ask them to have done with their nonsense. A great -deal oftener, however, he watched their merriment and gambols until his -huge, heavy, clumsy wits were completely stirred up by them; and then -would he roar out such a tremendous volume of immeasurable laughter, -that the whole nation of Pygmies had to put their hands to their ears, -else it would certainly have deafened them. - -"Ho! ho! ho!" quoth the Giant, shaking his mountainous sides. "What a -funny thing it is to be little! If I were not Antæus, I should like to -be a Pygmy, just for the joke's sake." - -The Pygmies had but one thing to trouble them in the world. They were -constantly at war with the cranes, and had always been so, ever since -the long-lived Giant could remember. From time to time, very terrible -battles had been fought, in which sometimes the little men won the -victory, and sometimes the cranes. According to some historians, the -Pygmies used to go to the battle, mounted on the backs of goats and -rams; but such animals as these must have been far too big for Pygmies -to ride upon; so that, I rather suppose, they rode on squirrelback, or -rabbitback, or ratback, or perhaps got upon hedge-hogs, whose prickly -quills would be very terrible to the enemy. However this might be, and -whatever creatures the Pygmies rode upon, I do not doubt that they made -a formidable appearance, armed with sword and spear, and bow and arrow, -blowing their tiny trumpet, and shouting their little war cry. They -never failed to exhort one another to fight bravely, and recollect that -the world had its eyes upon them; although, in simple truth, the only -spectator was the Giant Antæus, with his one, great, stupid eye, in the -middle of his forehead. - -When the two armies joined battle, the cranes would rush forward, -flapping their wings and stretching out their necks, and would perhaps -snatch up some of the Pygmies crosswise in their beaks. Whenever this -happened, it was truly an awful spectacle to see those little men -of might kicking and sprawling in the air, and at last disappearing -down the crane's long, crooked throat, swallowed up alive. A hero, -you know, must hold himself in readiness for any kind of fate; and -doubtless the glory of the thing was a consolation to him, even in the -crane's gizzard. If Antæus observed that the battle was going hard -against his little allies, he generally stopped laughing, and ran with -mile-long strides to their assistance, flourishing his club aloft and -shouting at the cranes, who quacked and croaked, and retreated as fast -as they could. Then the Pygmy army would march homeward in triumph, -attributing the victory entirely to their own valor, and to the warlike -skill and strategy of whomsoever happened to be captain general; and -for a tedious while afterwards, nothing would be heard of but grand -processions, and public banquets, and brilliant illuminations, and -shows of waxwork, with likenesses of the distinguished officers, as -small as life. - -[Illustration: They were constantly at war with the cranes.] - -In the above-described warfare, if a Pygmy chanced to pluck out a -crane's tail feather, it proved a very great feather in his cap. Once -or twice, if you will believe me, a little man was made chief ruler of -the nation for no other merit in the world than bringing home such a -feather. - -But I have now said enough to let you see what a gallant little people -these were, and how happily they and their forefathers, for nobody -knows how many generations, had lived with the immeasurable Giant -Antæus. In the remaining part of the story, I shall tell you of a far -more astonishing battle than any that was fought between the Pygmies -and the cranes. - -One day the mighty Antæus was lolling at full length among his little -friends. His pine tree walking stick lay on the ground, close by his -side. His head was in one part of the kingdom, and his feet extended -across the boundaries of another part; and he was taking whatever -comfort he could get, while the Pygmies scrambled over him, and peeped -into his cavernous mouth, and played among his hair. Sometimes, for a -minute or two, the Giant dropped asleep, and snored like the rush of a -whirlwind. During one of these little bits of slumber, a Pygmy chanced -to climb upon his shoulder, and took a view around the horizon, as -from the summit of a hill; and he beheld something, a long way off, -which made him rub the bright specks of his eyes, and look sharper than -before. At first he mistook it for a mountain, and wondered how it had -grown up so suddenly out of the earth. But soon he saw the mountain -move. As it came nearer and nearer, what should it turn out to be but a -human shape, not so big as Antæus, it is true, although a very enormous -figure, in comparison with the Pygmies, and a vast deal bigger than the -men whom we see nowadays. - -When the Pygmy was quite satisfied that his eyes had not deceived him, -he scampered, as fast as his legs would carry him, to the Giant's ear, -and stooping over its cavity, shouted lustily into it,-- - -"Halloo, brother Antæus! Get up this minute, and take your pine tree -walking stick in your hand. Here comes another Giant to have a tussle -with you." - -"Poh, poh!" grumbled Antæus, only half awake. "None of your nonsense, -my little fellow! Don't you see I'm sleepy. There is not a Giant on -earth for whom I would take the trouble to get up." - -But the Pygmy looked again, and now perceived that the stranger was -coming directly towards the prostrate form of Antæus. With every step, -he looked less like a blue mountain, and more like an immensely large -man. He was soon so nigh, that there could be no possible mistake about -the matter. There he was, with the sun flaming on his golden helmet, -and flashing from his polished breastplate; he had a sword by his side, -and a lion's skin over his back, and on his right shoulder he carried a -club, which looked bulkier and heavier than the pine-tree walking stick -of Antæus. - -By this time, the whole nation of Pygmies had seen the new wonder, and -a million of them set up a shout, all together; so that it really made -quite an audible squeak. - -"Get up, Antæus! Bestir yourself, you lazy old Giant! Here comes -another Giant, as strong as you are, to fight with you." - -"Nonsense, nonsense!" growled the sleepy Giant. "I'll have my nap out, -come who may." - -Still the stranger drew nearer; and now the Pygmies could plainly -discern that, if his stature were less lofty than the Giant's, yet his -shoulders were even broader. And, in truth, what a pair of shoulders -they must have been! As I told you, a long while ago, they once upheld -the sky. The Pygmies, being ten times as vivacious as their great -numskull of a brother, could not abide the Giant's slow movements, and -were determined to have him on his feet. So they kept shouting to him, -and even went so far as to prick him with their swords. - -"Get up, get up, get up!" they cried. "Up with you, lazy bones! The -strange Giant's club is bigger than your own, his shoulders are the -broadest, and we think him the stronger of the two." - -Antæus could not endure to have it said that any mortal was half so -mighty as himself. This latter remark of the Pygmies pricked him deeper -than their swords, and, sitting up, in rather a sulky humor, he gave -a gape of several yards wide, rubbed his eye, and finally turned his -stupid head in the direction whither his little friends were eagerly -pointing. - -No sooner did he set his eye on the stranger, than, leaping on his -feet, and seizing his walking stick, he strode a mile or two to meet -him; all the while brandishing the sturdy pine tree, so that it -whistled through the air. - -"Who are you?" thundered the Giant. "And what do you want in my -dominions?" - -There was one strange thing about Antæus, of which I have not yet -told you, lest, hearing of so many wonders all in a lump, you might -not believe much more than half of them. You are to know, then, that -whenever this redoubtable Giant touched the ground, either with his -hand, his foot, or any other part of his body, he grew stronger than -ever he had been before. The Earth, you remember, was his mother, and -was very fond of him, as being almost the biggest of her children; -and so she took this method of keeping him always in full vigor. Some -persons affirm that he grew ten times stronger at every touch; others -say that it was only twice as strong. But only think of it! Whenever -Antæus took a walk, supposing it were but ten miles, and that he -stepped a hundred yards at a stride, you may try to cipher out how much -mightier he was, on sitting down again, than when he first started. And -whenever he flung himself on the earth to take a little repose, even -if he got up the very next instant, he would be as strong as exactly -ten just such Giants as his former self. It was well for the world -that Antæus happened to be of a sluggish disposition, and liked ease -better than exercise; for, if he had frisked about like the Pygmies, -and touched the earth as often as they did, he would long ago have been -strong enough to pull down the sky about people's ears. But these great -lubberly fellows resemble mountains, not only in bulk, but in their -disinclination to move. - -Any other mortal man, except the very one whom Antæus had now -encountered, would have been half frightened to death by the Giant's -ferocious aspect and terrible voice. But the stranger did not seem -at all disturbed. He carelessly lifted his club, and balanced it in -his hand measuring Antæus with his eye, from head to foot, not as if -wonder-smitten at his stature, but as if he had seen a great many -Giants before, and this was by no means the biggest of them. In fact, -if the Giant had been no bigger than the Pygmies, (who stood pricking -up their ears, and looking and listening to what was going forward,) -the stranger could not have been less afraid of him. - -"Who are you, I say?" roared Antæus again. "What's your name? Why do -you come hither? Speak, you vagabond, or I'll try the thickness of your -skull with my walking stick." - -"You are a very discourteous Giant," answered the stranger, quietly, -"and I shall probably have to teach you a little civility, before we -part. As for my name, it is Hercules. I have come hither because this -is my most convenient road to the garden of the Hesperides, whither I -am going to get three of the golden apples for King Eurystheus." - -"Caitiff, you shall go no farther!" bellowed Antæus, putting on a -grimmer look than before; for he had heard of the mighty Hercules, and -hated him because he was said to be so strong. "Neither shall you go -back whence you came!" - -"How will you prevent me," asked Hercules, "from going whither I -please?" - -"By hitting you a rap with this pine tree here," shouted Antæus, -scowling so that he made himself the ugliest monster in Africa. "I am -fifty times stronger than you; and, now that I stamp my foot upon the -ground, I am five hundred times stronger! I am ashamed to kill such a -puny little dwarf as you seem to be. I will make a slave of you, and -you shall likewise be the slave of my brethren, here, the Pygmies. So -throw down your club and your other weapons; and as for that lion's -skin, I intend to have a pair of gloves made of it." - -"Come and take it off my shoulders, then," answered Hercules, lifting -his club. - -Then the Giant, grinning with rage, strode tower-like towards the -stranger, (ten times strengthened at every step,) and fetched a -monstrous blow at him with his pine tree, which Hercules caught -upon his club; and being more skilful than Antæus, he paid him back -such a rap upon the sconce, that down tumbled the great lumbering -man-mountain, flat upon the ground. The poor little Pygmies (who really -never dreamed that anybody in the world was half so strong as their -brother Antæus) were a good deal dismayed at this. But no sooner was -the Giant down, than up he bounced again, with tenfold might, and such -a furious visage as was horrible to behold. He aimed another blow at -Hercules, but struck awry, being blinded with wrath, and only hit his -poor innocent Mother Earth, who groaned and trembled at the stroke. His -pine tree went so deep into the ground, and stuck there so fast, that, -before Antæus could get it out, Hercules brought down his club across -his shoulders with a mighty thwack, which made the Giant roar as if all -sorts of intolerable noises had come screeching and rumbling out of -his immeasurable lungs in that one cry. Away it went, over mountains -and valleys, and, for aught I know, was heard on the other side of the -African deserts. - -As for the Pygmies, their capital city was laid in ruins by the -concussion and vibration of the air; and, though there was uproar -enough without their help, they all set up a shriek out of three -millions of little throats, fancying, no doubt, that they swelled the -Giant's bellow by at least ten times as much. Meanwhile, Antæus had -scrambled upon his feet again, and pulled his pine tree out of the -earth; and, all aflame with fury, and more outrageously strong than -ever, he ran at Hercules, and brought down another blow. - -"This time, rascal, shouted he, you shall not escape me." - -But once more Hercules warded off the stroke with his club, and the -Giant's pine tree was shattered into a thousand splinters, most of -which flew among the Pygmies, and did them more mischief than I like to -think about. Before Antæus could get out of the way, Hercules let drive -again, and gave him another knock-down blow, which sent him heels over -head, but served only to increase his already enormous and insufferable -strength. As for his rage, there is no telling what a fiery furnace it -had now got to be. His one eye was nothing but a circle of red flame. -Having now no weapons but his fists, he doubled them up, (each bigger -than a hogshead,) smote one against the other, and danced up and down -with absolute frenzy, flourishing his immense arms about, as if he -meant not merely to kill Hercules, but to smash the whole world to -pieces. - -"Come on!" roared this thundering Giant. "Let me hit you but one box on -the ear, and you'll never have the headache again." - -Now Hercules (though strong enough, as you already know, to hold the -sky up) began to be sensible that he should never win the victory, if -he kept on knocking Antæus down; for, by and by, if he hit him such -hard blows, the Giant would inevitably, by the help of his Mother -Earth, become stronger than the mighty Hercules himself. So, throwing -down his club, with which he had fought so many dreadful battles, the -hero stood ready to receive his antagonist with naked arms. - -"Step forward," cried he. "Since I've broken your pine tree, we'll try -which is the better man at a wrestling match." - -"Aha! then I'll soon satisfy you," shouted the Giant; for, if there -was one thing on which he prided himself more than another, it was his -skill in wrestling. "Villain, I'll fling you where you can never pick -yourself up again." - -On came Antæus, hopping and capering with the scorching heat of his -rage, and getting new vigor wherewith to wreak his passion, every time -he hopped. But Hercules, you must understand, was wiser than this -numskull of a Giant, and had thought of a way to fight him,--huge, -earth-born monster that he was,--and to conquer him too, in spite of -all that his Mother Earth could do for him. Watching his opportunity, -as the mad Giant made a rush at him, Hercules caught him round the -middle with both hands, lifted him high into the air, and held him -aloft overhead. - -Just imagine it, my dear little friends! What a spectacle it must have -been, to see this monstrous fellow sprawling in the air, face downward, -kicking out his long legs and wriggling his whole vast body, like a -baby when its father holds it at arm's length towards the ceiling. - -But the most wonderful thing was, that, as soon as Antæus was fairly -off the earth, he began to lose the vigor which he had gained by -touching it. Hercules very soon perceived that his troublesome enemy -was growing weaker, both because he struggled and kicked with less -violence, and because the thunder of his big voice subsided into a -grumble. The truth was, that, unless the Giant touched Mother Earth as -often as once in five minutes, not only his overgrown strength, but the -very breath of his life, would depart from him. Hercules had guessed -this secret; and it may be well for us all to remember it, in case we -should ever have to fight a battle with a fellow like Antæus. For these -earth-born creatures are only difficult to conquer on their own ground, -but may be managed if we can contrive to lift them into a loftier and -purer region. So it proved with the poor Giant, whom I am really a -little sorry for, notwithstanding his uncivil way of treating strangers -who came to visit him. - -When his strength and breath were quite gone, Hercules gave his huge -body a toss, and flung it about a mile off, where it fell heavily, -and lay with no more motion than a sand hill. It was too late for the -Giant's Mother Earth to help him now; and I should not wonder if his -ponderous bones were lying on the same spot to this very day, and were -mistaken for those of an uncommonly large elephant. - -But, alas me! What a wailing did the poor little Pygmies set up when -they saw their enormous brother treated in this terrible manner. If -Hercules heard their shrieks, however, he took no notice, and perhaps -fancied them only the shrill, plaintive twittering of small birds -that had been frightened from their nests by the uproar of the battle -between himself and Antæus. Indeed, his thoughts had been so much taken -up with the Giant, that he had never once looked at the Pygmies, nor -even knew that there was such a funny little nation in the world. And -now, as he had travelled a good way, and was also rather weary with his -exertions in the fight, he spread out his lion's skin on the ground, -and reclining himself upon it, fell fast asleep. - -As soon as the Pygmies saw Hercules preparing for a nap, they nodded -their little heads at one another, and winked with their little eyes. -And when his deep, regular breathing gave them notice that he was -asleep, they assembled together in an immense crowd, spreading over a -space of about twenty-seven feet square. One of their most eloquent -orators (and a valiant warrior enough, besides, though hardly so -good at any other weapon as he was with his tongue) climbed upon a -toadstool, and, from that elevated position, addressed the multitude. -His sentiments were pretty much as follows; or, at all events, -something like this was probably the upshot of his speech:-- - -"Tall Pygmies and mighty little men! You and all of us have seen what a -public calamity has been brought to pass, and what an insult has here -been offered to the majesty of our nation. Yonder lies Antæus, our -great friend and brother, slain, within our territory, by a miscreant -who took him at disadvantage, and fought him (if fighting it can be -called) in a way that neither man, nor Giant, nor Pygmy ever dreamed -of fighting, until this hour. And, adding a grievous contumely to the -wrong already done us, the miscreant has now fallen asleep as quietly -as if nothing were to be dreaded from our wrath! It behooves you, -fellow-countrymen, to consider in what aspect we shall stand before the -world, and what will be the verdict of impartial history, should we -suffer these accumulated outrages to go unavenged. - -"Antæus was our brother, born of that same beloved parent to whom we -owe the thews and sinews, as well as the courageous hearts, which made -him proud of our relationship. He was our faithful ally, and fell -fighting as much for our national rights and immunities as for his -own personal ones. We and our forefathers have dwelt in friendship -with him, and held affectionate intercourse, as man to man, through -immemorial generations. You remember how often our entire people have -reposed in his great shadow, and how our little ones have played at -hide and seek in the tangles of his hair, and how his mighty footsteps -have familiarly gone to and fro among us, and never trodden upon any -of our toes. And there lies this dear brother--this sweet and amiable -friend--this brave and faithful ally--this virtuous Giant--this -blameless and excellent Antæus--dead! Dead. Silent! Powerless! A mere -mountain of clay! Forgive my tears! Nay, I behold your own. Were we to -drown the world with them, could the world blame us? - -"But to resume: Shall we, my countrymen, suffer this wicked stranger to -depart unharmed, and triumph in his treacherous victory, among distant -communities of the earth? Shall we not rather compel him to leave his -bones here on our soil, by the side of our slain brother's bones? So -that, while one skeleton shall remain as the everlasting monument of -our sorrow, the other shall endure as long, exhibiting to the whole -human race a terrible example of Pygmy vengeance! Such is the question. -I put it to you in full confidence of a response that shall be worthy -of our national character, and calculated to increase, rather than -diminish, the glory which our ancestors have transmitted to us, and -which we ourselves have proudly vindicated in our warfare with the -cranes." - -The orator was here interrupted by a burst of irrepressible enthusiasm; -every individual Pygmy crying out that the national honor must be -preserved at all hazards. He bowed, and making a gesture for silence, -wound up his harangue in the following admirable manner:-- - -"It only remains for us, then, to decide whether we shall carry on -the war in our national capacity,--one united people against a common -enemy,--or whether some champion, famous in former fights, shall be -selected to defy the slayer of our brother Antæus to single combat. In -the latter case, though not unconscious that there may be taller men -among you, I hereby offer myself for that enviable duty. And, believe -me, dear countrymen, whether I live or die, the honor of this great -country, and the fame bequeathed us by our heroic progenitors, shall -suffer no diminution in my hands. Never, while I can wield this sword, -of which I now fling away the scabbard--never, never, never, even if -the crimson hand that slew the great Antæus shall lay me prostrate, -like him, on the soil which I give my life to defend." - -So saying, this valiant Pygmy drew out his weapon, (which was terrible -to behold, being as long as the blade of a penknife,) and sent the -scabbard whirling over the heads of the multitude. His speech was -followed by an uproar of applause, as its patriotism and self-devotion -unquestionably deserved; and the shouts and clapping of hands would -have been greatly prolonged, had they not been rendered quite inaudible -by a deep respiration, vulgarly called a snore, from the sleeping -Hercules. - -It was finally decided that the whole nation of Pygmies should set -to work to destroy Hercules; not, be it understood, from any doubt -that a single champion would be capable of putting him to the sword, -but because he was a public enemy, and all were desirous of sharing -in the glory of his defeat. There was a debate whether the national -honor did not demand that a herald should be sent with a trumpet, -to stand over the ear of Hercules, and, after blowing a blast right -into it, to defy him to the combat by formal proclamation. But two or -three venerable and sagacious Pygmies, well versed in state affairs, -gave it as their opinion that war already existed, and that it was -their rightful privilege to take the enemy by surprise. Moreover if -awakened, and allowed to get upon his feet, Hercules might happen to -do them a mischief before he could be beaten down again. For, as these -sage counsellers remarked, the stranger's club was really very big, -and had rattled like a thunderbolt against the skull of Antæus. So the -Pygmies resolved to set aside all foolish punctilios, and assail their -antagonist at once. - -Accordingly, all the fighting men of the nation took their weapons, and -went boldly up to Hercules, who still lay fast asleep, little dreaming -of the harm which the Pygmies meant to do him. A body of twenty -thousand archers marched in front, with their little bows all ready, -and the arrows on the string. The same number were ordered to clamber -upon Hercules, some with spades, to dig his eyes out, and others with -bundles of hay, and all manner of rubbish, with which they intended to -plug up his mouth and nostrils, so that he might perish for lack of -breath. These last, however, could by no means perform their appointed -duty; inasmuch as the enemy's breath rushed out of his nose in an -obstreperous hurricane and whirlwind, which blew the Pygmies away as -fast as they came nigh. It was found necessary, therefore, to hit upon -some other method of carrying on the war. - -After holding a council, the captains ordered their troops to collect -sticks, straws, dry weeds, and whatever combustible stuff they could -find and make a pile of it, heaping it high around the head of -Hercules. As a great many thousand Pygmies were employed in this task, -they soon brought together several bushels of inflammatory matter, -and raised so tall a heap, that, mounting on its summit, they were -quite upon a level with the sleeper's face. The archers, meanwhile, -were stationed within bow shot, with orders to let fly at Hercules the -instant that he stirred. Everything being in readiness, a torch was -applied to the pile, which immediately burst into flames, and soon -waxed hot enough to roast the enemy, had he but chosen to lie still. -A Pygmy, you know, though so very small, might set the world on fire, -just as easily as a Giant could; so that this was certainly the very -best way of dealing with their foe, provided they could have kept him -quiet while the conflagration was going forward. - -But no sooner did Hercules begin to be scorched, than up he started, -with his hair in a red blaze. - -"What's all this?" he cried, bewildered with sleep, and staring about -him as if he expected to see another Giant. - -At that moment the twenty thousand archers twanged their bowstrings, -and the arrows came whizzing, like so many winged mosquitoes, right -into the face of Hercules. But I doubt whether more than half a dozen -of them punctured the skin, which was remarkably tough, as you know the -skin of a hero has good need to be. - -"Villain!" shouted all the Pygmies at once. "You have killed the Giant -Antæus, our great brother, and the ally of our nation. We declare -bloody war against you, and will slay you on the spot." - -Surprised at the shrill piping of so many little voices, Hercules, -after putting out the conflagration of his hair, gazed all round about, -but could see nothing. At last, however, looking narrowly on the -ground, he espied the innumerable assemblage of Pygmies at his feet. -He stooped down, and taking up the nearest one between his thumb and -finger, set him on the palm of his left hand, and held him at a proper -distance for examination. It chanced to be the very identical Pygmy who -had spoken from the top of the toadstool, and had offered himself as a -champion to meet Hercules in single combat. - -"What in the world, my little fellow," ejaculated Hercules, "may you -be?" - -"I am your enemy," answered the valiant Pygmy, in his mightiest squeak. -"You have slain the enormous Antæus, our brother by the mother's side, -and for ages the faithful ally of our illustrious nation. We are -determined to put you to death; and for my own part, I challenge you to -instant battle, on equal ground." - -Hercules was so tickled with the Pygmy's big words and warlike -gestures, that he burst into a great explosion of laughter, and almost -dropped the poor little mite of a creature off the palm of his hand, -through the ecstasy and convulsion of his merriment. - -"Upon my word," cried he, "I thought I had seen wonders before -to-day--hydras with nine heads, stags with golden horns, six-legged -men, three-headed dogs, giants with furnaces in their stomachs, and -nobody knows what besides. But here, on the palm of my hand, stands a -wonder that outdoes them all! Your body, my little friend, is about the -size of an ordinary man's finger. Pray, how big may your soul be?" - -"As big as your own!" said the Pygmy. - -Hercules was touched with the little man's dauntless courage, and could -not help acknowledging such a brotherhood with him as one hero feels -for another. - -"My good little people," said he, making a low obeisance to the grand -nation, "not for all the world would I do an intentional injury to such -brave fellows as you! Your hearts seem to me so exceedingly great, -that, upon my honor, I marvel how your small bodies can contain them. I -sue for peace, and, as a condition of it, will take five strides, and -be out of your kingdom at the sixth. Good-by. I shall pick my steps -carefully, for fear of treading upon some fifty of you, without knowing -it. Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho! For once, Hercules acknowledges himself -vanquished." - -Some writers say, that Hercules gathered up the whole race of Pygmies -in his lion's skin, and carried them home to Greece, for the children -of King Eurystheus to play with. But this is a mistake. He left them, -one and all, within their own territory, where, for aught I can -tell, their descendants are alive to the present day, building their -little houses, cultivating their little fields, spanking their little -children, waging their little warfare with the cranes, doing their -little business, whatever it may be, and reading their little histories -of ancient times. In those histories, perhaps, it stands recorded, -that, a great many centuries ago, the valiant Pygmies avenged the death -of the Giant Antæus by scaring away the mighty Hercules. - -[Illustration] - - - -[Illustration] - - -THE DRAGON'S TEETH - -Cadmus, Phœnix, and Cilix, the three sons of King Agenor, and their -little sister Europa, (who was a very beautiful child,) were at play -together, near the sea shore, in their father's kingdom of Phœnicia. -They had rambled to some distance from the palace where their parents -dwelt, and were now in a verdant meadow, on one side of which lay the -sea, all sparkling and dimpling in the sunshine, and murmuring gently -against the beach. The three boys were very happy, gathering flowers, -and twining them into garlands, with which they adorned the little -Europa. Seated on the grass, the child was almost hidden under an -abundance of buds and blossoms, whence her rosy face peeped merrily -out, and, as Cadmus said, was the prettiest of all the flowers. - -Just then, there came a splendid butterfly, fluttering along the -meadow; and Cadmus, Phœnix, and Cilix set off in pursuit of it crying -out that it was a flower with wings. Europa, who was a little wearied -with playing all day long, did not chase the butterfly with her -brothers, but sat still where they had left her, and closed her eyes. -For a while, she listened to the pleasant murmur of the sea, which was -like a voice saying "Hush!" and bidding her go to sleep. But the pretty -child, if she slept at all, could not have slept more than a moment, -when she heard something trample on the grass, not far from her, and -peeping out from the heap of flowers, beheld a snow-white bull. - -And whence could this bull have come? Europa and her brothers had been -a long time playing in the meadow, and had seen no cattle, nor other -living thing, either there or on the neighboring hills. - -"Brother Cadmus!" cried Europa, starting up out of the midst of the -roses and lilies. "Phœnix! Cilix! Where are you all? Help! Help! Come -and drive away this bull!" - -But her brothers were too far off to hear; especially as the fright -took away Europa's voice, and hindered her from calling very loudly. So -there she stood, with her pretty mouth wide open, as pale as the white -lilies that were twisted among the other flowers in her garlands. - -Nevertheless, it was the suddenness with which she had perceived the -bull, rather than anything frightful in his appearance, that caused -Europa so much alarm. On looking at him more attentively, she began to -see that he was a beautiful animal, and even fancied a particularly -amiable expression in his face. As for his breath,--the breath of -cattle, you know, is always sweet,--it was as fragrant as if he had -been grazing on no other food than rosebuds, or, at least, the most -delicate of clover blossoms. Never before did a bull have such bright -and tender eyes, and such smooth horns of ivory, as this one. And the -bull ran little races, and capered sportively around the child; so that -she quite forgot how big and strong he was, and, from the gentleness -and playfulness of his actions, soon came to consider him as innocent a -creature as a pet lamb. - -Thus, frightened as she at first was, you might by and by have seen -Europa stroking the bull's forehead with her small white hand, and -taking the garlands off her own head to hang them on his neck and ivory -horns. Then she pulled up some blades of grass, and he ate them out of -her hand, not as if he were hungry, but because he wanted to be friends -with the child, and took pleasure in eating what she had touched. Well, -my stars! was there ever such a gentle, sweet, pretty, and amiable -creature as this bull, and ever such a nice playmate for a little girl? - -When the animal saw, (for the bull had so much intelligence that it is -really wonderful to think of,) when he saw that Europa was no longer -afraid of him, he grew overjoyed, and could hardly contain himself -for delight. He frisked about the meadow, now here, now there, making -sprightly leaps, with as little effort as a bird expends in hopping -from twig to twig. Indeed, his motion was as light as if he were flying -through the air, and his hoofs seemed hardly to leave their print in -the grassy soil over which he trod. With his spotless hue he resembled -a snow drift, wafted along by the wind. Once he galloped so far away -that Europa feared lest she might never see him again; so, setting up -her childish voice, she called him back. - -"Come back, pretty creature!" she cried. "Here is a nice clover -blossom." - -And then it was delightful to witness the gratitude of this amiable -bull, and how he was so full of joy and thankfulness that he capered -higher than ever. He came running, and bowed his head before Europa, -as if he knew her to be a king's daughter, or else recognized the -important truth that a little girl is everybody's queen. And not only -did the bull bend his neck, he absolutely knelt down at her feet, and -made such intelligent nods, and other inviting gestures, that Europa -understood what he meant just as well as if he had put it in so many -words. - -"Come, dear child," was what he wanted to say, "let me give you a ride -on my back." - -At the first thought of such a thing, Europa drew back. But then she -considered in her wise little head that there could be no possible -harm in taking just one gallop on the back of this docile and friendly -animal, who would certainly set her down the very instant she desired -it. And how it would surprise her brothers to see her riding across the -green meadow! And what merry times they might have, either taking turns -for a gallop, or clambering on the gentle creature, all four children -together, and careering round the field with shouts of laughter that -would be heard as far off as King Agenor's palace! - -"I think I will do it," said the child to herself. - -And, indeed, why not? She cast a glance around, and caught a glimpse of -Cadmus, Phœnix, and Cilix, who were still in pursuit of the butterfly, -almost at the other end of the meadow. It would be the quickest way -of rejoining them, to get upon the white bull's back. She came a step -nearer to him therefore; and--sociable creature that he was--he showed -so much joy at this mark of her confidence, that the child could not -find in her heart to hesitate any longer. Making one bound, (for this -little princess was as active as a squirrel,) there sat Europa on the -beautiful bull, holding an ivory horn in each hand, lest she should -fall off. - -"Softly, pretty bull, softly!" she said, rather frightened at what she -had done. "Do not gallop too fast." - -Having got the child on his back, the animal gave a leap into the air, -and came down so like a feather that Europa did not know when his hoofs -touched the ground. He then began a race to that part of the flowery -plain where her three brothers were, and where they had just caught -their splendid butterfly. Europa screamed with delight; and Phœnix, -Cilix, and Cadmus stood gaping at the spectacle of their sister mounted -on a white bull, not knowing whether to be frightened or to wish -the same good luck for themselves. The gentle and innocent creature -(for who could possibly doubt that he was so?) pranced round among -the children as sportively as a kitten. Europa all the while looked -down upon her brothers, nodding and laughing, but yet with a sort of -stateliness in her rosy little face. As the bull wheeled about to take -another gallop across the meadow, the child waved her hand, and said, -"Good by," playfully pretending that she was now bound on a distant -journey, and might not see her brothers again for nobody could tell how -long. - -"Good by," shouted Cadmus, Phœnix, and Cilix, all in one breath. - -But, together with her enjoyment of the sport, there was still a little -remnant of fear in the child's heart; so that her last look at the -three boys was a troubled one, and made them feel as if their dear -sister were really leaving them forever. And what do you think the -snowy bull did next? Why, he set off, as swift as the wind, straight -down to the sea shore, scampered across the sand, took an airy leap, -and plunged right in among the foaming billows. The white spray rose in -a shower over him and little Europa, and fell spattering down upon the -water. - -Then what a scream of terror did the poor child send forth! The three -brothers screamed manfully likewise, and ran to the shore as fast as -their legs would carry them, with Cadmus at their head. But it was too -late. When they reached the margin of the sand, the treacherous animal -was already far away in the wide blue sea, with only his snowy head -and tail emerging, and poor little Europa between them, stretching out -one hand towards her dear brothers, while she grasped the bull's ivory -horn with the other. And there stood Cadmus, Phœnix, and Cilix, gazing -at this sad spectacle, through their tears, until they could no longer -distinguish the bull's snowy head from the white-capped billows that -seemed to boil up out of the sea's depths around him. Nothing more was -ever seen of the white bull--nothing more of the beautiful child. - -This was a mournful story, as you may well think, for the three boys to -carry home to their parents. King Agenor, their father, was the ruler -of the whole country; but he loved his little daughter Europa better -than his kingdom, or than all his other children, or than anything else -in the world. Therefore, when Cadmus and his two brothers came crying -home, and told him how that a white bull had carried off their sister, -and swam with her over the sea, the king was quite beside himself with -grief and rage. Although it was now twilight, and fast growing dark, he -bade them set out instantly in search of her. - -"Never shall you see my face again," he cried, "unless you bring me -back my little Europa, to gladden me with her smiles and her pretty -ways. Begone, and enter my presence no more, till you come leading her -by the hand." - -As King Agenor said this, his eyes flashed fire, (for he was a very -passionate king,) and he looked so terribly angry that the poor boys -did not even venture to ask for their suppers, but slunk away out of -the palace, and only paused on the steps a moment to consult whither -they should go first. While they were standing there, all in dismay, -their mother, Queen Telephassa, (who happened not to be by when they -told the story to the king,) came hurrying after them, and said that -she too would go in quest of her daughter. - -"O, no, mother!" cried the boys. "The night is dark, and there is no -knowing what troubles and perils we may meet with." - -"Alas! my dear children," answered poor Queen Telephassa, weeping -bitterly, "that is only another reason why I should go with you. If I -should lose you, too, as well as my little Europa, what would become of -me!" - -"And let me go likewise!" said their playfellow Thasus, who came -running to join them. - -Thasus was the son of a seafaring person in the neighborhood; he had -been brought up with the young princes, and was their intimate friend, -and loved Europa very much; so they consented that he should accompany -them. The whole party, therefore, set forth together. Cadmus, Phœnix, -Cilix, and Thasus clustered round Queen Telephassa, grasping her -skirts, and begging her to lean upon their shoulders, whenever she felt -weary. In this manner they went down the palace steps, and began a -journey, which turned out to be a great deal longer than they dreamed -of. The last that they saw of King Agenor, he came to the door, with -a servant holding a torch beside him, and called after them into the -gathering darkness:-- - -[Illustration: "Alas! My dear children," answered poor Queen -Telephassa.] - -"Remember! Never ascend these steps again without the child!" - -"Never!" sobbed Queen Telephassa; and the three brothers and Thasus -answered, "Never! Never! Never! Never!" - -And they kept their word. Year after year King Agenor sat in the -solitude of his beautiful palace, listening in vain for their returning -footsteps, hoping to hear the familiar voice of the queen, and the -cheerful talk of his sons and their playfellow Thasus, entering the -door together, and the sweet, childish accents of little Europa in the -midst of them. But so long a time went by, that, at last, if they had -really come, the king would not have known that this was the voice of -Telephassa, and these the younger voices that used to make such joyful -echoes, when the children were playing about the palace. We must now -leave King Agenor to sit on his throne, and must go along with Queen -Telephassa and her four youthful companions. - -They went on and on, and travelled a long way, and passed over -mountains and rivers, and sailed over seas. Here, and there, and -everywhere, they made continual inquiry if any person could tell them -what had become of Europa: The rustic people, of whom they asked this -question, paused a little while from their labors in the field, and -looked very much surprised. They thought it strange to behold a woman -in the garb of a queen, (for Telephassa, in her haste, had forgotten -to take off her crown and her royal robes,) roaming about the country, -with four lads around her, on such an errand as this seemed to be. But -nobody could give them any tidings of Europa; nobody had seen a little -girl dressed like a princess, and mounted on a snow-white bull, which -galloped as swiftly as the wind. - -I cannot tell you how long Queen Telephassa, and Cadmus, Phœnix, and -Cilix, her three sons, and Thasus, their playfellow, went wandering -along the highways and bypaths, or through the pathless wildernesses -of the earth, in this manner. But certain it is, that, before they -reached any place of rest, their splendid garments were quite worn out. -They all looked very much travel-stained, and would have had the dust -of many countries on their shoes, if the streams, through which they -waded, had not washed it all away. When they had been gone a year, -Telephassa threw away her crown, because it chafed her forehead. - -"It has given me many a headache," said the poor queen, "and it cannot -cure my heartache." - -As fast as their princely robes got torn and tattered, they exchanged -them for such mean attire as ordinary people wore. By and by, they came -to have a wild and homeless aspect; so that you would much sooner have -taken them for a gypsy family than a queen and three princes, and a -young nobleman, who had once a palace for their home, and a train of -servants to do their bidding. The four boys grew up to be tall young -men, with sunburnt faces. Each of them girded on a sword, to defend -themselves against the perils of the way. When the husbandmen, at whose -farm houses they sought hospitality, needed their assistance in the -harvest field, they gave it willingly; and Queen Telephassa (who had -done no work in her palace, save to braid silk threads with golden -ones) came behind them to bind the sheaves. If payment was offered, -they shook their heads, and only asked for tidings of Europa. - -"There are bulls enough in my pasture," the old farmers would reply; -"but I never heard of one like this you tell me of. A snow-white bull -with a little princess on his back! Ho! ho! I ask your pardon, good -folks; but there never was such a sight seen hereabouts." - -At last, when his upper lip began to have the down on it, Phœnix grew -weary of rambling hither and thither to no purpose. So, one day, when -they happened to be passing through a pleasant and solitary tract of -country, he sat himself down on a heap of moss. - -"I can go no farther," said Phœnix. "It is a mere foolish waste of -life, to spend it, as we do, in always wandering up and down, and never -coming to any home at nightfall. Our sister is lost, and never will -be found. She probably perished in the sea; or, to whatever shore the -white bull may have carried her, it is now so many years ago, that -there would be neither love nor acquaintance between us, should we meet -again. My father has forbidden us to return to his palace; so I shall -build me a hut of branches, and dwell here." - -"Well, son Phœnix," said Telephassa, sorrowfully, "you have grown to be -a man, and must do as you judge best. But, for my part, I will still go -in quest of my poor child." - -"And we three will go along with you!" cried Cadmus and Cilix, and -their faithful friend Thasus. - -But, before setting out, they all helped Phœnix to build a habitation. -When completed, it was a sweet rural bower, roofed overhead with an -arch of living boughs. Inside there were two pleasant rooms, one of -which had a soft heap of moss for a bed, while the other was furnished -with a rustic seat or two, curiously fashioned out of the crooked roots -of trees. So comfortable and home-like did it seem, that Telephassa and -her three companions could not help sighing, to think that they must -still roam about the world, instead of spending the remainder of their -lives in some such cheerful abode as they had here built for Phœnix. -But, when they bade him farewell, Phœnix shed tears, and probably -regretted that he was no longer to keep them company. - -However, he had fixed upon an admirable place to dwell in. And by -and by there came other people, who chanced to have no homes; and, -seeing how pleasant a spot it was, they built themselves huts in the -neighborhood of Phœnix's habitation. Thus, before many years went by, -a city had grown up there, in the center of which was seen a stately -palace of marble, wherein dwelt Phœnix, clothed in a purple robe, and -wearing a golden crown upon his head. For the inhabitants of the new -city, finding that he had royal blood in his veins, had chosen him to -be their king. The very first decree of state which King Phœnix issued -was, that, if a maiden happened to arrive in the kingdom, mounted on -a snow-white bull, and calling herself Europa, his subjects should -treat her with the greatest kindness and respect, and immediately -bring her to the palace. You may see by this, that Phœnix's conscience -never quite ceased to trouble him, for giving up the quest of his dear -sister, and sitting himself down to be comfortable, while his mother -and her companions went onward. - -But often and often, at the close of a weary day's journey, did -Telephassa and Cadmus, Cilix and Thasus, remember the pleasant spot -in which they had left Phœnix. It was a sorrowful prospect for these -wanderers, that on the morrow they must again set forth, and that, -after many nightfalls, they would perhaps be no nearer the close of -their toilsome pilgrimage than now. These thoughts made them all -melancholy at times, but appeared to torment Cilix more than the rest -of the party. At length, one morning, when they were taking their -staffs in hand to set out, he thus addressed them:-- - -"My dear mother, and you good brother Cadmus, and my friend Thasus, -methinks we are like people in a dream. There is no substance in the -life which we are leading. It is such a dreary length of time since the -white bull carried off my sister Europa, that I have quite forgotten -how she looked, and the tones of her voice, and, indeed, almost doubt -whether such a little girl ever lived in the world. And whether she -once lived or no, I am convinced that she no longer survives, and that -therefore it is the merest folly to waste our own lives and happiness -in seeking her. Were we to find her, she would now be a woman grown, -and would look upon us all as strangers. So, to tell you the truth, -I have resolved to take up my abode here; and I entreat you, mother, -brother, and friend, to follow my example." - -"Not I, for one," said Telephassa; although the poor queen, firmly as -she spoke, was so travel-worn that she could hardly put her foot to -the ground. "Not I for one! In the depths of my heart, little Europa -is still the rosy child who ran to gather flowers so many years ago. -She has not grown to womanhood, nor forgotten me. At noon, at night, -journeying onward, sitting down to rest, her childish voice is always -in my ears, calling 'Mother! mother!' Stop here who may, there is no -repose for me." - -"Nor for me," said Cadmus, "while my dear mother pleases to go onward." - -And the faithful Thasus, too, was resolved to bear them company. They -remained with Cilix a few days, however, and helped him to build a -rustic bower, resembling the one which they had formerly built for -Phœnix. - -When they were bidding him farewell, Cilix burst into tears, and told -his mother that it seemed just as melancholy a dream to stay there, in -solitude, as to go onward. If she really believed that they would ever -find Europa, he was willing to continue the search with them, even now. -But Telephassa bade him remain there, and be happy, if his own heart -would let him. So the pilgrims took their leave of him, and departed, -and were hardly out of sight before some other wandering people came -along that way, and saw Cilix's habitation, and were greatly delighted -with the appearance of the place. There being abundance of unoccupied -ground in the neighborhood, these strangers built huts for themselves, -and were soon joined by a multitude of new settlers, who quickly -formed a city. In the middle of it was seen a magnificent palace of -colored marble, on the balcony of which, every noontide, appeared -Cilix, in a long purple robe, and with a jeweled crown upon his head; -for the inhabitants, when they found out that he was a king's son, had -considered him the fittest of all men to be a king himself. - -One of the first acts of King Cilix's government was to send out an -expedition, consisting of a grave ambassador and an escort of bold and -hardy young men, with orders to visit the principal kingdoms of the -earth, and inquire whether a young maiden had passed through those -regions, galloping swiftly on a white bull. It is, therefore, plain to -my mind, that Cilix secretly blamed himself for giving up the search -for Europa, as long as he was able to put one foot before the other. - -As for Telephassa, and Cadmus, and the good Thasus, it grieves me to -think of them, still keeping up that weary pilgrimage. The two young -men did their best for the poor queen, helping her over the rough -places, often carrying her across rivulets in their faithful arms, and -seeking to shelter her at nightfall, even when they themselves lay on -the ground. Sad, sad it was to hear them asking of every passer-by if -he had seen Europa, so long after the white bull had carried her away. -But, though the gray years thrust themselves between, and made the -child's figure dim in their remembrance, neither of these true-hearted -three ever dreamed of giving up the search. - -One morning, however, poor Thasus found that he had sprained his ankle, -and could not possibly go a step farther. - -"After a few days, to be sure," said he, mournfully, "I might make a -shift to hobble along with a stick. But that would only delay you, and -perhaps hinder you from finding dear little Europa, after all your -pains and trouble. Do you go forward, therefore, my beloved companions, -and leave me to follow as I may." - -"Thou hast been a true friend, dear Thasus," said Queen Telephassa, -kissing his forehead. "Being neither my son, nor the brother of our -lost Europa, thou hast shown thyself truer to me and her than Phœnix -and Cilix did, whom we have left behind us. Without thy loving help, -and that of my son Cadmus, my limbs could not have borne me half so far -as this. Now, take thy rest, and be at peace. For--and it is the first -time I have owned it to myself--I begin to question whether we shall -ever find my beloved daughter in this world." - -Saying this, the poor queen shed tears, because it was a grievous trial -to the mother's heart to confess that her hopes were growing faint. -From that day forward, Cadmus noticed that she never travelled with the -same alacrity of spirit that had heretofore supported her. Her weight -was heavier upon his arm. - -Before setting out, Cadmus helped Thasus build a bower; while -Telephassa, being too infirm to give any great assistance, advised them -how to fit it up and furnish it, so that it might be as comfortable as -a hut of branches could. Thasus, however, did not spend all his days -in this green bower. For it happened to him, as to Phœnix and Cilix, -that other homeless people visited the spot and liked it, and built -themselves habitations in the neighborhood. So here, in the course of -a few years, was another thriving city, with a red freestone palace in -the center of it, where Thasus sat upon a throne, doing justice to the -people, with a purple robe over his shoulders, a scepter in his hand, -and a crown upon his head. The inhabitants had made him king, not for -the sake of any royal blood, (for none was in his veins,) but because -Thasus was an upright, true-hearted, and courageous man, and therefore -fit to rule. - -But, when the affairs of his kingdom were all settled, King Thasus laid -aside his purple robe, and crown, and scepter, and bade his worthiest -subject distribute justice to the people in his stead. Then, grasping -the pilgrim's staff that had supported him so long, he set forth again, -hoping still to discover some hoof mark of the snow-white bull, some -trace of the vanished child. He returned, after a lengthened absence, -and sat down wearily upon his throne. To his latest hour, nevertheless, -King Thasus showed his true-hearted remembrance of Europa, by ordering -that a fire should always be kept burning in his palace, and a bath -steaming hot, and food ready to be served up, and a bed with snow -white sheets, in case the maiden should arrive, and require immediate -refreshment. And though Europa never came, the good Thasus had the -blessings of many a poor traveller, who profited by the food and -lodging which were meant for the little playmate of the king's boyhood. - -Telephassa and Cadmus were now pursuing their weary way, with no -companion but each other. The queen leaned heavily upon her son's -arm, and could walk only a few miles a day. But for all her weakness -and weariness, she would not be persuaded to give up the search. It -was enough to bring tears into the eyes of bearded men to hear the -melancholy tone with which she inquired of every stranger whether he -could tell her any news of the lost child. - -"Have you seen a little girl--no, no, I mean a young maiden of full -growth--passing by this way, mounted on a snow-white bull, which -gallops as swiftly as the wind?" - -"We have seen no such wonderous sight," the people would reply; and -very often, taking Cadmus aside, they whispered to him, "Is this -stately and sad-looking woman your mother? Surely she is not in her -right mind; and you ought to take her home, and make her comfortable, -and do your best to get this dream out of her fancy." - -"It is no dream," said Cadmus. "Everything else is a dream, save that." - -But, one day, Telephassa seemed feebler than usual, and leaned almost -her whole weight on the arm of Cadmus, and walked more slowly than ever -before. At last they reached a solitary spot, where she told her son -that she must needs lie down, and take a good, long rest. - -"A good, long rest!" she repeated, looking Cadmus tenderly in the face. -"A good, long rest, thou dearest one!" - -"As long as you please, dear mother," answered Cadmus. - -Telephassa bade him sit down on the turf beside her, and then she took -his hand. - -"My son," said she, fixing her dim eyes most lovingly upon him, "this -rest that I speak of will be very long indeed! You must not wait till -it is finished. Dear Cadmus, you do not comprehend me. You must make a -grave here, and lay your mother's weary frame into it. My pilgrimage is -over." - -Cadmus burst into tears, and, for a long time, refused to believe that -his dear mother was now to be taken from him. But Telephassa reasoned -with him, and kissed him, and at length made him discern that it was -better for her spirit to pass away out of the toil, the weariness, the -grief, and disappointment which had burdened her on earth, ever since -the child was lost. He therefore repressed his sorrow, and listened to -her last words. - -"Dearest Cadmus," said she, "thou hast been the truest son that ever -mother had, and faithful to the very last. Who else would have borne -with my infirmities as thou hast! It is owing to thy care, thou -tenderest child, that my grave was not dug long years ago, in some -valley or on some hillside that lies far, far behind us. It is enough. -Thou shalt wander no more on this hopeless search. But, when thou hast -laid thy mother in the earth, then go, my son, to Delphi, and inquire -of the oracle what thou shalt do next." - -"O mother, mother," cried Cadmus, "couldst thou but have seen my sister -before this hour!" - -"It matters little now," answered Telephassa, and there was a smile -upon her face. "I go now to the better world, and, sooner or later, -shall find my daughter there." - -I will not sadden you, my little hearers, with telling how Telephassa -died and was buried, but will only say, that her dying smile grew -brighter, instead of vanishing from her dead face; so that Cadmus felt -convinced that, at her very first step into the better world, she had -caught Europa in her arms. He planted some flowers on his mother's -grave, and left them to grow there, and make the place beautiful, when -he should be far away. - -After performing this last sorrowful duty, he set forth alone, and took -the road towards the famous oracle of Delphi, as Telephassa had advised -him. On his way thither, he still inquired of most people whom he met -whether they had seen Europa; for, to say the truth, Cadmus had grown -so accustomed to ask the question, that it came to his lips as readily -as a remark about the weather. He received various answers. Some told -him one thing and some another. Among the rest, a mariner affirmed, -that, many years before, in a distant country, he had heard a rumor -about a white bull, which came swimming across the sea with a child on -his back, dressed up in flowers that were blighted by the sea water. -He did not know what had become of the child or the bull; and Cadmus -suspected indeed, by a queer twinkle in the mariner's eyes, that he was -putting a joke upon him, and had never really heard anything about the -matter. - -Poor Cadmus found it more wearisome to travel alone than to bear all -his dear mother's weight, while she had kept him company. His heart, -you will understand, was now so heavy that it seemed impossible, -sometimes, to carry it any farther. But his limbs were strong and -active and well accustomed to exercise. He walked swiftly along, -thinking of King Agenor and Queen Telephassa, and his brothers, and -the friendly Thasus, all of whom he had left behind him, at one point -of his pilgrimage or another, and never expected to see them any more. -Full of these remembrances, he came within sight of a lofty mountain, -which the people thereabouts told him was called Parnassus. On the -slope of Mount Parnassus was the famous Delphi, whither Cadmus was -going. - -This Delphi was supposed, to be the very mid-most spot of the whole -world. The place of the oracle was a certain cavity in the mountain -side, over which, when Cadmus came thither, he found a rude bower of -branches. It reminded him of those which he had helped to build for -Phœnix and Cilix, and afterwards for Thasus. In later times, when -multitudes of people came from great distances to put questions to the -oracle, a spacious temple of marble was erected over the spot. But in -the days of Cadmus, as I have told you, there was only this rustic -bower, with its abundance of green foliage, and a tuft of shrubbery, -that ran wild over the mysterious hole in the hillside. - -When Cadmus had thrust a passage through the tangled boughs, and made -his way into the bower, he did not at first discern the half-hidden -cavity. But soon he felt a cold stream of air rushing out of it, with -so much force that it shook the ringlets on his cheek. Pulling away the -shrubbery which clustered over the hole, he bent forward, and spoke in -a distinct but reverential tone, as if addressing some unseen personage -inside of the mountain. - -"Sacred oracle of Delphi," said he, "whither shall I go next in quest -of my dear sister Europa?" - -There was at first a deep silence, and then a rushing sound, or a -noise like a long sigh proceeding out of the interior of the earth. -This cavity, you must know, was looked upon as a sort of fountain of -truth, which sometimes gushed out in audible words; although, for the -most part, these words were such a riddle that they might just as well -have staid at the bottom of the hole. But Cadmus was more fortunate -than many others who went to Delphi in search of truth. By and by the -rushing noise began to sound like articulate language. It repeated, -over and over again, the following sentence, which, after all, was so -like the vague whistle of a blast of air, that Cadmus really did not -quite know whether it meant anything or not:-- - -"Seek her no more! Seek her no more! Seek her no more!" - -"What, then, shall I do?" asked Cadmus. - -[Illustration: "Sacred oracle of Delphi, whither shall I go?"] - -For, ever since he was a child, you know, it had been the great object -of his life to find his sister. From the very hour that he left -following the butterfly in the meadow, near his father's palace, he had -done his best to follow Europa, over land and sea. And now, if he must -give up the search, he seemed to have no more business in the world. - -But again the sighing gust of air grew into something like a hoarse -voice. - -"Follow the cow!" it said. "Follow the cow! Follow the cow!" - -And when these words had been repeated until Cadmus was tired of -hearing them, (especially as he could not imagine what cow it was, or -why he was to follow her,) the gusty hole gave vent to another sentence. - -"Where the stray cow lies down, there is your home." - -These words were pronounced but a single time, and died away into -a whisper before Cadmus was fully satisfied that he had caught the -meaning. He put other questions, but received no answer; only the gust -of wind sighed continually out of the cavity, and blew the withered -leaves rustling along the ground before it. - -"Did there really come any words out of the hole?" thought Cadmus; "or -have I been dreaming all this while?" - -He turned away from the oracle, and thought himself no wiser than when -he came thither. Caring little what might happen to him, he took the -first path that offered itself, and went along at a sluggish pace; -for, having no object in view, nor any reason to go one way more than -another, it would certainly have been foolish to make haste. Whenever -he met anybody, the old question was at his tongue's end:-- - -"Have you seen a beautiful maiden, dressed like a king's daughter, and -mounted on a snow-white bull, that gallops as swiftly as the wind?" - -But, remembering what the oracle had said, he only half uttered the -words, and then mumbled the rest indistinctly; and from his confusion, -people must have imagined that this handsome young man had lost his -wits. - -I know not how far Cadmus had gone, nor could he himself have told you, -when, at no great distance before him, he beheld a brindled cow. She -was lying down by the wayside, and quietly chewing her cud; nor did -she take any notice of the young man until he had approached pretty -nigh. Then, getting leisurely upon her feet, and giving her head a -gentle toss, she began to move along at a moderate pace, often pausing -just long enough to crop a mouthful of grass. Cadmus loitered behind, -whistling idly to himself, and scarcely noticing the cow; until the -thought occurred to him, whether this could possibly be the animal -which, according to the oracle's response, was to serve him for a -guide. But he smiled at himself for fancying such a thing. He could -not seriously think that this was the cow, because she went along so -quietly, behaving just like any other cow. Evidently she neither knew -nor cared so much as a wisp of hay about Cadmus, and was only thinking -how to get her living along the wayside, where the herbage was green -and fresh. Perhaps she was going home to be milked. - -"Cow, cow, cow!" cried Cadmus. "Hey brindle, hey! Stop, my good cow." - -He wanted to come up with the cow, so as to examine her, and see if she -would appear to know him, or whether there were any peculiarities to -distinguish her from a thousand other cows, whose only business is to -fill the milk pail, and sometimes kick it over. But still the brindle -cow trudged on, whisking her tail to keep the flies away, and taking as -little notice of Cadmus as she well could. If he walked slowly, so did -the cow, and seized the opportunity to graze. If he quickened his pace, -the cow went just so much the faster; and once, when Cadmus tried to -catch her by running, she threw out her heels, stuck her tail straight -on end, and set off at a gallop, looking as queerly as cows generally -do, while putting themselves to their speed. - -When Cadmus saw that it was impossible to come up with her, he walked -on moderately, as before. The cow, too, went leisurely on, without -looking behind. Wherever the grass was greenest, there she nibbled a -mouthful or two. Where a brook glistened brightly across the path, -there the cow drank, and breathed a comfortable sigh, and drank again, -and trudged onward at the pace that best suited herself and Cadmus. - -"I do believe," thought Cadmus, "that this may be the cow that was -foretold me. If it be the one, I suppose she will lie down somewhere -hereabouts." - -Whether it were the oracular cow or some other one, it did not seem -reasonable that she should travel a great way farther. So, whenever -they reached a particularly pleasant spot on a breezy hillside, or -in a sheltered vale, or flowery meadow, on the shore of a calm lake, -or along the bank of a clear stream, Cadmus looked eagerly around to -see if the situation would suit him for a home. But still, whether he -liked the place or no, the brindled cow never offered to lie down. On -she went at the quiet pace of a cow going homeward to the barn yard; -and, every moment, Cadmus expected to see a milkmaid approaching with a -pail, or a herdsman running to head the stray animal, and turn her back -towards the pasture. But no milkmaid came; no herdsman drove her back; -and Cadmus followed the stray Brindle till he was almost ready to drop -down with fatigue. - -"O, brindled cow," cried he, in a tone of despair, "do you never mean -to stop?" - -He had now grown too intent on following her to think of lagging -behind, however long the way, and whatever might be his fatigue. -Indeed, it seemed as if there were something about the animal that -bewitched people. Several persons who happened to see the brindled cow -and Cadmus following behind, began to trudge after her, precisely as he -did. Cadmus was glad of somebody to converse with, and therefore talked -very freely to these good people. He told them all his adventures, and -how he had left King Agenor in his palace, and Phœnix at one place, -and Cilix at another and Thasus at a third, and his dear mother, Queen -Telephassa, under a flowery sod; so that now he was quite alone, both -friendless and homeless. He mentioned, likewise, that the oracle had -bidden him be guided by a cow, and inquired of the strangers whether -they supposed that this brindled animal could be the one. - -"Why, 'tis a very wonderful affair," answered one of his new -companions. "I am pretty well acquainted with the ways of cattle, and I -never knew a cow, of her own accord, to go so far without stopping. If -my legs will let me, I'll never leave following the beast till she lies -down." - -"Nor I!" said a second. - -"Nor I!" cried a third. "If she goes a hundred miles farther, I'm -determined to see the end of it." - -The secret of it was, you must know, that the cow was an enchanted -cow, and that, without their being conscious of it, she threw some of -her enchantment over everybody that took so much as half a dozen steps -behind her. They could not possibly help following her, though, all the -time, they fancied themselves doing it of their own accord. The cow was -by no means very nice in choosing her path; so that sometimes they had -to scramble over rocks, or wade through mud and mire, and were all in -a terribly bedraggled condition, and tired to death, and very hungry, -into the bargain. What a weary business it was! - -But still they kept trudging stoutly forward, and talking as they went. -The strangers grew very fond of Cadmus, and resolved never to leave -him, but to help him build a city wherever the cow might lie down. In -the center of it there should be a noble palace, in which Cadmus might -dwell, and be their king, with a throne, a crown, and scepter, a purple -robe, and everything else that a king ought to have; for in him there -was the royal blood, and the royal heart, and the head that knew how to -rule. - -While they were talking of these schemes and beguiling the tediousness -of the way with laying out the plan of the new city, one of the company -happened to look at the cow. - -"Joy! joy!" cried he, clapping his hands. "Brindle is going to lie -down." - -They all looked; and, sure enough, the cow had stopped and was staring -leisurely about her, as other cows do when on the point of lying down. -And slowly, slowly did she recline herself on the soft grass, first -bending her fore legs, and then crouching her hind ones. When Cadmus -and his companions came up with her, there was the brindled cow taking -her ease, chewing her cud, and looking them quietly in the face; as if -this was just the spot she had been seeking for, and as if it were all -a matter of course. - -"This, then," said Cadmus, gazing around him, "this is to be my home." - -It was a fertile and lovely plain, with great trees flinging their -sun-speckled shadows over it, and hills fencing it in from the rough -weather. At no great distance, they beheld a river gleaming in the -sunshine. A home feeling stole into the heart of poor Cadmus. He was -very glad to know that here he might awake in the morning, without -the necessity of putting on his dusty sandals to travel farther and -farther. The days and the years would pass over him, and find him -still in this pleasant spot. If he could have had his brothers with -him, and his friend Thasus, and could have seen his dear mother under -a roof of his own, he might here have been happy, after all their -disappointments. Some day or other, too, his sister Europa might -have come quietly to the door of his home, and smiled round upon the -familiar faces. But, indeed, since there was no hope of regaining the -friends of his boyhood, or ever seeing his dear sister again, Cadmus -resolved to make himself happy with these new companions, who had grown -so fond of him while following the cow. - -"Yes, my friends," said he to them, "this is to be our home. Here we -will build our habitations. The brindled cow, which has led us hither, -will supply us with milk. We will cultivate the neighboring soil, and -lead an innocent and happy life." - -[Illustration: THIS PITILESS REPTILE HAD KILLED HIS POOR COMPANIONS] - -His companions joyfully assented to this plan; and, in the first place, -being very hungry and thirsty, they looked about them for the means of -providing a comfortable meal. Not far off, they saw a tuft of trees, -which appeared as if there might be a spring of water beneath them. -They went thither to fetch some, leaving Cadmus stretched on the ground -along with the brindled cow; for, now that he had found a place of -rest, it seemed as if all the weariness of his pilgrimage, ever since -he left King Agenor's palace, had fallen upon him at once. But his new -friends had not long been gone, when he was suddenly startled by cries, -shouts, and screams, and the noise of a terrible struggle, and in the -midst of it all, a most awful hissing, which went right through his -ears like a rough saw. - -Running towards the tuft of trees, he beheld the head and fiery eyes of -an immense serpent or dragon, with the widest jaws that ever a dragon -had, and a vast many rows of horribly sharp teeth. Before Cadmus could -reach the spot, this pitiless reptile had killed his poor companions, -and was busily devouring them, making but a mouthful of each man. - -It appears that the fountain of water was enchanted, and that the -dragon had been set to guard it, so that no mortal might ever quench -his thirst there. As the neighboring inhabitants carefully avoided -the spot, it was now a long time (not less than a hundred years, -or thereabouts) since the monster had broken his fast; and, as was -natural enough, his appetite had grown to be enormous, and was not -half satisfied by the poor people whom he had just eaten up. When he -caught sight of Cadmus, therefore, he set up another abominable hiss, -and flung back his immense jaws, until his mouth looked like a great -red cavern, at the farther end of which were seen the legs of his last -victim, whom he had hardly had time to swallow. - -But Cadmus was so enraged at the destruction of his friends, that he -cared neither for the size of the dragon's jaws nor for his hundreds -of sharp teeth. Drawing his sword, he rushed at the monster, and flung -himself right into his cavernous mouth. This bold method of attacking -him took the dragon by surprise; for, in fact, Cadmus had leaped so -far down into his throat, that the rows of terrible teeth could not -close upon him, nor do him the least harm in the world. Thus, though -the struggle was a tremendous one, and though the dragon shattered the -tuft of trees into small splinters by the lashing of his tail, yet, -as Cadmus was all the while slashing and stabbing at his very vitals, -it was not long before the scaly wretch bethought himself of slipping -away. He had not gone his length, however, when the brave Cadmus gave -him a sword thrust that finished the battle; and, creeping out of the -gateway of the creature's jaws, there he beheld him still wriggling his -vast bulk, although there was no longer life enough in him to harm a -little child. - -But do not you suppose that it made Cadmus sorrowful to think of the -melancholy fate which had befallen those poor, friendly people, who had -followed the cow along with him? It seemed as if he were doomed to lose -every body whom he loved, or to see them perish in one way or another. -And here he was, after all his toils and troubles, in a solitary place, -with not a single human being to help him build a hut. - -"What shall I do?" cried he aloud. "It were better for me to have been -devoured by the dragon, as my poor companions were." - -"Cadmus," said a voice--but whether it came from above or below him, -or whether it spoke within his own breast, the young man could not -tell--"Cadmus, pluck out the dragon's teeth, and plant them in the -earth." - -This was a strange thing to do; nor was it very easy, I should imagine, -to dig out all those deep-rooted fangs from the dead dragon's jaws. But -Cadmus toiled and tugged, and after pounding the monstrous head almost -to pieces with a great stone, he at last collected as many teeth as -might have filled a bushel or two. The next thing was to plant them. -This, likewise, was a tedious piece of work, especially as Cadmus was -already exhausted with killing the dragon and knocking his head to -pieces, and had nothing to dig the earth with, that I know of, unless -it were his sword blade. Finally, however, a sufficiently large tract -of ground was turned up, and sown with this new kind of seed; although -half of the dragon's teeth still remained to be planted some other day. - -Cadmus, quite out of breath, stood leaning upon his sword, and -wondering what was to happen next. He had waited but a few moments, -when he began to see a sight, which was as great a marvel as the most -marvellous thing I ever told you about. - -The sun was shining slantwise over the field, and showed all the moist, -dark soil, just like any other newly-planted piece of ground. All at -once, Cadmus fancied he saw something glisten very brightly, first at -one spot, then another, and then at a hundred and a thousand spots -together. Soon he perceived them to be the steel heads of spears, -sprouting up everywhere like so many stalks of grain, and continually -growing taller and taller. Next appeared a vast number of bright sword -blades, thrusting themselves up in the same way. A moment afterwards, -the whole surface of the ground was broken by a multitude of polished -brass helmets, coming up like a crop of enormous beans. So rapidly -did they grow that Cadmus now discerned the fierce countenance of a -man beneath every one. In short, before he had time to think what a -wonderful affair it was, he beheld an abundant harvest of what looked -like human beings, armed with helmets and breastplates, shields, -swords, and spears; and before they were well out of the earth, they -brandished their weapons, and clashed them one against another, seeming -to think, little while as they had yet lived, that they had wasted too -much of life without a battle. Every tooth of the dragon had produced -one of these sons of deadly mischief. - -Up sprouted, also, a great many trumpeters, and with the first breath -that they drew, they put their brazen trumpets to their lips, and -sounded a tremendous and ear-shattering blast; so that the whole space, -just now so quiet and solitary, reverberated with the clash and clang -of arms, the bray of warlike music, and the shouts of angry men. So -enraged did they all look, that Cadmus fully expected them to put -the whole world to the sword. How fortunate would it be for a great -conqueror, if he could get a bushel of the dragon's teeth to sow! - -"Cadmus," said the same voice which he had before heard, "throw a stone -into the midst of the armed men." - -So Cadmus seized a large stone, and, flinging it into the middle -of the earth army, saw it strike the breastplate of a gigantic and -fierce-looking warrior. Immediately on feeling the blow, he seemed -to take it for granted that somebody had struck him; and, uplifting -his weapon, he smote his next neighbor a blow that cleft his helmet -asunder, and stretched him on the ground. In an instant, those nearest -the fallen warrior began to strike at one another with their swords -and stab with their spears. The confusion spread wider and wider. Each -man smote down his brother, and was himself smitten down before he -had time to exult in his victory. The trumpeters, all the while, blew -their blasts shriller and shriller; each soldier shouted a battle cry, -and often fell with it on his lips. It was the strangest spectacle of -causeless wrath, and of mischief for no good end, that had ever been -witnessed; but, after all, it was neither more foolish nor more wicked -than a thousand battles that have since been fought, in which men have -slain their brothers with just as little reason as these children of -the dragon's teeth. It ought to be considered, too, that the dragon -people were made for nothing else; whereas other mortals were born to -love and help one another. - -Well, this memorable battle continued to rage until the ground was -strewn with helmeted heads that had been cut off. Of all the thousands -that began the fight, there were only five left standing. These now -rushed from different parts of the field, and, meeting in the middle of -it clashed their swords, and struck at each other's hearts as fiercely -as ever. - -"Cadmus," said the voice again, "bid those five warriors sheathe their -swords. They will help you to build the city." - -Without hesitating an instant, Cadmus stepped forward, with the aspect -of a king and a leader and extending his drawn sword amongst them, -spoke to the warriors in a stern and commanding voice. - -"Sheathe your weapons!" said he. - -And forthwith, feeling themselves bound to obey him, the five remaining -sons of the dragon's teeth made him a military salute with their -swords, returned them to the scabbards, and stood before Cadmus in a -rank, eyeing him as soldiers eye their captain, while awaiting the word -of command. - -These five men had probably sprung from the biggest of the dragon's -teeth, and were the boldest and strongest of the whole army. They were -almost giants indeed, and had good need to be so, else they never -could have lived through so terrible a fight. They still had a very -furious look, and, if Cadmus happened to glance aside, would glare at -one another, with fire flashing out of their eyes. It was strange, -too, to observe how the earth, out of which they had so lately grown, -was incrusted, here and there, on their bright breastplates, and even -begrimed their faces; just as you may have seen it clinging to beets -and carrots, when pulled out of their native soil. Cadmus hardly -knew whether to consider them as men, or some odd kind of vegetable, -although, on the whole, he concluded that there was human nature in -them, because they were so fond of trumpets and weapons, and so ready -to shed blood. - -They looked him earnestly in the face, waiting for his next order, and -evidently desiring no other employment than to follow him from one -battle field to another, all over the wide world. But Cadmus was wiser -than these earth-born creatures, with their dragon's fierceness in -them, and knew better how to use their strength and hardihood. - -"Come!" said he. "You are sturdy fellows. Make yourselves useful! -Quarry some stones with those great swords of yours, and help me to -build a city." - -The five soldiers grumbled a little, and muttered that it was their -business to overthrow cities, not to build them up. But Cadmus looked -at them with a stern eye, and spoke to them in a tone of authority, -so that they knew him for their master, and never again thought of -disobeying his commands. They set to work in good earnest, and toiled -so diligently, that, in a very short time, a city began to make its -appearance. At first, to be sure, the workmen showed a quarrelsome -disposition. Like savage beasts, they would doubtless have done one -another a mischief, if Cadmus had not kept watch over them, and quelled -the fierce old serpent that lurked in their hearts, when he saw it -gleaming out of their wild eyes. But, in course of time, they got -accustomed to honest labor, and had sense enough to feel that there -was more true enjoyment in living at peace, and doing good to one's -neighbor, than in striking at him with a two-edged sword. It may not be -too much to hope that the rest of mankind will by and by grow as wise -and peaceable as these five earth begrimed warriors, who sprang from -the dragon's teeth. - -And now the city was built, and there was a home in it for each of the -workmen. But the palace of Cadmus was not yet erected, because they had -left it till the last, meaning to introduce all the new improvements -of architecture, and make it very commodious, as well as stately and -beautiful. After finishing the rest of their labors, they all went to -bed betimes, in order to rise in the gray of the morning, and get at -least the foundation of the edifice laid out before nightfall. But, -when Cadmus arose, and took his way towards the site where the palace -was to be built, followed by his five sturdy workmen marching all in a -row, what do you think he saw? - -What should it be but the most magnificent palace that had ever been -seen in the world. It was built of marble and other kinds of stone, -and rose high into the air, with a splendid dome and a portico along -the front, and carved pillars, and everything else that befitted the -habitation of a mighty king. It had grown up out of the earth in almost -as short a time as it had taken the armed host to spring from the -dragon's teeth; and what made the matter more strange, no seed of this -stately edifice had ever been planted. - -When the five workmen beheld the dome, with the morning sunshine making -it look golden and glorious, they gave a great shout. - -"Long live King Cadmus," they cried, "in his beautiful palace." - -And the new king, with his five faithful followers at his heels, -shouldering their pickaxes and marching in a rank, (for they still -had a soldierlike sort of behavior, as their nature was,) ascended -the palace steps. Halting at the entrance, they gazed through a long -vista of lofty pillars, that were ranged from end to end of a great -hall. At the farther extremity of this hall, approaching slowly towards -him, Cadmus beheld a female figure, wonderfully beautiful, and adorned -with a royal robe, and a crown of diamonds over her golden ringlets, -and the richest necklace that ever a queen wore. His heart thrilled -with delight. He fancied it his long-lost sister Europa, now grown to -womanhood, coming to make him happy, and to repay him with her sweet -sisterly affection, for all those weary wanderings in quest of her -since he left King Agenor's palace--for the tears that he had shed, on -parting with Phœnix, and Cilix, and Thasus--for the heart-breakings -that had made the whole world seem dismal to him over his dear mother's -grave. - -But, as Cadmus advanced to meet the beautiful stranger, he saw that -her features were unknown to him, although, in the little time that -it required to tread along the hall, he had already felt a sympathy -betwixt himself and her. - -"No, Cadmus," said the same voice that had spoken to him in the field -of the armed men, "this is not that dear sister Europa whom you have -sought so faithfully all over the wide world. This is Harmonia, a -daughter of the sky, who is given you instead of sister, and brothers, -and friend, and mother. You will find all those dear ones in her alone." - -So King Cadmus dwelt in the palace, with his new friend Harmonia, and -found a great deal of comfort in his magnificent abode, but would -doubtless have found as much, if not more, in the humblest cottage -by the wayside. Before many years went by, there was a group of rosy -little children (but how they came thither has always been a mystery to -me) sporting in the great hall, and on the marble steps of the palace, -and running joyfully to meet King Cadmus when affairs of state left -him at leisure to play with them. They called him father, and Queen -Harmonia mother. The five old soldiers of the dragon's teeth grew very -fond of these small urchins, and were never weary of showing them how -to shoulder sticks, flourish wooden swords, and march in military -order, blowing a penny trumpet, or beating an abominable rub-a-dub upon -a little drum. - -But King Cadmus, lest there should be too much of the dragon's tooth in -his children's disposition, used to find time from his kingly duties to -teach them their A B C--which he invented for their benefit, and for -which many little people, I am afraid, are not half so grateful to him -as they ought to be. - -[Illustration] - - - -[Illustration] - - -CIRCE'S PALACE - -Some of you have heard no doubt, of the wise King Ulysses, and how he -went to the siege of Troy, and how, after that famous city was taken -and burned, he spent ten long years in trying to get back again to his -own little kingdom of Ithaca. At one time in the course of this weary -voyage, he arrived at an island that looked very green and pleasant, -but the name of which was unknown to him. For, only a little while -before he came thither, he had met with a terrible hurricane, or rather -a great many hurricanes at once, which drove his fleet of vessels -into a strange part of the sea, where neither himself nor any of his -mariners had ever sailed. This misfortune was entirely owing to the -foolish curiosity of his ship-mates, who, while Ulysses lay asleep, had -untied some very bulky leathern bags, in which they supposed a valuable -treasure to be concealed. But in each of these stout bags, King Æolus, -the ruler of the winds, had tied up a tempest, and had given it to -Ulysses to keep, in order that he might be sure of a favorable passage -homeward to Ithaca; and when the strings were loosened, forth rushed -the whistling blasts, like air out of a blown bladder, whitening the -sea with foam, and scattering the vessels nobody could tell whither. - -Immediately after escaping from this peril, a still greater one had -befallen him. Scudding before the hurricane, he reached a place, which, -as he afterwards found, was called Læstrygonia, where some monstrous -giants had eaten up many of his companions, and had sunk every one of -his vessels, except that in which he himself sailed, by flinging great -masses of rock at them, from the cliffs along the shore. After going -through such troubles as these, you cannot wonder that King Ulysses -was glad to moor his tempest-beaten bark in a quiet cove of the green -island, which I began with telling you about. But he had encountered -so many dangers from giants, and one-eyed Cyclopes, and monsters of -the sea and land, that he could not help dreading some mischief, even -in this pleasant and seemingly solitary spot. For two days, therefore, -the poor weatherworn voyagers kept quiet, and either staid on board -of their vessel, or merely crept along under the cliffs that bordered -the shore; and to keep themselves alive, they dug shellfish out of -the sand, and sought for any little rill of fresh water that might be -running towards the sea. - -Before the two days were spent, they grew very weary of this kind of -life; for the followers of King Ulysses, as you will find it important -to remember, were terrible gormandizers, and pretty sure to grumble -if they missed their regular meals, and their irregular ones besides. -Their stock of provisions was quite exhausted, and even the shellfish -began to get scarce, so that they had now to choose between starving to -death or venturing into the interior of the island, where perhaps some -huge three-headed dragon, or other horrible monster, had his den. Such -misshapen creatures were very numerous in those days; and nobody ever -expected to make a voyage, or take a journey, without running more or -less risk of being devoured by them. - -But King Ulysses was a bold man as well as a prudent one; and on the -third morning he determined to discover what sort of a place the island -was, and whether it were possible to obtain a supply of food for the -hungry mouths of his companions. So, taking a spear in his hand, he -clambered to the summit of a cliff and gazed round about him. At a -distance, towards the center of the island, he beheld the stately -towers of what seemed to be a palace, built of snow-white marble, and -rising in the midst of a grove of lofty trees. The thick branches of -these trees stretched across the front of the edifice, and more than -half concealed it, although, from the portion which he saw, Ulysses -judged it to be spacious and exceedingly beautiful, and probably the -residence of some great nobleman or prince. A blue smoke went curling -up from the chimney, and was almost the pleasantest part of the -spectacle to Ulysses. For, from the abundance of this smoke, it was -reasonable to conclude that there was a good fire in the kitchen, and -that, at dinner time, a plentiful banquet would be served up to the -inhabitants of the palace, and to whatever guests might happen to drop -in. - -[Illustration: At a distance he beheld stately towers.] - -With so agreeable a prospect before him, Ulysses fancied that he could -not do better than to go straight to the palace gate, and tell the -master of it that there was a crew of poor ship-wrecked mariners not -far off, who had eaten nothing for a day or two, save a few clams and -oysters, and would therefore be thankful for a little food. And the -prince or nobleman must be a very stingy curmudgeon, to be sure, if, at -least, when his own dinner was over, he would not bid them welcome to -the broken victuals from the table. - -Pleasing himself with this idea, King Ulysses had made a few steps in -the direction of the palace, when there was a great twittering and -chirping from the branch of a neighboring tree. A moment afterwards, a -bird came flying towards him, and hovered in the air, so as almost to -brush his face with its wings. It was a very pretty little bird, with -purple wings and body, and yellow legs, and a circle of golden feathers -round its neck, and on its head a golden tuft, which looked like a -king's crown in miniature. Ulysses tried to catch the bird. But it -fluttered nimbly out of his reach, still chirping in a piteous tone, as -if it could have told a lamentable story, had it only been gifted with -human language. And when he attempted to drive it away, the bird flew -no farther than the bough of the next tree, and again came fluttering -about his head, with its doleful chirp, as soon as he showed a purpose -of going forward. - -"Have you anything to tell me, little bird?" asked Ulysses. - -And he was ready to listen attentively to whatever the bird might -communicate; for, at the siege of Troy, and elsewhere, he had known -such odd things to happen, that he would not have considered it much -out of the common run had this little feathered creature talked as -plainly as himself. - -"Peep!" said the bird, "peep, peep, pe--weep!" And nothing else would -it say, but only, "Peep, peep, pe--weep!" in a melancholy cadence, -and over and over and over again. As often as Ulysses moved forward, -however, the bird showed the greatest alarm, and did its best to -drive him back, with the anxious flutter of its purple wings. Its -unaccountable behavior made him conclude, at last, that the bird -knew of some danger that awaited him, and which must needs be very -terrible, beyond all question, since it moved even a little fowl to -feel compassion for a human being. So he resolved, for the present, to -return to the vessel, and tell his companions what he had seen. This -appeared to satisfy the bird. As soon as Ulysses turned back, it ran -up the trunk of a tree, and began to pick insects out of the bark with -its long, sharp bill; for it was a kind of woodpecker, you must know, -and had to get its living in the same manner as other birds of that -species. But every little while, as it pecked at the bark of the tree, -the purple bird bethought itself of some secret sorrow, and repeated -its plaintive note of "Peep, peep, pe--weep!" - -On his way to the shore, Ulysses had the good luck to kill a large stag -by thrusting his spear into its back. Taking it on his shoulders, (for -he was a remarkably strong man) he lugged it along with him, and flung -it down before his hungry companions. I have already hinted to you what -gormandizers some of the comrades of King Ulysses were. From what is -related of them, I reckon that their favorite diet was pork and that -they had lived upon it until a good part of their physical substance -was swine's flesh, and their tempers and dispositions were very much -akin to the hog. A dish of venison, however, was no unacceptable meal -to them, especially after feeding so long on oysters and clams. So, -beholding the dead stag, they felt of its ribs, in a knowing way, and -lost no time in kindling a fire, of driftwood, to cook it. The rest -of the day was spent in feasting; and if these enormous eaters got up -from table at sunset, it was only because they could not scrape another -morsel off the poor animal's bones. - -The next morning, their appetites were as sharp as ever. They looked -at Ulysses, as if they expected him to clamber up the cliff again, and -come back with another fat deer upon his shoulders. Instead of setting -out, however, he summoned the whole crew together, and told them it -was in vain to hope that he could kill a stag every day for their -dinner, and therefore it was advisable to think of some other mode of -satisfying their hunger. - -"Now," said he, "when I was on the cliff yesterday, I discovered that -this island is inhabited. At a considerable distance from the shore -stood a marble palace, which appeared to be very spacious, and had a -great deal of smoke curling out of one of its chimneys." - -"Aha!" muttered some of his companions, smacking their lips. "That -smoke must have come from the kitchen fire. There was a good dinner on -the spit; and no doubt there will be as good a one to-day." - -"But," continued the wise Ulysses, "you must remember, my good friends, -our misadventure in the cavern of one-eyed Polyphemus, the Cyclops! -Instead of his ordinary milk diet, did he not eat up two of our -comrades for his supper, and a couple more for breakfast, and two at -his supper again? Methinks I see him yet, the hideous monster, scanning -us with that great red eye, in the middle of his forehead, to single -out the fattest. And then, again, only a few days ago, did we not fall -into the hands of the king of the Læstrygons, and those other horrible -giants, his subjects, who devoured a great many more of us than are -now left? To tell you the truth, if we go to yonder palace, there can -be no question that we shall make our appearance at the dinner table; -but whether seated as guests, or served up as food, is a point to be -seriously considered." - -"Either way," murmured some of the hungriest of the crew, "it will be -better than starvation; particularly if one could be sure of being well -fattened beforehand, and daintily cooked afterwards." - -"That is a matter of taste," said King Ulysses, "and, for my own part, -neither the most careful fattening nor the daintiest of cookery would -reconcile me to being dished at last. My proposal is, therefore, that -we divide ourselves into two equal parties, and ascertain, by drawing -lots, which of the two shall go to the palace, and beg for food and -assistance. If these can be obtained, all is well. If not, and if the -inhabitants prove as inhospitable as Polyphemus, or the Læstrygons, -then there will but half of us perish, and the remainder may set sail -and escape." - -As nobody objected to this scheme, Ulysses proceeded to count the whole -band, and found that there were forty-six men, including himself. He -then numbered off twenty-two of them, and put Eurylochus (who was one -of his chief officers, and second only to himself in sagacity) at their -head. Ulysses took command of the remaining twenty-two men, in person. -Then, taking off his helmet, he put two shells into it, on one of which -was written, "Go," and on the other, "Stay." Another person now held -the helmet, while Ulysses and Eurylochus drew out each a shell; and -the word "Go" was found written on that which Eurylochus had drawn. In -this manner, it was decided that Ulysses and his twenty-two men were to -remain at the sea-side until the other party should have found out what -sort of treatment they might expect at the mysterious palace. As there -was no help for it, Eurylochus immediately set forth at the head of his -twenty-two followers, who went off in a very melancholy state of mind, -leaving their friends in hardly better spirits than themselves. - -No sooner had they clambered up the cliff, than they discerned the tall -marble towers of the palace, ascending, as white as snow, out of the -lovely green shadow of the trees which surrounded it. A gush of smoke -came from a chimney in the rear of the edifice. This vapor rose high in -the air, and, meeting with a breeze, was wafted seaward, and made to -pass over the heads of the hungry mariners. When people's appetites are -keen, they have a very quick scent for anything savory in the wind. - -"That smoke comes from the kitchen!" cried one of them, turning up his -nose as high as he could, and snuffing eagerly. "And, as sure as I'm a -half-starved vagabond, I smell roast meat in it." - -"Pig, roast pig!" said another. "Ah, the dainty little porker! My mouth -waters for him." - -"Let us make haste," cried the others, "or we shall be too late for the -good cheer!" - -But scarcely had they made half a dozen steps from the edge of the -cliff, when a bird came fluttering to meet them. It was the same -pretty little bird, with the purple wings and body, the yellow legs, -the golden collar round its neck, and the crown-like tuft upon its -head, whose behavior had so much surprised Ulysses. It hovered about -Eurylochus, and almost brushed his face with its wings. - -"Peep, peep, pe--weep!" chirped the bird. - -So plaintively intelligent was the sound, that it seemed as if the -little creature were going to break its heart with some mighty secret -that it had to tell, and only this one poor note to tell it with. - -"My pretty bird," said Eurylochus,--for he was a wary person, and let -no token of harm escape his notice,--"my pretty bird, who sent you -hither? And what is the message which you bring?" - -"Peep, peep, pe--weep!" replied the bird, very sorrowfully. - -Then it flew towards the edge of the cliff, and looked round at -them, as if exceedingly anxious that they should return whence they -came. Eurylochus and a few of the others were inclined to turn back. -They could not help suspecting that the purple bird must be aware of -something mischievous that would befall them at the palace, and the -knowledge of which affected its airy spirit with a human sympathy and -sorrow. But the rest of the voyagers, snuffing up the smoke from the -palace kitchen, ridiculed the idea of returning to the vessel. One of -them (more brutal than his fellows, and the most notorious gormandizer -in the whole crew) said such a cruel and wicked thing, that I wonder -the mere thought did not turn him into a wild beast in shape, as he -already was in his nature. - -"This troublesome and impertinent little fowl," said he, "would make a -delicate titbit to begin dinner with. Just one plump morsel, melting -away between the teeth. If he comes within my reach, I'll catch him, -and give him to the palace cook to be roasted on a skewer." - -The words were hardly out of his mouth, before the purple bird flew -away, crying, "Peep, peep, pe--weep," more dolorously than ever. - -"That bird," remarked Eurylochus, "knows more than we do about what -awaits us at the palace." - -"Come on, then," cried his comrades, "and we'll soon know as much as he -does." - -The party, accordingly, went onward through the green and pleasant -wood. Every little while they caught new glimpses of the marble palace, -which looked more and more beautiful the nearer they approached it. -They soon entered a broad pathway, which seemed to be very neatly -kept, and which went winding along, with streaks of sunshine falling -across it, and specks of light quivering among the deepest shadows that -fell from the lofty trees. It was bordered, too, with a great many -sweet-smelling flowers, such as the mariners had never seen before. So -rich and beautiful they were, that, if the shrubs grew wild here, and -were native in the soil, then this island was surely the flower garden -of the whole earth; or, if transplanted from some other clime, it must -have been from the Happy Islands that lay towards the golden sunset. - -"There has been a great deal of pains foolishly wasted on these -flowers," observed one of the company; and I tell you what he said, -that you may keep in mind what gormandizers they were. "For my part, -if I were the owner of the palace, I would bid my gardener cultivate -nothing but savory pot herbs to make a stuffing for roast meat, or to -flavor a stew with." - -"Well said!" cried the others. "But I'll warrant you there's a kitchen -garden in the rear of the palace." - -At one place they came to a crystal spring, and paused to drink at it -for want of liquor, which they liked better. Looking into its bosom, -they beheld their own faces dimly reflected, but so extravagantly -distorted by the gush and motion of the water, that each of them -appeared to be laughing at himself and all his companions. So -ridiculous were these images of themselves, indeed, that they did -really laugh aloud, and could hardly be grave again as soon as they -wished. And after they had drank, they grew still merrier than before. - -"It has the twang of the wine cask in it," said one, smacking his lips. - -"Make haste!" cried his fellews; "we'll find the wine cask itself at -the palace; and that will be better than a hundred crystal fountains." - -Then they quickened their pace, and capered for joy at the thought of -the savory banquet at which they hoped to be guests. But Eurylochus -told them that he felt as if he were walking in a dream. - -"If I am really awake," continued he, "then, in my opinion, we are -on the point of meeting with some stranger adventure than any that -befell us in the cave of Polyphemus, or among the gigantic man-eating -Læstrygons, or in the windy palace of King Æolus, which stands on a -brazen-walled island. This kind of dreamy feeling always comes over me -before any wonderful occurrence. If you take my advice, you will turn -back." - -"No, no," answered his comrades, snuffing the air, in which the scent -from the palace kitchen was now very perceptible. "We would not turn -back, though we were certain that the king of the Læstrygons, as big as -a mountain, would sit at the head of the table, and huge Polyphemus, -the one-eyed Cyclops, at its foot." - -At length they came within full sight of the palace, which proved to -be very large and lofty, with a great number of airy pinnacles upon -its roof. Though it was now midday, and the sun shone brightly over -the marble front, yet its snowy whiteness, and its fantastic style -of architecture, made it look unreal, like the frostwork on a window -pane, or like the shapes of castles which one sees among the clouds by -moonlight. But, just then, a puff of wind brought down the smoke of the -kitchen among them, and caused each man to smell the odor of the dish -that he liked best; and, after scenting it, they thought everything -else moonshine, and nothing real save this palace, and save the banquet -that was evidently ready to be served up in it. - -So they hastened their steps towards the portal, but had not got half -way across the wide lawn, when a pack of lions, tigers, and wolves -came bounding to meet them. The terrified mariners started back, -expecting no better fate than to be torn to pieces and devoured. To -their surprise and joy, however, these wild beasts merely capered -around them, wagging their tails, offering their heads to be stroked -and patted, and behaving just like so many well-bred house dogs, when -they wish to express their delight at meeting their master, or their -master's friends. The biggest lion licked the feet of Eurylochus; and -every other lion, and every wolf and tiger, singled out one of his two -and twenty followers, whom the beast fondled as if he loved him better -than a beef bone. - -But, for all that, Eurylochus imagined that he saw something fierce and -savage in their eyes; nor would he have been surprised, at any moment, -to feel the big lion's terrible claws, or to see each of the tigers -make a deadly spring, or each wolf leap at the throat of the man whom -he had fondled. Their mildness seemed unreal, and a mere freak; but -their savage nature was as true as their teeth and claws. - -Nevertheless, the men went safely across the lawn with the wild beasts -frisking about them, and doing no manner of harm; although, as they -mounted the steps of the palace, you might possibly have heard a low -growl, particularly from the wolves; as if they thought it a pity, -after all, to let the strangers pass without so much as tasting what -they were made of. - -Eurylochus and his followers now passed under a lofty portal and looked -through the open doorway into the interior of the palace. The first -thing that they saw was a spacious hall and a fountain in the middle of -it, gushing up towards the ceiling out of a marble basin, and falling -back into it with a continual splash. The water of this fountain, as it -spouted upward, was constantly taking new shapes, not very distinctly, -but plainly enough for a nimble fancy to recognize what they were. Now -it was the shape of a man in a long robe, the fleecy whiteness of which -was made out of the fountain's spray; now it was a lion, or a tiger, -or a wolf, or an ass, or, as often as anything else, a hog wallowing -in the marble basin as if it were his sty. It was either magic or some -very curious machinery that caused the gushing waterspout to assume -all these forms. But, before the strangers had time to look closely at -this wonderful sight, their attention was drawn off by a very sweet and -agreeable sound. A woman's voice was singing melodiously in another -room of the palace, and with her voice was mingled the noise of a loom, -at which she was probably seated, weaving a rich texture of cloth, and -intertwining the high and low sweetness of her voice into a rich tissue -of harmony. - -By and by, the song came to an end; and then, all at once, there were -several feminine voices, talking airily and cheerfully, with now and -then a merry burst of laughter, such as you may always hear when three -or four young women sit at work together. - -"What a sweet song that was!" exclaimed one of the voyagers. - -"Too sweet, indeed," answered Eurylochus, shaking his head. "Yet it was -not so sweet as the song of the Sirens, those bird-like damsels who -wanted to tempt us on the rocks, so that our vessels might be wrecked, -and our bones left whitening along the shore." - -"But just listen to the pleasant voices of those maidens, and that buzz -of the loom, as the shuttle passes to and fro," said another comrade. -"What a domestic, household, home-like sound it is! Ah, before that -weary siege of Troy, I used to hear the buzzing loom and the women's -voices under my own roof. Shall I never hear them again? nor taste -those nice little savory dishes which my dearest wife knew how to serve -up?" - -"Tush! we shall fare better here," said another. "But how innocently -those women are babbling together, without guessing that we overhear -them! And mark that richest voice of all, so pleasant and familiar, but -which yet seems to have the authority of a mistress among them. Let us -show ourselves at once. What harm can the lady of the palace and her -maidens do to mariners and warriors like us?" - -"Remember," said Eurylochus, "that it was a young maiden who beguiled -three of our friends into the palace of the king of the Læstrygons, who -ate up one of them in the twinkling of an eye." - -No warning or persuasion, however, had any effect on his companions. -They went up to a pair of folding doors at the farther end of the hall, -and throwing them wide open, passed into the next room. Eurylochus, -meanwhile, had stepped behind a pillar. In the short moment while -the folding doors opened and closed again, he caught a glimpse of a -very beautiful woman rising from the loom, and coming to meet the -poor weather-beaten wanderers, with a hospitable smile, and her hand -stretched out in welcome. There were four other young women, who joined -their hands and danced merrily forward, making gestures of obeisance to -the strangers. They were only less beautiful than the lady who seemed -to be their mistress. Yet Eurylochus fancied that one of them had -sea-green hair, and that the close-fitting bodice of a second looked -like the bark of a tree, and that both the others had something odd in -their aspect, although he could not quite determine what it was, in the -little while that he had to examine them. - -[Illustration: THE VOYAGERS EXAMINED THE WEB OF CLOTH] - -The folding doors swung quickly back, and left him standing behind -the pillar, in the solitude of the outer hall. There Eurylochus -waited until he was quite weary, and listened eagerly to every sound, -but without hearing anything that could help him to guess what had -become of his friends. Footsteps, it is true, seemed to be passing -and repassing, in other parts of the palace. Then there was a clatter -of silver dishes, or golden ones, which made him imagine a rich feast -in a splendid banqueting hall. But by and by he heard a tremendous -grunting and squealing, and then a sudden scampering, like that of -small, hard hoofs over a marble floor, while the voices of the mistress -and her four handmaidens were screaming all together, in tones of -anger and derision. Eurylochus could not conceive what had happened, -unless a drove of swine had broken into the palace, attracted by the -smell of the feast. Chancing to cast his eyes at the fountain, he saw -that it did not shift its shape, as formerly, nor looked either like a -long-robed man, or a lion, a tiger, a wolf, or an ass. It looked like -nothing but a hog, which lay wallowing in the marble basin, and filled -it from brim to brim. - -But we must leave the prudent Eurylochus waiting in the outer hall, and -follow his friends into the inner secrecy of the palace. As soon as -the beautiful woman saw them, she arose from the loom, as I have told -you, and came forward, smiling, and stretching out her hand. She took -the hand of the foremost among them, and bade him and the whole party -welcome. - -"You have been long expected, my good friends," said she. "I and my -maidens are well acquainted with you, although you do not appear to -recognize us. Look at this piece of tapestry, and judge if your faces -must not have been familiar to us." - -So the voyagers examined the web of cloth which the beautiful woman -had been weaving in her loom; and, to their vast astonishment they saw -their own figures perfectly represented in different colored threads. -It was a lifelike picture of their recent adventures, showing them -in the cave of Polyphemus, and how they had put out his one great -moony eye; while in another part of the tapestry they were untying -the leathern bags, puffed out with contrary winds; and farther on, -they beheld themselves scampering away from the gigantic king of the -Læstrygons, who had caught one of them by the leg. Lastly, there they -were, sitting on the desolate shore of this very island, hungry and -downcast, and looking ruefully at the bare bones of the stag which they -devoured yesterday. This was as far as the work had yet proceeded; but -when the beautiful woman should again sit down at her loom, she would -probably make a picture of what had since happened to the strangers, -and of what was now going to happen. - -"You see," she said, "that I know all about your troubles; and you -cannot doubt that I desire to make you happy for as long a time as you -may remain with me. For this purpose, my honored guests, I have ordered -a banquet prepared. Fish, fowl, and flesh, roasted, and in luscious -stews, and seasoned, I trust, to all your tastes, are ready to be -served up. If your appetites tell you it is dinner time, then come with -me to the festal saloon." - -At this kind invitation, the hungry mariners were quite overjoyed; -and one of them, taking upon himself to be spokesman, assured their -hospitable hostess that any hour of the day was dinner time with them, -whenever they could get flesh to put in the pot, and fire to boil -it with. So the beautiful woman led the way; and the four maidens, -(one of them had sea-green hair, another a bodice of oak bark, a -third sprinkled a shower of water drops from her fingers' ends, and -the fourth had some other oddity, which I have forgotten,) all these -followed behind, and hurried the guests along, until they entered a -magnificent saloon. It was built in a perfect oval, and lighted from -a crystal dome above. Around the walls were ranged two and twenty -thrones, overhung by canopies of crimson and gold, and provided with -the softest of cushions, which were tasselled and fringed with gold -cord. Each of the strangers was invited to sit down; and there they -were, two and twenty storm-beaten mariners, in worn and tattered garb, -sitting on two and twenty cushioned and canopied thrones, so rich and -gorgeous that the proudest monarch had nothing more splendid in his -stateliest hall. - -Then you might have seen the guests nodding, winking with one eye, and -leaning from one throne to another, to communicate their satisfaction -in hoarse whispers. - -"Our good hostess has made kings of us all," said one. "Ha! do you -smell the feast? I'll engage it will be fit to set before two and -twenty kings." - -"I hope," said another, "it will be, mainly, good substantial joints, -surloins, spareribs, and hinder quarters, without too many kickshaws. -If I thought the good lady would not take it amiss, I should call for a -fat slice of fried bacon to begin with." - -Ah, the gluttons and gormandizers! You see how it was with them. In -the loftiest seats of dignity, on royal thrones, they could think of -nothing but their greedy appetite, which was the portion of their -nature that they shared with wolves and swine; so that they resembled -those vilest of animals far more than they did kings--if, indeed, kings -were what they ought to be. - -But the beautiful woman now clapped her hands; and immediately there -entered a train of two and twenty serving men bringing dishes of the -richest food, all hot from the kitchen fire, and sending up such a -steam that it hung like a cloud below the crystal dome of the saloon. -An equal number of attendants brought great flagons of wine, of -various kinds, some of which sparkled as it was poured out, and went -bubbling down the throat; while, of other sorts, the purple liquor -was so clear that you could see the wrought figures at the bottom of -the goblet. While the servants supplied the two and twenty guests -with food and drink, the hostess and her four maidens went from one -throne to another, exhorting them to eat their fill, and to quaff wine -abundantly, and thus to recompense themselves, at this one banquet, for -the many days when they had gone without a dinner. But, whenever the -mariners were not looking at them, (which was pretty often, as they -looked chiefly into the basins and platters,) the beautiful woman and -her damsels turned aside, and laughed. Even the servants, as they knelt -down to present the dishes, might be seen to grin and sneer, while the -guests were helping themselves to the offered dainties. - -And, once in a while, the strangers seemed to taste something that they -did not like. - -"Here is an odd kind of a spice in this dish," said one. "I can't say -it quite suits my palate. Down it goes, however." - -"Send a good draught of wine down your throat," said his comrade on the -next throne. "That is the stuff to make this sort of cookery relish -well. Though I must needs say, the wine has a queer taste too. But the -more I drink of it, the better I like the flavor." - -Whatever little fault they might find with the dishes, they sat at -dinner a prodigiously long while; and it would really have made you -ashamed to see how they swilled down the liquor and gobbled up the -food. They sat on golden thrones, to be sure; but they behaved like -pigs in a sty; and, if they had their wits about them, they might have -guessed that this was the opinion of their beautiful hostess and her -maidens. It brings a blush into my face to reckon up, in my own mind, -what mountains of meat and pudding, and what gallons of wine, these two -and twenty guzzlers and gormandizers ate and drank. They forgot all -about their homes, and their wives and children, and all about Ulysses, -and everything else, except this banquet, at which they wanted to keep -feasting forever. But at length they began to give over, from mere -incapacity to hold any more. - -"That last bit of fat is too much for me," said one. - -"And I have not room for another morsel," said his next neighbor, -heaving a sigh. "What a pity! My appetite is as sharp as ever." - -In short, they all left off eating, and leaned back on their thrones, -with such a stupid and helpless aspect as made them ridiculous to -behold. When their hostess saw this, she laughed aloud; so did her four -damsels; so did the two and twenty serving men that bore the dishes, -and their two and twenty fellows that poured out the wine. And the -louder they all laughed, the more stupid and helpless did the two and -twenty gormandizers look. Then the beautiful woman took her stand in -the middle of the saloon, and stretching out a slender rod, (it had -been all the while in her hand, although they never noticed it till -this moment,) she turned it from one guest to another, until each had -felt it pointed at himself. Beautiful as her face was, and though there -was a smile on it, it looked just as wicked and mischievous as the -ugliest serpent that ever was seen; and fat-witted as the voyagers had -made themselves, they began to suspect that they had fallen into the -power of an evil-minded enchantress. - -"Wretches," cried she, "you have abused a lady's hospitality; and in -this princely saloon your behavior has been suited to a hogpen. You are -already swine in everything but the human form, which you disgrace, -and which I myself should be ashamed to keep a moment longer, were you -to share it with me. But it will require only the slighest exercise of -magic to make the exterior conform to the hoggish disposition. Assume -your proper shapes, gormandizers, and begone to the sty!" - -Uttering these last words, she waved her wand; and stamping her foot -imperiously, each of the guests was struck aghast at beholding, instead -of his comrades in human shape, one and twenty hogs sitting on the same -number of golden thrones. Each man (as he still supposed himself to -be) essayed to give a cry of surprise, but found that he could merely -grunt, and that, in a word, he was just such another beast as his -companions. It looked so intolerably absurd to see hogs on cushioned -thrones, that they made haste to wallow down upon all fours, like other -swine. They tried to groan and beg for mercy, but forthwith emitted -the most awful grunting and squealing that ever came out of swinish -throats. They would have wrung their hands in despair, but, attempting -to do so, grew all the more desperate for seeing themselves squatted on -their hams, and pawing the air with their fore trotters. Dear me! what -pendulous ears they had! what little red eyes, half buried in fat! and -what long snouts, instead of Grecian noses! - -But brutes as they certainly were, they yet had enough of human nature -in them to be shocked at their own hideousness; and, still intending to -groan, they uttered a viler grunt and squeal than before. So harsh and -ear-piercing it was, that you would have fancied a butcher was sticking -his knife into each of their throats, or, at the very least, that -somebody was pulling every hog by his funny little twist of a tail. - -"Begone to your sty!" cried the enchantress, giving them some smart -strokes with her wand; and then she turned to the serving men--"Drive -out these swine, and throw down some acorns for them to eat." - -The door of the saloon being flung open, the drove of hogs ran in -all directions save the right one, in accordance with their hoggish -perversity but were finally driven into the back yard of the palace. -It was a sight to bring tears into one's eyes, (and I hope none of you -will be cruel enough to laugh at it,) to see the poor creatures go -snuffing along, picking up here a cabbage leaf and there a turnip top, -and rooting their noses in the earth for whatever they could find. In -their sty, moreover, they behaved more piggishly than the pigs that had -been born so; for they bit and snorted at one another, put their feet -in the trough, and gobbled up their victuals in a ridiculous hurry; -and, when there was nothing more to be had, they made a great pile of -themselves among some unclean straw, and fell fast asleep. If they had -any human reason left, it was just enough to keep them wondering when -they should be slaughtered, and what quality of bacon they should make. - -Meantime, as I told you before, Eurylochus had waited, and waited, -and waited, in the entrance hall of the palace, without being able to -comprehend what had befallen his friends. At last, when the swinish -uproar resounded through the palace, and when he saw the image of a hog -in the marble basin, he thought it best to hasten back to the vessel, -and inform the wise Ulysses of these marvellous occurrences. So he ran -as fast as he could down the steps, and never stopped to draw breath -till he reached the shore. - -"Why do you come alone?" asked King Ulysses, as soon as he saw him. -"Where are your two and twenty comrades?" - -At these questions, Eurylochus burst into tears. - -"Alas!" cried he, "I greatly fear that we shall never see one of their -faces again." - -Then he told Ulysses all that had happened, as far as he knew it, and -added that he suspected the beautiful woman to be a vile enchantress, -and the marble palace, magnificent as it looked, to be only a dismal -cavern in reality. As for his companions, he could not imagine what had -become of them, unless they had been given to the swine to be devoured -alive. At this intelligence, all the voyagers were greatly affrighted. -But Ulysses lost no time in girding on his sword, and hanging his bow -and quiver over his shoulders, and taking a spear in his right hand. -When his followers saw their wise leader making these preparations, -they inquired whither he was going, and earnestly besought him not to -leave them. - -"You are our king," cried they; "and what is more, you are the wisest -man in the whole world, and nothing but your wisdom and courage can -get us out of this danger. If you desert us, and go to the enchanted -palace, you will suffer the same fate as our poor companions, and not a -soul of us will ever see our dear Ithaca again." - -"As I am your king," answered Ulysses, "and wiser than any of you, it -is therefore the more my duty to see what has befallen our comrades, -and whether anything can yet be done to rescue them. Wait for me -here until to-morrow. If I do not then return, you must hoist sail, -and endeavor to find your way to our native land. For my part, I am -answerable for the fate of these poor mariners, who have stood by my -side in battle, and been so often drenched to the skin, along with me, -by the same tempestuous surges. I will either bring them back with me, -or perish." - -Had his followers dared, they would have detained him by force. But -King Ulysses frowned sternly on them, and shook his spear, and bade -them stop him at their peril. Seeing him so determined, they let him -go, and sat down on the sand, as disconsolate a set of people as could -be, waiting and praying for his return. - -It happened to Ulysses, just as before, that, when he had gone a few -steps from the edge of the cliff, the purple bird came fluttering -towards him, crying, "Peep, peep, pe--weep!" and using all the art it -could to persuade him to go no farther. - -"What mean you, little bird?" cried Ulysses. "You are arrayed like a -king in purple and gold, and wear a golden crown upon your head. Is it -because I too am a king, that you desire so earnestly to speak with me? -If you can talk in human language, say what you would have me do." - -"Peep!" answered the purple bird, very dolorously. "Peep, peep, -pe--we--ep!" - -Certainly there lay some heavy anguish at the little bird's heart; and -it was a sorrowful predicament that he could not, at least, have the -consolation of telling what it was. But Ulysses had no time to waste -in trying to get at the mystery. He therefore quickened his pace, and -had gone a good way along the pleasant wood path when there met him a -young man of very brisk and intelligent aspect, and clad in a rather -singular garb. He wore a short cloak, and a sort of cap that seemed to -be furnished with a pair of wings; and from the lightness of his step, -you would have supposed that there might likewise be wings on his feet. -To enable him to walk still better, (for he was always on one journey -or another,) he carried a winged staff, around which two serpents were -wriggling and twisting. In short, I have said enough to make you guess -that it was Quicksilver; and Ulysses (who knew him of old, and had -learned a great deal of his wisdom from him) recognized him in a moment. - -"Whither are you going in such a hurry, wise Ulysses?" asked -Quicksilver. "Do you not know that this island is enchanted? The wicked -enchantress (whose name is Circe, the sister of King Æetes) dwells in -the marble palace which you see yonder among the trees. By her magic -arts, she changes every human being into the brute beast or fowl whom -he happens most to resemble." - -"That little bird, which met me at the edge of the cliff," exclaimed -Ulysses; "was he a human being once?" - -"Yes," answered Quicksilver. "He was once a king, named Picus, and a -pretty good sort of a king too, only rather too proud of his purple -robe, and his crown, and the golden chain about his neck; so he was -forced to take the shape of a gaudy-feathered bird. The lions, and -wolves, and tigers, who will come running to meet you, in front of -the palace, were formerly fierce and cruel men, resembling in their -dispositions the wild beasts whose forms they now rightfully wear." - -"And my poor companions," said Ulysses. "Have they undergone a similar -change, through the arts of this wicked Circe?" - -"You well know what gormandizers they were," replied Quicksilver; and -rogue that he was, he could not help laughing at the joke. "So you will -not be surprised to hear that they have all taken the shapes of swine! -If Circe had never done anything worse, I really should not think her -so very much to blame." - -"But can I do nothing to help them?" inquired Ulysses. - -"It will require all your wisdom," said Quicksilver, "and a little of -my own into the bargain, to keep your royal and sagacious self from -being transformed into a fox. But do as I bid you, and the matter may -end better than it has begun." - -While he was speaking, Quicksilver seemed to be in search of something; -he went stooping along the ground, and soon laid his hand on a little -plant with a snow-white flower, which he plucked and smelt of. Ulysses -had been looking at that very spot only just before; and it appeared -to him that the plant had burst into full flower the instant when -Quicksilver touched it with his fingers. - -"Take this flower, King Ulysses," said he. "Guard it as you do your -eyesight; for I can assure you it is exceedingly rare and precious, and -you might seek the whole earth over without ever finding another like -it. Keep it in your hand, and smell of it frequently after you enter -the palace, and while you are talking with the enchantress. Especially -when she offers you food, or a draught of wine out of her goblet, be -careful to fill your nostrils with the flower's fragrance. Follow these -directions, and you may defy her magic arts to change you into a fox." - -Quicksilver then gave him some further advice how to behave, and -bidding him to be bold and prudent, again assured him that, powerful as -Circe was, he would have a fair prospect of coming safely out of her -enchanted palace. After listening attentively, Ulysses thanked his good -friend, and resumed his way. But he had taken only a few steps, when, -recollecting some other questions which he wished to ask, he turned -round again, and beheld nobody on the spot where Quicksilver had stood; -for that winged cap of his, and those winged shoes, with the help of -the winged staff, had carried him quickly out of sight. - -When Ulysses reached the lawn, in front of the palace, the lions and -other savage animals came bounding to meet him, and would have fawned -upon him and licked his feet. But the wise king struck at them with -his long spear, and sternly bade them begone out of his path; for he -knew that they had once been bloodthirsty men, and would now tear him -limb from limb, instead of fawning upon him, could they do the mischief -that was in their hearts. The wild beasts yelped and glared at him, and -stood at a distance, while he ascended the palace steps. - -On entering the hall, Ulysses saw the magic fountain in the center -of it. The up-gushing water had now again taken the shape of a man -in a long, white, fleecy robe, who appeared to be making gestures -of welcome. The king likewise heard the noise of the shuttle in the -loom, and the sweet melody of the beautiful woman's song, and then the -pleasant voices of herself and the four maidens talking together, with -peals of merry laughter intermixed. But Ulysses did not waste much time -in listening to the laughter or the song. He leaned his spear against -one of the pillars of the hall, and then, after loosening his sword in -the scabbard, stepped boldly forward, and threw the folding doors wide -open. The moment she beheld his stately figure standing in the doorway, -the beautiful woman rose from the loom, and ran to meet him with a glad -smile throwing its sunshine over her face, and both her hands extended. - -"Welcome, brave stranger!" cried she. "We were expecting you." - -And the nymph with the sea-green hair made a courtesy down to the -ground, and likewise bade him welcome; so did her sister with the -bodice of oaken bark, and she that sprinkled dewdrops from her fingers' -ends, and the fourth one with some oddity which I cannot remember. And -Circe, as the beautiful enchantress was called, (who had deluded so -many persons that she did not doubt of being able to delude Ulysses, -not imagining how wise he was,) again addressed him:-- - -"Your companions," said she, "have already been received into my -palace, and have enjoyed the hospitable treatment to which the -propriety of their behavior so well entitles them. If such be your -pleasure, you shall first take some refreshment, and then join them in -the elegant apartment which they now occupy. See, I and my maidens have -been weaving their figures into this piece of tapestry." - -She pointed to the web of beautifully-woven cloth in the loom. Circe -and the four nymphs must have been very diligently at work since the -arrival of the mariners; for a great many yards of tapestry had now -been wrought, in addition to what I before described. In this new -part, Ulysses saw his two and twenty friends represented as sitting -on cushioned and canopied thrones, greedily devouring dainties, and -quaffing deep draughts of wine. The work had not yet gone any further. -O, no, indeed. The enchantress was far too cunning to let Ulysses -see the mischief which her magic arts had since brought upon the -gormandizers. - -"As for yourself, valiant sir," said Circe, "judging by the dignity of -your aspect, I take you to be nothing less than a king. Deign to follow -me, and you shall be treated as befits your rank." - -So Ulysses followed her into the oval saloon, where his two and twenty -comrades had devoured the banquet, which ended so disastrously for -themselves. But, all this while, he had held the snow-white flower in -his hand, and had constantly smelt of it while Circe was speaking; -and as he crossed the threshold of the saloon, he took good care to -inhale several long and deep snuffs of its fragrance. Instead of two -and twenty thrones, which had before been ranged around the wall, there -was now only a single throne, in the center of the apartment. But this -was surely the most magnificent seat that ever a king or an emperor -reposed himself upon, all made of chased gold, studded with precious -stones, with a cushion that looked like a soft heap of living roses, -and overhung by a canopy of sunlight which Circe knew how to weave into -drapery. The enchantress took Ulysses by the hand, and made him sit -down upon this dazzling throne. Then, clapping her hands, she summoned -the chief butler. - -"Bring hither," said she, "the goblet that is set apart for kings to -drink out of. And fill it with the same delicious wine which my royal -brother King Æetes praised so highly, when he last visited me with my -fair daughter Medea. That good and amiable child! Were she now here, it -would delight her to see me offering this wine to my honored guest." - -But Ulysses, while the butler was gone for the wine, held the -snow-white flower to his nose. - -"Is it a wholesome wine?" he asked. - -At this the four maidens tittered; whereupon the enchantress looked -around at them, with an aspect of severity. - -"It is the wholesomest juice that ever was squeezed out of the grape," -said she; "for, instead of disguising a man, as other liquor is apt to -do, it brings him to his true self, and shows him as he ought to be." - -The chief butler liked nothing better than to see people turned into -swine, or making any kind of a beast of themselves; so he made haste -to bring the royal goblet, filled with a liquid as bright as gold, and -which kept sparkling upward, and throwing a sunny spray over the brim. -But, delightfully as the wine looked, it was mingled with the most -potent enchantments that Circe knew how to concoct. For every drop of -the pure grape juice there were two drops of the pure mischief; and -the danger of the thing was, that the mischief made it taste all the -better. The mere smell of the bubbles, which effervesced at the brim, -was enough to turn a man's beard into pig's bristles, or make a lion's -claws grow out of his fingers, or a fox's brush behind him. - -"Drink, my noble guest," said Circe, smiling as she presented him -with the goblet. "You will find in this draught a solace for all your -troubles." - -King Ulysses took the goblet with his right hand, while with his left -he held the snow-white flower to his nostrils, and drew in so long -a breath that his lungs were quite filled with its pure and simple -fragrance. Then, drinking off all the wine, he looked the enchantress -calmly in the face. - -"Wretch," cried Circe, giving him a smart stroke with her wand, "how -dare you keep your human shape a moment longer? Take the form of the -brute whom you most resemble. If a hog, go join your fellow-swine in -the sty; if a lion, a wolf, a tiger, go howl with the wild beasts on -the lawn; if a fox, go exercise your craft in stealing poultry. Thou -hast quaffed off my wine, and canst be man no longer." - -But, such was the virtue of the snow-white flower, instead of wallowing -down from his throne in swinish shape, or taking any other brutal form, -Ulysses looked even more manly and king-like than before. He gave the -magic goblet a toss, and sent it clashing over the marble floor, to -the farthest end of the saloon. Then drawing his sword, he seized the -enchantress by her beautiful ringlets, and made a gesture as if he -meant to strike off her head at one blow. - -[Illustration: "Wretch!" cried Circe.] - -"Wicked Circe," cried he in a terrible voice, "this sword shall put an -end to thy enchantments. Thou shalt die, vile witch, and do no more -mischief in the world, by tempting human beings into the vices which -make beasts of them." - -The tone and countenance of Ulysses were so awful, and his sword -gleamed so brightly, and seemed to have so intolerably keen an edge, -that Circe was almost killed by the mere fright, without waiting for -the blow. The chief butler scrambled out of the saloon, picking up the -golden goblet as he went; and the enchantress and the four maidens fell -on their knees, wringing their hands, and screaming for mercy. - -"Spare me!" cried Circe. "Spare me, royal and wise Ulysses. For now -I know that thou art he of whom Quicksilver forewarned me, the most -prudent of mortals, against whom no enchantments can prevail. Thou only -couldst have conquered Circe. Spare me, wisest of men. I will show -thee true hospitality, and even give myself to be thy slave, and this -magnificent palace to be henceforth thy home." - -The four nymphs, meanwhile, were making a most piteous ado; and -especially the ocean nymph, with the sea-green hair, wept a great deal -of salt water, and the fountain nymph, besides scattering dewdrops from -her fingers' ends, nearly melted away into tears. But Ulysses would -not be pacified until Circe had taken a solemn oath to change back his -companions, and as many others as he should direct, from their present -forms of beast or bird into their former shapes of men. - -"On these conditions" said he, "I consent to spare your life. Otherwise -you must die on the spot." - -With a drawn sword hanging over her, the enchantress would readily have -consented to do as much good as she had hitherto done mischief, however -little she might like such employment. She therefore led Ulysses out -of the back entrance of the palace, and showed him the swine in their -sty. There were about fifty of these unclean beasts in the whole herd; -and though the greater part were hogs by birth and education, there was -wonderfully little difference to be seen betwixt them and their new -brethren who had so recently worn the human shape. To speak critically, -indeed, the latter rather carried the thing to excess, and seemed to -make it a point to wallow in the miriest part of the sty, and otherwise -to outdo the original swine in their own natural vocation. When men -once turn to brutes, the trifle of man's wit that remains in them adds -tenfold to their brutality. - -The comrades of Ulysses, however, had not quite lost the remembrance -of having formerly stood erect. When he approached the sty, two and -twenty enormous swine separated themselves from the herd, and scampered -towards him, with such a chorus of horrible squealing as made him clap -both hands to his ears. And yet they did not seem to know what they -wanted, nor whether they were merely hungry, or miserable from some -other cause. It was curious, in the midst of their distress, to observe -them thrusting their noses into the mire, in quest of something to eat. -The nymph with the bodice of oaken bark (she was the hamadryad of an -oak) threw a handful of acorns among them; and the two and twenty hogs -scrambled and fought for the prize, as if they had tasted not so much -as a noggin of sour milk for a twelvemonth. - -"These must certainly be my comrades," said Ulysses. "I recognize their -dispositions. They are hardly worth the trouble of changing them into -the human form again. Nevertheless, we will have it done, lest their -bad example should corrupt the other hogs. Let them take their original -shapes, therefore, Dame Circe, if your skill is equal to the task. It -will require greater magic, I trow, than it did to make swine of them." - -So Circe waved her wand again, and repeated a few magic words, at the -sound of which the two and twenty hogs pricked up their pendulous ears. -It was a wonder to behold how their snouts grew shorter and shorter, -and their mouths (which they seemed to be sorry for, because they could -not gobble so expeditiously) smaller and smaller, and how one and -another began to stand upon his hind legs, and scratch his nose with -his fore trotters. At first the spectators hardly knew whether to call -them hogs or men, but by and by came to the conclusion that they rather -resembled the latter. Finally, there stood the twenty-two comrades of -Ulysses, looking pretty much the same as when they left the vessel. - -You must not imagine, however, that the swinish quality had entirely -gone out of them. When once it fastens itself into a person's -character, it is very difficult getting rid of it. This was proved -by the hamadryad, who, being exceedingly fond of mischief, threw -another handful of acorns before the twenty-two newly restored people; -whereupon down they wallowed, in a moment, and gobbled them up in a -very shameful way. Then, recollecting themselves, they scrambled to -their feet, and looked more than commonly foolish. - -"Thanks, noble Ulysses!" they cried. "From brute beasts you have -restored us to the condition of men again." - -"Do not put yourselves to the trouble of thanking me," said the wise -king. "I fear I have done but little for you." - -To say the truth, there was a suspicious kind of a grunt in their -voices, and, for a long time afterwards, they spoke gruffly, and were -apt to set up a squeal. - -"It must depend on your own future behavior," added Ulysses, "whether -you do not find your way back to the sty." - -At this moment, the note of a bird sounded from the branch of a -neighboring tree. - -"Peep, peep, pe--wee--ep!" - -It was the purple bird, who, all this while, had been sitting over -their heads, watching what was going forward, and hoping that Ulysses -would remember how he had done his utmost to keep him and his followers -out of harm's way. Ulysses ordered Circe instantly to make a king of -this good little fowl and leave him exactly as she had found him. -Hardly were the words spoken and before the bird had time to utter -another "pe--weep," King Picus leaped down from the bough of the tree, -as majestic a sovereign as any in the world, dressed in a long purple -robe and gorgeous yellow stockings, with a splendidly wrought collar -about his neck, and a golden crown upon his head. He and King Ulysses -exchanged with one another the courtesies which belonged to their -elevated rank. But from that time forth, King Picus was no longer proud -of his crown and his trappings of royalty nor of the fact of his being -a king; he felt himself merely the upper servant of his people, and -that it must be his lifelong labor to make them better and happier. - -As for the lions, tigers, and wolves, (though Circe would have restored -them to their former shapes at his slightest word,) Ulysses thought -it advisable that they should remain as they now were, and thus give -warning of their cruel dispositions, instead of going about under the -guise of men, and pretending to human sympathies, while their hearts -had the bloodthirstiness of wild beasts. So he let them howl as much -as they liked, but never troubled his head about them. And, when -everything was settled according to his pleasure, he sent to summon the -remainder of his comrades, whom he had left at the sea shore. These -being arrived, with the prudent Eurylochus at their head, they all made -themselves comfortable in Circe's enchanted palace, until quite rested -and refreshed from the toils and hardships of their voyage. - -[Illustration] - - - -[Illustration] - - -THE POMEGRANATE SEEDS - -Mother Ceres was exceedingly fond of her daughter Proserpina, and -seldom let her go alone into the fields. But, just at the time when my -story begins, the good lady was very busy, because she had the care of -the wheat, and the Indian corn, and the rye and barley, and, in short, -of the crops of every kind, all over the earth; and as the season had -thus far been uncommonly backward, it was necessary to make the harvest -ripen more speedily than usual. So she put on her turban, made of -poppies, (a kind of flower which she was always noted for wearing,) and -got into her car drawn by a pair of winged dragons, and was just ready -to set off. - -"Dear mother," said Proserpina, "I shall be very lonely while you are -away. May I not run down to the shore, and ask some of the sea nymphs -to come up out of the waves and play with me?" - -"Yes, child," answered Mother Ceres. "The sea nymphs are good -creatures, and will never lead you into any harm. But you must take -care not to stray away from them, nor go wandering about the fields by -yourself. Young girls without their mothers to take care of them, are -very apt to get into mischief." - -The child promised to be as prudent as if she were a grown-up woman; -and, by the time the winged dragons had whirled the car out of sight, -she was already on the shore, calling to the sea nymphs to come and -play with her. They knew Proserpina's voice, and were not long in -showing their glistening faces and sea-green hair above the water, -at the bottom of which was their home. They brought along with them -a great many beautiful shells; and sitting down on the moist sand, -where the surf wave broke over them, they busied themselves in making -a necklace, which they hung round Proserpina's neck. By way of showing -her gratitude, the child besought them to go with her a little way into -the fields, so that they might gather abundance of flowers, with which -she would make each of her kind playmates a wreath. - -"O, no, dear Proserpina," cried the sea nymphs; "we dare not go with -you upon the dry land. We are apt to grow faint, unless at every breath -we can snuff up the salt breeze of the ocean. And don't you see how -careful we are to let the surf wave break over us every moment or two, -so as to keep ourselves comfortably moist? If it were not for that, we -should soon look like bunches of uprooted seaweed dried in the sun." - -[Illustration: THEY BROUGHT ALONG WITH THEM A GREAT MANY BEAUTIFUL -SHELLS] - -"It is a great pity," said Proserpina. "But do you wait for me here, -and I will run and gather my apron full of flowers, and be back again -before the surf wave has broken ten times over you. I long to make you -some wreaths that shall be as lovely as this necklace of many-colored -shells." "We shall wait, then," answered the sea nymphs. "But, while -you are gone, we may as well lie down on a bank of soft sponge, under -the water. The air to-day is a little too dry for our comfort. But we -will pop up our heads every few minutes to see if you are coming." - -The young Proserpina ran quickly to a spot where, only the day before, -she had seen a great many flowers. These, however, were now a little -past their bloom; and wishing to give her friends the freshest and -loveliest blossoms, she strayed farther into the fields, and found -some that made her scream with delight. Never had she met with such -exquisite flowers before--violets so large and fragrant--roses, with -so rich and delicate a blush--such superb hyacinths and such aromatic -pinks--and many others, some of which seemed to be of new shapes and -colors. Two or three times, moreover, she could not help thinking -that a tuft of most splendid flowers had suddenly sprouted out of -the earth before her very eyes, as if on purpose to tempt her a few -steps farther. Proserpina's apron was soon filled and brimming over -with delightful blossoms. She was on the point of turning back in -order to rejoin the sea nymphs, and sit with them on the moist sands, -all twining wreaths together. But, a little farther on, what should -she behold? It was a large shrub, completely covered with the most -magnificent flowers in the world. - -"The darlings!" cried Proserpina; and then she thought to herself, "I -was looking at that spot only a moment ago. How strange it is that I -did not see the flowers!" - -The nearer she approached the shrub, the more attractive it looked, -until she came quite close to it; and then, although its beauty was -richer than words can tell, she hardly knew whether to like it or not. -It bore above a hundred flowers of the most brilliant hues, and each -different from the others, but all having a kind of resemblance among -themselves, which showed them to be sister blossoms. But there was -a deep, glossy luster on the leaves of the shrub, and on the petals -of the flowers, that made Proserpina doubt whether they might not be -poisonous. To tell you the truth, foolish as it may seem, she was half -inclined to turn round and run away. - -"What a silly child I am!" thought she, taking courage. "It is really -the most beautiful shrub that ever sprang out of the earth. I will pull -it up by the roots, and carry it home, and plant it in my mother's -garden." - -Holding up her apron full of flowers with her left hand, Proserpina -seized the large shrub with the other, and pulled, and pulled, but was -hardly able to loosen the soil about its roots. What a deep-rooted -plant it was! Again the girl pulled with all her might, and observed -that the earth began to stir and crack to some distance around the -stem. She gave another pull, but relaxed her hold, fancying that there -was a rumbling sound right beneath her feet. Did the roots extend down -into some enchanted cavern? Then, laughing at herself for so childish -a notion, she made another effort: up came the shrub, and Proserpina -staggered back, holding the stem triumphantly in her hand, and gazing -at the deep hole which its roots had left in the soil. - -Much to her astonishment, this hole kept spreading wider and wider, and -growing deeper and deeper, until it really seemed to have no bottom; -and all the while, there came a rumbling noise out of its depths, -louder and louder, and nearer and nearer, and sounding like the tramp -of horses' hoofs and the rattling of wheels. Too much frightened to -run away she stood straining her eyes into this wonderful cavity, and -soon saw a team of four sable horses, snorting smoke out of their -nostrils, and tearing their way out of the earth with a splendid golden -chariot whirling at their heels. They leaped out of the bottomless -hole, chariot and all; and there they were, tossing their black manes, -flourishing their black tails, and curvetting with every one of their -hoofs off the ground at once, close by the spot where Proserpina stood. -In the chariot sat the figure of a man, richly dressed, with a crown -on his head, all flaming with diamonds. He was of a noble aspect, -and rather handsome, but looked sullen and discontented; and he kept -rubbing his eyes and shading them with his hand, as if he did not live -enough in the sunshine to be very fond of its light. - -As soon as this personage saw the affrighted Proserpina, he beckoned -her to come a little nearer. - -"Do not be afraid," said he, with as cheerful a smile as he knew how -to put on. "Come. Will not you like to ride a little way with me in my -beautiful chariot?" - -But Proserpina was so alarmed, that she wished for nothing but to get -out of his reach. And no wonder. The stranger did not look remarkably -good natured, in spite of his smile; and as for his voice, its tones -were deep and stern, and sounded as much like the rumbling of an -earthquake under ground as anything else. As is always the case with -children in trouble, Proserpina's first thought was to call for her -mother. - -"Mother, Mother Ceres!" cried she, all in a tremble. "Come quickly and -save me." - -But her voice was too faint for her mother to hear. Indeed, it is -most probable that Ceres was then a thousand miles off, making the -corn grow in some far distant country. Nor could it have availed her -poor daughter, even had she been within hearing; for no sooner did -Proserpina begin to cry out, than the stranger leaped to the ground, -caught the child in his arms, and again mounting the chariot, shook -the reins, and shouted to the four black horses to set off. They -immediately broke into so swift a gallop, that it seemed rather like -flying through the air than running along the earth. In a moment, -Proserpina lost sight of the pleasant vale of Enna, in which she had -always dwelt. Another instant, and even the summit of Mount Ætna had -become so blue in the distance, that she could scarcely distinguish it -from the smoke that gushed out of its crater. But still the poor child -screamed, and scattered her apron full of flowers along the way, and -left a long cry trailing behind the chariot; and many mothers, to whose -ears it came, ran quickly to see if any mischief had befallen their -children. But Mother Ceres was a great way off, and could not hear the -cry. - -As they rode on, the stranger did his best to soothe her. - -"Why should you be so frightened, my pretty child?" said he, trying -to soften his rough voice. "I promise not to do you any harm. What! -You have been gathering flowers? Wait till we come to my palace, and I -will give you a garden full of prettier flowers than those, all made -of pearls, and diamonds, and rubies. Can you guess who I am? They call -my name Pluto; and I am the king of diamonds and all other precious -stones. Every atom of the gold and silver that lies under the earth -belongs to me, to say nothing of the copper and iron, and of the coal -mines, which supply me with abundance of fuel. Do you see this splendid -crown upon my head? You may have it for a plaything. O, we shall be -very good friends, and you will find me more agreeable than you expect, -when once we get out of this troublesome sunshine." - -"Let me go home!" cried Proserpina. "Let me go home!" - -"My home is better than your mother's," answered King Pluto. "It is a -palace, all made of gold, with crystal windows; and because there is -little or no sunshine thereabouts, the apartments are illuminated with -diamond lamps. You never saw anything half so magnificent as my throne. -If you like, you may sit down on it, and be my little queen, and I will -sit on the footstool." - -"I don't care for golden palaces and thrones," sobbed Proserpina. "O my -mother, my mother! Carry me back to my mother!" - -But King Pluto, as he called himself, only shouted to his steeds to go -faster. - -"Pray do not be foolish, Proserpina," said he, in rather a sullen tone. -"I offer you my palace and my crown, and all the riches that are under -the earth; and you treat me as if I were doing you an injury. The one -thing which my palace needs is a merry little maid, to run up stairs -and down, and cheer up the rooms with her smile. And this is what you -must do for King Pluto." - -"Never!" answered Proserpina, looking as miserable as she could. "I -shall never smile again till you set me down at my mother's door." - -But she might just as well have talked to the wind that whistled -past them; for Pluto urged on his horses, and went faster than ever. -Proserpina continued to cry out, and screamed so long and so loudly, -that her poor little voice was almost screamed away; and when it was -nothing but a whisper, she happened to cast her eyes over a great, -broad field of waving grain--and whom do you think she saw? Who, but -Mother Ceres, making the corn grow, and too busy to notice the golden -chariot as it went rattling along. The child mustered all her strength, -and gave one more scream, but was out of sight before Ceres had time to -turn her head. - -King Pluto had taken a road which now began to grow excessively gloomy. -It was bordered on each side with rocks and precipices, between which -the rumbling of the chariot wheels was reverberated with a noise like -rolling thunder. The trees and bushes that grew in the crevices of the -rocks had very dismal foliage; and by and by, although it was hardly -noon, the air became obscured with a gray twilight. The black horses -had rushed along so swiftly, that they were already beyond the limits -of the sunshine. But the duskier it grew, the more did Pluto's visage -assume an air of satisfaction. After all, he was not an ill-looking -person, especially when he left off twisting his features into a smile -that did not belong to them. Proserpina peeped at his face through the -gathering dusk, and hoped that he might not be so very wicked as she at -first thought him. - -"Ah, this twilight is truly refreshing," said King Pluto, "after being -so tormented with that ugly and impertinent glare of the sun. How much -more agreeable is lamplight or torchlight, more particularly when -reflected from diamonds! It will be a magnificent sight, when we get to -my palace." - -"Is it much farther?" asked Proserpina. "And will you carry me back -when I have seen it?" - -"We will talk of that by and by," answered Pluto. "We are just entering -my dominions. Do you see that tall gateway before us? When we pass -those gates, we are at home. And there lies my faithful mastiff at the -threshold. Cerberus! Cerberus! Come hither, my good dog!" - -So saying, Pluto pulled at the reins, and stopped the chariot right -between the tall, massive pillars of the gateway. The mastiff of which -he had spoken got up from the threshold, and stood on his hinder -legs, so as to put his fore paws on the chariot wheel. But, my stars, -what a strange dog it was! Why, he was a big, rough, ugly-looking -monster, with three separate heads, and each of them fiercer than the -two others; but fierce as they were, King Pluto patted them all. He -seemed as fond of his three-headed dog as if it had been a sweet little -spaniel, with silken ears and curly hair. Cerberus, on the other hand, -was evidently rejoiced to see his master, and expressed his attachment, -as other dogs do, by wagging his tail at a great rate. Proserpina's -eyes being drawn to it by its brisk motion, she saw that this tail was -neither more nor less than a live dragon, with fiery eyes, and fangs -that had a very poisonous aspect. And while the three-headed Cerberus -was fawning so lovingly on King Pluto, there was the dragon tail -wagging against its will, and looking as cross and ill natured as you -can imagine, on its own separate account. - -"Will the dog bite me?" asked Proserpina shrinking closer to Pluto. -"What an ugly creature he is!" - -"O, never fear," answered her companion. "He never harms people, -unless they try to enter my dominions without being sent for, or to -get away when I wish to keep them here. Down, Cerberus! Now, my pretty -Proserpina, we will drive on." - -On went the chariot, and King Pluto seemed greatly pleased to find -himself once more in his own kingdom. He drew Proserpina's attention -to the rich veins of gold that were to be seen among the rocks, and -pointed to several places where one stroke of a pickaxe would loosen a -bushel of diamonds. All along the road, indeed, there were sparkling -gems, which would have been of inestimable value above ground, but -which here were reckoned of the meaner sort, and hardly worth a -beggar's stooping for. - -Not far from the gateway, they came to a bridge, which seemed to be -built of iron. Pluto stopped the chariot, and bade Proserpina look at -the stream which was gliding so lazily beneath it. Never in her life -had she beheld so torpid, so black, so muddy-looking a stream: its -waters reflected no images of any thing that was on the banks, and it -moved as sluggishly as if it had quite forgotten which way it ought to -flow, and had rather stagnate than flow either one way or the other. - -"This is the River Lethe," observed King Pluto. "Is it not a very -pleasant stream?" - -"I think it a very dismal one," said Proserpina. - -"It suits my taste, however," answered Pluto, who was apt to be sullen -when anybody disagreed with him. "At all events, its water has one very -excellent quality; for a single draught of it makes people forget every -care and sorrow that has hitherto tormented them. Only sip a little -of it, my dear Proserpina, and you will instantly cease to grieve for -your mother, and will have nothing in your memory that can prevent your -being perfectly happy in my palace. I will send for some, in a golden -goblet, the moment we arrive." - -"O, no, no, no!" cried Proserpina, weeping afresh. "I had a thousand -times rather be miserable with remembering my mother, than be happy in -forgetting her. That dear, dear mother! I never, never will forget her." - -"We shall see," said King Pluto. "You do not know what fine times we -will have in my palace. Here we are just at the portal. These pillars -are solid gold, I assure you." - -He alighted from the chariot, and taking Proserpina in his arms, -carried her up a lofty flight of steps into the great hall of the -palace. It was splendidly illuminated by means of large precious -stones, of various hues, which seemed to burn like so many lamps, and -glowed with a hundred fold radiance all through the vast apartment. And -yet there was a kind of gloom in the midst of this enchanted light; -nor was there a single object in the hall that was really agreeable -to behold, except the little Proserpina herself, a lovely child, with -one earthly flower which she had not let fall from her hand. It is -my opinion that even King Pluto had never been happy in his palace -and that this was the true reason why he had stolen away Proserpina, -in order that he might have something to love, instead of cheating -his heart any longer with this tiresome magnificence. And though he -pretended to dislike the sunshine of the upper world, yet the effect -of the child's presence, bedimmed as she was by her tears, was as if a -faint and watery sunbeam had somehow or other found its way into the -enchanted hall. - -Pluto now summoned his domestics, and bade them lose no time in -preparing a most sumptuous banquet, and above all things, not to fail -of setting a golden beaker of the water of Lethe by Proserpina's plate. - -"I will neither drink that nor anything else," said Proserpina. "Nor -will I taste a morsel of food, even if you keep me forever in your -palace." - -"I should be sorry for that," replied King Pluto, patting her cheek; -for he really wished to be kind, if he had only known how. "You are a -spoiled child, I perceive, my little Proserpina; but when you see the -nice things which my cook will make for you, your appetite will quickly -come again." - -Then, sending for the head cook, he gave strict orders that all sorts -of delicacies, such as young people are usually fond of, should be -set before Proserpina. He had a secret motive in this; for you are to -understand, it is a fixed law, that, when persons are carried off to -the land of magic, if they once taste any food there, they can never -get back to their friends. Now, if King Pluto had been cunning enough -to offer Proserpina some fruit, or bread and milk, (which was the -simple fare to which the child had always been accustomed,) it is very -probable that she would soon have been tempted to eat it. But he left -the matter entirely to his cook, who, like all other cooks, considered -nothing fit to eat unless it were rich pastry, or highly-seasoned meat, -or spiced sweet cakes--things which Proserpina's mother had never given -her, and the smell of which quite took away her appetite, instead of -sharpening it. - -But my story must now clamber out of King Pluto's dominions, and see -what Mother Ceres has been about, since she was bereft of her daughter. -We had a glimpse of her, while the four black steeds were swiftly -whirling along the chariot, in which her beloved Proserpina was so -unwillingly borne away. You recollect, too, the loud scream which -Proserpina gave, just when the chariot was out of sight. - -Of all the child's outcries, this last shriek was the only one that -reached the ears of Mother Ceres. She had mistaken the rumbling of the -chariot wheels for a peal of thunder, and imagined that a shower was -coming up, and that it would assist her in making the corn grow. But, -at the sound of Proserpina's shriek, she started, and looked about in -every direction, not knowing whence it came, but feeling almost certain -that it was her daughter's voice. It seemed so unaccountable, however, -that the girl should have strayed over so many lands and seas, (which -she herself could not have traversed without the aid of her winged -dragons,) that the good Ceres tried to believe that it must be the -child of some other parent, and not her own darling Proserpina, who -had uttered this lamentable cry. Nevertheless, it troubled her with a -vast many tender fears, such as are ready to bestir themselves in every -mother's heart, when she finds it necessary to go away from her dear -children without leaving them under the care of some maiden aunt, or -other such faithful guardian. So she quickly left the field in which -she had been so busy; and, as her work was not half done, the grain -looked, next day, as if it needed both sun and rain, and as if it were -blighted in the ear, and had something the matter with its roots. - -The pair of dragons must have had very nimble wings; for, in less than -an hour, Mother Ceres had alighted at the door of her home, and found -it empty. Knowing, however, that the child was fond of sporting on -the sea shore, she hastened thither as fast as she could, and there -beheld the wet faces of the poor sea nymphs peeping over a wave. All -this while, the good creatures had been waiting on the bank of sponge, -and, once every half minute or so, had popped up their four heads above -water, to see if their playmate were yet coming back. When they saw -Mother Ceres, they sat down on the crest of the surf wave, and let it -toss them ashore at her feet. - -"Where is Proserpina?" cried Ceres. "Where is my child? Tell me, you -naughty sea nymphs, have you enticed her under the sea?" - -"O, no, good Mother Ceres," said the innocent sea nymphs, tossing back -their green ringlets, and looking her in the face. "We never should -dream of such a thing. Proserpina has been at play with us, it is true; -but she left us a long while ago, meaning only to run a little way upon -the dry land, and gather some flowers for a wreath. This was early in -the day, and we have seen nothing of her since." - -Ceres scarcely waited to hear what the nymphs had to say, before she -hurried off to make inquiries all through the neighborhood. But nobody -told her anything that could enable the poor mother to guess what had -become of Proserpina. A fisherman, it is true, had noticed her little -footprints in the sand, as he went homeward along the beach with a -basket of fish; a rustic had seen the child stooping to gather flowers; -several persons had heard either the rattling of chariot wheels, or the -rumble of distant thunder; and one old woman, while plucking vervain -and catnip, had heard a scream, but supposed it to be some childish -nonsense, and therefore did not take the trouble to look up. The stupid -people! It took them such a tedious while to tell the nothing that -they knew, that it was dark night before Mother Ceres found out that -she must seek her daughter elsewhere. So she lighted a torch, and set -forth, resolving never to come back until Proserpina was discovered. - -In her haste and trouble of mind, she quite forgot her car and the -winged dragons; or, it may be, she thought that she could follow up -the search more thoroughly on foot. At all events, this was the way -in which she began her sorrowful journey, holding her torch before -her, and looking carefully at every object along the path. And as it -happened, she had not gone far before she found one of the magnificent -flowers which grew on the shrub that Proserpina had pulled up. - -"Ha!" thought Mother Ceres, examining it by torchlight. "Here is -mischief in this flower! The earth did not produce it by any help of -mine, nor of its own accord. It is the work of enchantment, and is -therefore poisonous; and perhaps it has poisoned my poor child." - -But she put the poisonous flower in her bosom, not knowing whether she -might ever find any other memorial of Proserpina. - -All night long, at the door of every cottage and farm house, Ceres -knocked, and called up the weary laborers to inquire if they had seen -her child; and they stood, gaping and half asleep, at the threshold, -and answered her pityingly, and besought her to come in and rest. -At the portal of every palace, too, she made so loud a summons that -the menials hurried to throw open the gate, thinking that it must be -some great king or queen, who would demand a banquet for supper and a -stately chamber to repose in. And when they saw only a sad and anxious -woman, with a torch in her hand and a wreath of withered poppies on her -head, they spoke rudely, and sometimes threatened to set the dogs upon -her. But nobody had seen Proserpina, nor could give Mother Ceres the -least hint which way to seek her. Thus passed the night; and still she -continued her search without sitting down to rest or stopping to take -food, or even remembering to put out the torch; although first the rosy -dawn and then the glad light of the morning sun made its red flame look -thin and pale. But I wonder what sort of stuff this torch was made of; -for it burned dimly through the day, and, at night was as bright as -ever, and never was extinguished by the rain or wind, in all the weary -days and nights while Ceres was seeking for Proserpina. - -It was not merely of human beings that she asked tidings of her -daughter. In the woods and by the streams, she met creatures of another -nature, who used, in those old times, to haunt the pleasant and -solitary places, and were very sociable with persons who understood -their language and customs, as Mother Ceres did. Sometimes, for -instance, she tapped with her finger against the knotted trunk of a -majestic oak; and immediately its rude bark would cleave asunder, and -forth would step a beautiful maiden, who was the hamadryad of the oak, -dwelling inside of it, and sharing its long life, and rejoicing when -its green leaves sported with the breeze. But not one of these leafy -damsels had seen Proserpina. Then, going a little farther, Ceres would, -perhaps, come to a fountain, gushing out of a pebbly hollow in the -earth, and would dabble with her hand in the water. Behold, up through -its sandy and pebbly bed, along with the fountain's gush, a young woman -with dripping hair would arise, and stand gazing at Mother Ceres, half -out of the water, and undulating up and down with its ever-restless -motion. But when the mother asked whether her poor lost child had -stopped to drink out of the fountain, the naiad, with weeping eyes, -(for these water nymphs had tears to spare for everybody's grief,) -would answer "No!" in a murmuring voice, which was just like the murmur -of the stream. - -Often, likewise, she encountered fauns, who looked like sunburnt -country people, except that they had hairy ears, and little horns upon -their foreheads, and the hinder legs of goats, on which they gambolled -merrily about the woods and fields. They were a frolicsome kind of -creature, but grew as sad as their cheerful dispositions would allow, -when Ceres inquired for her daughter, and they had no good news to -tell. But sometimes she came suddenly upon a rude gang of satyrs, who -had faces like monkeys, and horses' tails behind them, and who were -generally dancing in a very boisterous manner, with shouts of noisy -laughter. When she stopped to question them, they would only laugh the -louder, and make new merriment out of the lone woman's distress. How -unkind of those ugly satyrs! And once, while crossing a solitary sheep -pasture, she saw a personage named Pan, seated at the foot of a tall -rock, and making music on a shepherd's flute. He, too, had horns, and -hairy ears, and goat's feet; but, being acquainted with Mother Ceres, -he answered her question as civilly as he knew how, and invited her to -taste some milk and honey out of a wooden bowl. But neither could Pan -tell her what had become of Proserpina, any better than the rest of -these wild people. - -And thus Mother Ceres went wandering about for nine long days and -nights, finding no trace of Proserpina, unless it were now and then -a withered flower; and these she picked up and put into her bosom, -because she fancied that they might have fallen from her poor child's -hand. All day she travelled onward through the hot sun; and at night, -again, the flame of the torch would redden and gleam along the pathway, -and she continued her search by its light, without ever sitting down to -rest. - -On the tenth day, she chanced to espy the mouth of a cavern, within -which (though it was bright noon everywhere else) there would have been -only a dusky twilight; but it so happened that a torch was burning -there. It flickered, and struggled with the duskiness, but could not -half light up the gloomy cavern with all its melancholy glimmer. Ceres -was resolved to leave no spot without a search; so she peeped into the -entrance of the cave, and lighted it up a little more, by holding her -own torch before her. In so doing, she caught a glimpse of what seemed -to be a woman, sitting on the brown leaves of the last autumn, a great -heap of which had been swept into the cave by the wind. This woman (if -woman it were) was by no means so beautiful as many of her sex; for her -head, they tell me, was shaped very much like a dog's, and, by way of -ornament, she wore a wreath of snakes around it. But Mother Ceres, the -moment she saw her, knew that this was an odd kind of a person, who put -all her enjoyment in being miserable, and never would have a word to -say to other people, unless they were as melancholy and wretched as she -herself delighted to be. - -[Illustration: So she peeped into the entrance of the cave.] - -"I am wretched enough now," thought poor Ceres, "to talk with this -melancholy Hecate, were she ten times sadder than ever she was yet." - -So she stepped into the cave, and sat down on the withered leaves by -the dog-headed woman's side. In all the world, since her daughter's -loss, she had found no other companion. - -"O Hecate," said she, "if ever you lose a daughter, you will know -what sorrow is. Tell me, for pity's sake, have you seen my poor child -Proserpina pass by the mouth of your cavern?" - -"No," answered Hecate, in a cracked voice, and sighing betwixt every -word or two; "no, Mother Ceres, I have seen nothing of your daughter. -But my ears, you must know, are made in such a way, that all cries of -distress and affright, all over the world, are pretty sure to find -their way to them; and nine days ago, as I sat in my cave, making -myself very miserable, I heard the voice of a young girl, shrieking as -if in great distress. Something terrible has happened to the child, you -may rest assured. As well as I could judge, a dragon, or some other -cruel monster was carrying her away." - -"You kill me by saying so," cried Ceres, almost ready to faint. "Where -was the sound, and which way did it seem to go?" - -"It passed very swiftly along," said Hecate, "and, at the same time, -there was a heavy rumbling of wheels towards the eastward. I can tell -you nothing more, except that, in my honest opinion, you will never see -your daughter again. The best advice I can give you is, to take up your -abode in this cavern, where we will be the two most wretched women in -the world." - -"Not yet, dark Hecate," replied Ceres. "But do you first come with your -torch, and help me to seek for my lost child. And when there shall be -no more hope of finding her, (if that black day is ordained to come,) -then, if you will give me room to fling myself down, either on these -withered leaves or on the naked rock, I will show you what it is to be -miserable. But, until I know that she has perished from the face of the -earth, I will not allow myself space even to grieve." - -The dismal Hecate did not much like the idea of going abroad into the -sunny world. But then she reflected that the sorrow of the disconsolate -Ceres would be like a gloomy twilight round about them both, let the -sun shine ever so brightly, and that therefore she might enjoy her -bad spirits quite as well as if she were to stay in the cave. So she -finally consented to go, and they set out together, both carrying -torches, although it was broad daylight and clear sunshine. The -torchlight seemed to make a gloom; so that the people whom they met, -along the road, could not very distinctly see their figures; and, -indeed, if they once caught a glimpse of Hecate, with the wreath of -snakes round her forehead, they generally thought it prudent to run -away, without waiting for a second glance. - -As the pair travelled along in this woe-begone manner, a thought struck -Ceres. - -"There is one person," she exclaimed, "who must have seen my poor -child, and can doubtless tell what has become of her. Why did not I -think of him before? It is Phœbus." - -"What," said Hecate, "the young man that always sits in the sunshine? -O, pray do not think of going near him. He is a gay, light, frivolous -young fellow, and will only smile in your face. And besides, there is -such a glare of the sun about him, that he will quite blind my poor -eyes, which I have almost wept away already." - -"You have promised to be my companion," answered Ceres. "Come, let us -make haste, or the sunshine will be gone, and Phœbus along with it." - -Accordingly they went along in quest of Phœbus, both of them sighing -grievously, and Hecate, to say the truth, making a great deal worse -lamentation than Ceres; for all the pleasure she had, you know, lay in -being miserable and therefore she made the most of it. By and by, after -a pretty long journey, they arrived at the sunniest spot in the whole -world. There they beheld a beautiful young man, with long, curling -ringlets, which seemed to be made of golden sunbeams; his garments were -like light summer clouds; and the expression of his face so exceedingly -vivid, that Hecate held her hands before her eyes, muttering that he -ought to wear a black veil. Phœbus (for this was the very person whom -they were seeking) had a lyre in his hands, and was making its chords -tremble with sweet music; at the same time singing a most exquisite -song, which he had recently composed. For, besides a great many other -accomplishments, this young man was renowned for his admirable poetry. - -[Illustration: They arrived at the sunniest spot in the world.] - -As Ceres and her dismal companion approached him, Phœbus smiled on them -so cheerfully that Hecate's wreath of snakes gave a spiteful hiss, and -Hecate heartily wished herself back in her cave. But as for Ceres, she -was too earnest in her grief either to know or care whether Phœbus -smiled or frowned. - -"Phœbus!" exclaimed she, "I am in great trouble, and have come to -you for assistance. Can you tell me what has become of my dear child -Proserpina?" - -"Proserpina! Proserpina, did you call her name?" answered Phœbus, -endeavoring to recollect, for there was such a continual flow of -pleasant ideas in his mind that he was apt to forget what had happened -no longer than yesterday. "Ah, yes, I remember her now. A very lovely -child indeed. I am happy to tell you, my dear madam, that I did see the -little Proserpina not many days ago. You may make yourself perfectly -easy about her. She is safe, and in excellent hands." - -"O, where is my dear child?" cried Ceres, clasping her hands and -flinging herself at his feet. - -"Why," said Phœbus,--and as he spoke, he kept touching his lyre so -as to make a thread of music run in and out among his words,--"as -the little damsel was gathering flowers, (and she has really a very -exquisite taste for flowers,) she was suddenly snatched up by King -Pluto, and carried off to his dominions. I have never been in that -part of the universe; but the royal palace, I am told, is built in a -very noble style of architecture, and of the most splendid and costly -materials. Gold, diamonds, pearls, and all manner of precious stones, -will be your daughter's ordinary playthings. I recommend to you, my -dear lady, to give yourself no uneasiness. Proserpina's sense of beauty -will be duly gratified, and, even in spite of the lack of sunshine, she -will lead a very enviable life." - -"Hush! Say not such a word!" answered Ceres, indignantly. "What is -there to gratify her heart? What are all the splendors you speak of, -without affection? I must have her back again. Will you go with me, -Phœbus, to demand my daughter of this wicked Pluto?" - -"Pray excuse me," replied Phœbus, with an elegant obeisance. "I -certainly wish you success, and regret that my own affairs are so -immediately pressing that I cannot have the pleasure of attending you. -Besides, I am not upon the best of terms with King Pluto. To tell -you the truth, his three-headed mastiff would never let me pass the -gateway; for I should be compelled to take a sheaf of sunbeams along -with me, and those, you know, are forbidden things in Pluto's kingdom." - -"Ah, Phœbus," said Ceres, with bitter meaning in her words, "you have a -harp instead of a heart. Farewell." - -"Will not you stay a moment," asked Phœbus, "and hear me turn the -pretty and touching story of Proserpina into extemporary verses?" - -But Ceres shook her head, and hastened away, along with Hecate. Phœbus -(who, as I have told you, was an exquisite poet) forthwith began to -make an ode about the poor mother's grief; and, if we were to judge of -his sensibility by this beautiful production, he must have been endowed -with a very tender heart. But when a poet gets into the habit of using -his heartstrings to make chords for his lyre, he may thrum upon them as -much as he will, without any great pain to himself. Accordingly, though -Phœbus sang a very sad song, he was as merry all the while as were the -sunbeams amid which he dwelt. - -Poor Mother Ceres had now found out what had become of her daughter, -but was not a whit happier than before. Her case, on the contrary, -looked more desperate than ever. As long as Proserpina was above -ground, there might have been hopes of regaining her. But now that -the poor child was shut up within the iron gates of the king of the -mines, at the threshold of which lay the three-headed Cerberus, there -seemed no possibility of her ever making her escape. The dismal Hecate, -who loved to take the darkest view of things, told Ceres that she had -better come with her to the cavern, and spend the rest of her life in -being miserable. Ceres answered that Hecate was welcome to go back -thither herself, but that, for her part, she would wander about the -earth in quest of the entrance to King Pluto's dominions. And Hecate -took her at her word, and hurried back to her beloved cave, frightening -a great many little children with a glimpse of her dog's face, as she -went. - -Poor Mother Ceres! It is melancholy to think of her, pursuing her -toilsome way, all alone, and holding up that never-dying torch, the -flame of which seemed an emblem of the grief and hope that burned -together in her heart. So much did she suffer, that, though her aspect -had been quite youthful when her troubles began, she grew to look -like an elderly person in a very brief time. She cared not how she -was dressed, nor had she ever thought of flinging away the wreath of -withered poppies, which she put on the very morning of Proserpina's -disappearance. She roamed about in so wild a way, and with her hair so -dishevelled, that people took her for some distracted creature, and -never dreamed that this was Mother Ceres, who had the oversight of -every seed which the husbandman planted. Nowadays, however, she gave -herself no trouble about seed time nor harvest, but left the farmers -to take care of their own affairs, and the crops to fade or flourish, -as the case might be. There was nothing, now, in which Ceres seemed to -feel an interest, unless when she saw children at play, or gathering -flowers along the wayside. Then, indeed, she would stand and gaze -at them with tears in her eyes. The children, too, appeared to have -a sympathy with her grief, and would cluster themselves in a little -group about her knees, and look up wistfully in her face; and Ceres, -after giving them a kiss all round, would lead them to their homes, and -advise their mothers never to let them stray out of sight. - -"For if they do," said she, "it may happen to you, as it has to me, -that the iron-hearted King Pluto will take a liking to your darlings, -and snatch them up in his chariot, and carry them away." - -One day, during her pilgrimage in quest of the entrance to Pluto's -kingdom, she came to the palace of King Celeus, who reigned at Eleusis. -Ascending a lofty flight of steps, she entered the portal, and found -the royal household in very great alarm about the queen's baby. The -infant, it seems, was sickly, (being troubled with its teeth, I -suppose,) and would take no food, and was all the time moaning with -pain. The queen--her name was Metanira--was desirous of finding a -nurse; and when she beheld a woman of matronly aspect coming up the -steps, she thought in her own mind, that here was the very person whom -she needed. So Queen Metanira ran to the door, with the poor wailing -baby in her arms, and besought Ceres to take charge of it, or, at -least, to tell her what would do it good. - -"Will you trust the child entirely to me?" asked Ceres. - -"Yes, and gladly too," answered the queen, "if you will devote all your -time to him. For I can see that you have been a mother." - -"You are right," said Ceres. "I once had a child of my own. Well, I -will be the nurse of this poor, sickly boy. But beware, I warn you, -that you do not interfere with any kind of treatment which I may judge -proper for him. If you do so, the poor infant must suffer for his -mother's folly." - -Then she kissed the child, and it seemed to do him good, for he smiled -and nestled closely into her bosom. - -So Mother Ceres set her torch in a corner, (where it kept burning all -the while,) and took up her abode in the palace of King Celeus, as -nurse to the little Prince Demophoön. She treated him as if he were her -own child, and allowed neither the king nor the queen to say whether -he should be bathed in warm or cold water, or what he should eat, or -how often he should take the air, or when he should be put to bed. -You would hardly believe me, if I were to tell how quickly the baby -prince got rid of his ailments, and grew fat, and rosy, and strong, and -how he had two rows of ivory teeth in less time than any other little -fellow, before or since. Instead of the palest, and wretchedest, and -puniest imp in the world, (as his own mother confessed him to be, when -Ceres first took him in charge,) he was now a strapping baby, crowing, -laughing, kicking up his heels, and rolling from one end of the room -to the other. All the good women of the neighborhood crowded to the -palace, and held up their hands, in unutterable amazement, at the -beauty and wholesomeness of this darling little prince. Their wonder -was the greater, because he was never seen to taste any food; not even -so much as a cup of milk. - -"Pray, nurse," the queen kept saying, "how it is that you make the -child thrive so?" - -"I was a mother once," Ceres always replied; "and having nursed my own -child, I know what other children need." - -But Queen Metanira, as was very natural, had a great curiosity to -know precisely what the nurse did to her child. One night, therefore, -she hid herself in the chamber where Ceres and the little prince were -accustomed to sleep. There was a fire in the chimney, and it had now -crumbled into great coals and embers, which lay glowing on the hearth, -with a blaze flickering up now and then, and flinging a warm and ruddy -light upon the walls. Ceres sat before the hearth with the child in -her lap, and the fire-light making her shadow dance upon the ceiling -overhead. She undressed the little prince, and bathed him all over with -some fragrant liquid out of a vase. The next thing that she did was -to rake back the red embers, and make a hollow place among them, just -where the backlog had been. At last, while the baby was crowing, and -clapping its fat little hands, and laughing in the nurse's face, (just -as you may have seen your little brother or sister do before going into -its warm bath,) Ceres suddenly laid him, all naked as he was, in the -hollow among the red-hot embers. She then raked the ashes over him, and -turned quietly away. - -You may imagine, if you can, how Queen Metanira shrieked, thinking -nothing less than that her dear child would be burned to a cinder. She -burst forth from her hiding-place, and running to the hearth, raked -open the fire, and snatched up poor little Prince Demophoön out of his -bed of live coals, one of which he was gripping in each of his fists. -He immediately set up a grievous cry, as babies are apt to do, when -rudely startled out of a sound sleep. To the queen's astonishment and -joy, she could perceive no token of the child's being injured by the -hot fire in which he had lain. She now turned to Mother Ceres, and -asked her to explain the mystery. - -"Foolish woman," answered Ceres, "did you not promise to intrust this -poor infant entirely to me? You little know the mischief you have done -him. Had you left him to my care, he would have grown up like a child -of celestial birth, endowed with superhuman strength and intelligence, -and would have lived forever. Do you imagine that earthly children are -to become immortal without being tempered to it in the fiercest heat -of the fire? But you have ruined your own son. For though he will be -a strong man and a hero in his day, yet, on account of your folly, -he will grow old, and finally die, like the sons of other women. The -weak tenderness of his mother has cost the poor boy an immortality. -Farewell." - -Saying these words, she kissed the little Prince Demophoön, and sighed -to think what he had lost, and took her departure without heeding Queen -Metanira, who entreated her to remain, and cover up the child among the -hot embers as often as she pleased. Poor baby! He never slept so warmly -again. - -While she dwelt in the king's palace, Mother Ceres had been so -continually occupied with taking care of the young prince, that her -heart was a little lightened of its grief for Proserpina. But now, -having nothing else to busy herself about, she became just as wretched -as before. At length, in her despair, she came to the dreadful -resolution that not a stalk of grain, nor a blade of grass, nor a -potato, nor a turnip, nor any other vegetable that was good for man -or beast to eat, should be suffered to grow until her daughter were -restored. She even forbade the flowers to bloom, lest somebody's heart -should be cheered by their beauty. - -Now as not so much as a head of asparagus ever presumed to poke itself -out of the ground, without the especial permission of Ceres, you may -conceive what a terrible calamity had here fallen upon the earth. The -husbandmen ploughed and planted as usual; but there lay the rich black -furrows, all as barren as a desert of sand. The pastures looked as -brown in the sweet month of June as ever they did in chill November. -The rich man's broad acres and the cottager's small garden patch were -equally blighted. Every little girl's flower bed showed nothing but dry -stalks. The old people shook their white heads, and said that the earth -had grown aged like themselves, and was no longer capable of wearing -the warm smile of summer on its face. It was really piteous to see the -poor, starving cattle and sheep, how they followed behind Ceres, lowing -and bleating, as if their instinct taught them to expect help from her; -and everybody that was acquainted with her power besought her to have -mercy on the human race, and, at all events, to let the grass grow. But -Mother Ceres, though naturally of an affectionate disposition, was now -inexorable. - -"Never," said she. "If the earth is ever again to see any verdure it -must first grow along the path which my daughter will tread in coming -back to me." - -Finally, as there seemed to be no other remedy, our old friend -Quicksilver was sent post haste to King Pluto, in hopes that he might -be persuaded to undo the mischief he had done, and to set everything -right again, by giving up Proserpina. Quicksilver accordingly made -the best of his way to the great gate, took a flying leap right over -the three-headed mastiff, and stood at the door of the palace in an -inconceivably short time. The servants knew him both by his face and -garb; for his short cloak, and his winged cap and shoes, and his snaky -staff had often been seen thereabouts in times gone by. He requested -to be shown immediately into the king's presence; and Pluto, who heard -his voice from the top of the stairs, and who loved to recreate himself -with Quicksilver's merry talk, called out to him to come up. And while -they settle their business together, we must inquire what Proserpina -has been doing ever since we saw her last. - -The child had declared as you may remember, that she would not taste a -mouthful of food as long as she should be compelled to remain in King -Pluto's palace. How she contrived to maintain her resolution, and at -the same time to keep herself tolerably plump and rosy, is more than I -can explain; but some young ladies, I am given to understand, possess -the faculty of living on air, and Proserpina seems to have possessed -it too. At any rate, it was now six months since she left the outside -earth; and not a morsel, so far as the attendants were able to testify, -had yet passed between her teeth. This was the more creditable to -Proserpina inasmuch as King Pluto had caused her to be tempted day -after day, with all manner of sweetmeats, and richly-preserved fruits, -and delicacies of every sort, such as young people are generally most -fond of. But her good mother had often told her of the hurtfulness of -these things; and for that reason alone, if there had been no other, -she would have resolutely refused to taste them. - -All this time, being of a cheerful and active disposition, the little -damsel was not quite so unhappy as you may have supposed. The immense -palace had a thousand rooms, and was full of beautiful and wonderful -objects. There was a never-ceasing gloom, it is true, which had hid -itself among the innumerable pillars, gliding before the child as she -wandered among them, and treading stealthily behind her in the echo of -her footsteps. Neither was all the dazzle of the precious stones, which -flamed with their own light, worth one gleam of natural sunshine; nor -could the most brilliant of the many-colored gems, which Proserpina had -for playthings, vie with the simple beauty of the flowers she used to -gather. But still, wherever the girl went, among those gilded halls and -chambers, it seemed as if she carried nature and sunshine along with -her and as if she scattered dewy blossoms on her right hand and on her -left. After Proserpina came, the palace was no longer the same abode of -stately artifice and dismal magnificence that it had before been. The -inhabitants all felt this, and King Pluto more than any of them. - -"My own little Proserpina," he used to say, "I wish you could like me a -little better. We gloomy and cloudy-natured persons have often as warm -hearts, at bottom, as those of a more cheerful character. If you would -only stay with me of your own accord, it would make me happier than the -possession of a hundred such palaces as this." - -"Ah," said Proserpina, "you should have tried to make me like you -before carrying me off. And the best thing you can now do is, to let me -go again. Then I might remember you sometimes, and think that you were -as kind as you knew how to be. Perhaps, too, one day or other, I might -come back, and pay you a visit." - -"No, no," answered Pluto, with his gloomy smile, "I will not trust -you for that. You are too fond of living in the broad daylight, and -gathering flowers. What an idle and childish taste that is! Are not -these gems, which I have ordered to be dug for you, and which are -richer than any in my crown--are they not prettier than a violet?" - -"Not half so pretty," said Proserpina, snatching the gems from Pluto's -hand, and flinging them to the other end of the hall. "O my sweet -violets, shall I never see you again?" - -And then she burst into tears. But young people's tears have very -little saltness or acidity in them, and do not inflame the eyes so much -as those of grown persons; so that it is not to be wondered at, if, a -few moments afterwards, Proserpina was sporting through the hall almost -as merrily as she and the four sea nymphs had sported along the edge of -the surf wave. King Pluto gazed after her, and wished that he too, was -a child. And little Proserpina, when she turned about, and beheld this -great king standing in his splendid hall, and looking so grand, and so -melancholy, and so lonesome, was smitten with a kind of pity. She ran -back to him, and, for the first time in all her life, put her small, -soft hand in his. - -"I love you a little," whispered she, looking up in his face. - -"Do you, indeed, my dear child?" cried Pluto bending his dark face down -to kiss her; but Proserpina shrank away from the kiss, for though his -features were noble, they were very dusky and grim. "Well, I have not -deserved it of you, after keeping you a prisoner for so many months, -and starving you, besides. Are you not terribly hungry? Is there -nothing which I can get you to eat?" - -In asking this question, the king of the mines had a very cunning -purpose; for, you will recollect, if Proserpina tasted a morsel of food -in his dominions, she would never afterwards be at liberty to quit them. - -"No indeed," said Proserpina. "Your head cook is always baking, and -stewing, and roasting, and rolling out paste, and contriving one dish -or another, which he imagines may be to my liking. But he might just as -well save himself the trouble, poor, fat little man that he is. I have -no appetite for anything in the world, unless it were a slice of bread, -of my mother's own baking, or a little fruit out of her garden." - -[Illustration: "I SHALL NOT TOUCH IT I ASSURE YOU", SAID SHE] - -When Pluto heard this, he began to see that he had mistaken the best -method of tempting Proserpina to eat. The cook's made dishes and -artificial dainties were not half so delicious, in the good child's -opinion, as the simple fare to which Mother Ceres had accustomed her. -Wondering that he had never thought of it before, the king now sent -one of his trusty attendants, with a large basket, to get some of the -finest and juiciest pears, peaches, and plums which could anywhere -be found in the upper world. Unfortunately, however, this was during -the time when Ceres had forbidden any fruits or vegetables to grow; -and, after seeking all over the earth, King Pluto's servant found -only a single pomegranate, and that so dried up as to be not worth -eating. Nevertheless, since there was no better to be had, he brought -this dry, old, withered pomegranate home to the palace, put it on a -magnificent golden salver, and carried it up to Proserpina. Now, it -happened, curiously enough, that, just as the servant was bringing the -pomegranate into the back door of the palace our friend Quicksilver had -gone up the front steps, on his errand to get Proserpina away from King -Pluto. - -As soon as Proserpina saw the pomegranate on the golden salver, she -told the servant he had better take it away again. - -"I shall not touch it, I assure you," said she. "If I were ever -so hungry, I should never think of eating such a miserable, dry -pomegranate as that." - -"It is the only one in the world," said the servant. - -He set down the golden salver, with the wizened pomegranate upon -it, and left the room. When he was gone, Proserpina could not help -coming close to the table, and looking at this poor specimen of dried -fruit with a great deal of eagerness; for, to say the truth, on -seeing something that suited her taste, she felt all the six months' -appetite taking possession of her at once. To be sure, it was a very -wretched-looking pomegranate, and seemed to have no more juice in it -than an oyster shell. But there was no choice of such things in King -Pluto's palace. This was the first fruit she had seen there, and the -last she was ever likely to see; and unless she ate it up immediately, -it would grow drier than it already was, and be wholly unfit to eat. - -"At least, I may smell it," thought Proserpina. - -So she took up the pomegranate, and applied it to her nose; and somehow -or other, being in such close neighborhood to her mouth, the fruit -found its way into that little red cave. Dear me! what an everlasting -pity! Before Proserpina knew what she was about, her teeth had actually -bitten it, of their own accord. Just as this fatal deed was done, the -door of the apartment opened, and in came King Pluto, followed by -Quicksilver, who had been urging him to let his little prisoner go. At -the first noise of their entrance, Proserpina withdrew the pomegranate -from her mouth. But Quicksilver (whose eyes were very keen, and his -wits the sharpest that ever anybody had) perceived that the child was a -little confused; and seeing the empty salver, he suspected that she had -been taking a sly nibble of something or other. As for honest Pluto, he -never guessed at the secret. - -"My little Proserpina," said the king, sitting down, and affectionately -drawing her between his knees, "here is Quicksilver, who tells me that -a great many misfortunes have befallen innocent people on account of -my detaining you in my dominions. To confess the truth, I myself had -already reflected that it was an unjustifiable act to take you away -from your good mother. But, then, you must consider, my dear child, -that this vast palace is apt to be gloomy, (although the precious -stones certainly shine very bright,) and that I am not of the most -cheerful disposition, and that therefore it was a natural thing enough -to seek for the society of some merrier creature than myself. I hoped -you would take my crown for a plaything, and me--ah, you laugh, -naughty Proserpina--me, grim as I am, for a playmate. It was a silly -expectation." - -"Not so extremely silly," whispered Proserpina. "You have really amused -me very much sometimes." - -"Thank you," said King Pluto, rather dryly. "But I can see, plainly -enough, that you think my palace a dusky prison, and me the -iron-hearted keeper of it. And an iron heart I should surely have, -if I could detain you here any longer, my poor child, when it is now -six months since you tasted food. I give you your liberty. Go with -Quicksilver. Hasten home to your dear mother." - -Now, although you may not have supposed it, Proserpina found it -impossible to take leave of poor King Pluto without some regrets, and a -good deal of compunction for not telling him about the pomegranate. She -even shed a tear or two, thinking how lonely and cheerless the great -palace would seem to him, with all its ugly glare of artificial light, -after she herself--his one little ray of natural sunshine, whom he had -stolen, to be sure, but only because he valued her so much--after she -should have departed. I know not how many kind things she might have -said to the disconsolate king of the mines, had not Quicksilver hurried -her away. - -"Come along quickly," whispered he in her ear, "or his majesty may -change his royal mind. And take care, above all things, that you say -nothing of what was brought you on the golden salver." - -In a very short time, they had passed the great gateway, (leaving -the three-headed Cerberus, barking, and yelping, and growling, with -threefold din, behind them,) and emerged upon the surface of the earth. -It was delightful to behold, as Proserpina hastened along, how the -path grew verdant behind and on either side of her. Wherever she set -her blessed foot, there was at once a dewy flower. The violets gushed -up along the wayside. The grass and the grain began to sprout with -tenfold vigor and luxuriance, to make up for the dreary months that had -been wasted in barrenness. The starved cattle immediately set to work -grazing, after their long fast, and ate enormously, all day, and got -up at midnight to eat more. But I can assure you it was a busy time of -year with the farmers, when they found the summer coming upon them with -such a rush. Nor must I forget to say, that all the birds in the whole -world hopped about upon the newly-blossoming trees, and sang together, -in a prodigious ecstasy of joy. - -Mother Ceres had returned to her deserted home, and was sitting -disconsolately on the doorstep, with her torch burning in her hand. She -had been idly watching the flame for some moments past, when, all at -once, it flickered and went out. - -"What does this mean?" thought she. "It was an enchanted torch and -should have kept burning till my child came back." - -Lifting her eyes she was surprised to see a sudden verdure flashing -over the brown and barren fields, exactly as you may have observed a -golden hue gleaming far and wide across the landscape, from the just -risen sun. - -"Does the earth disobey me?" exclaimed Mother Ceres, indignantly. "Does -it presume to be green, when I have bidden it be barren, until my -daughter shall be restored to my arms?" - -"Then open your arms, dear mother," cried a well-known voice, "and take -your little daughter into them." - -And Proserpina came running, and flung herself upon her mother's bosom. -Their mutual transport is not to be described. The grief of their -separation had caused both of them to shed a great many tears; and -now they shed a great many more, because their joy could not so well -express itself in any other way. - -When their hearts had grown a little more quiet, Mother Ceres looked -anxiously at Proserpina. - -"My child," said she, "did you taste any food while you were in King -Pluto's palace?" - -"Dearest mother," answered Proserpina, "I will tell you the whole -truth. Until this very morning, not a morsel of food had passed my -lips. But to-day, they brought me a pomegranate, (a very dry one it -was, and all shrivelled up, till there was little left of it but seeds -and skin,) and having seen no fruit for so long a time, and being faint -with hunger, I was tempted just to bite it. The instant I tasted it, -King Pluto and Quicksilver came into the room. I had not swallowed -a morsel; but--dear mother, I hope it was no harm--but six of the -pomegranate seeds, I am afraid, remained in my mouth." - -"Ah, unfortunate child, and miserable me!" exclaimed Ceres. "For each -of those six pomegranate seeds you must spend one month of every year -in King Pluto's palace. You are but half restored to your mother. -Only six months with me, and six with that good-for-nothing King of -Darkness!" - -"Do not speak so harshly of poor King Pluto," said Proserpina, kissing -her mother. "He has some very good qualities; and I really think I can -bear to spend six months in his palace, if he will only let me spend -the other six with you. He certainly did very wrong to carry me off; -but then, as he says, it was but a dismal sort of life for him, to live -in that great gloomy place, all alone; and it has made a wonderful -change in his spirits to have a little girl to run up stairs and down. -There is some comfort in making him so happy; and so, upon the whole, -dearest mother, let us be thankful that he is not to keep me the whole -year round." - -[Illustration] - - - -[Illustration] - - -THE GOLDEN FLEECE - -When Jason, the son of the dethroned King of Iolchos, was a little -boy, he was sent away from his parents, and placed under the queerest -schoolmaster that ever you heard of. This learned person was one of -the people, or quadrupeds, called Centaurs. He lived in a cavern, and -had the body and legs of a white horse, with the head and shoulders of -a man. His name was Chiron; and, in spite of his odd appearance, he -was a very excellent teacher, and had several scholars, who afterwards -did him credit by making a great figure in the world. The famous -Hercules was one, and so was Achilles, and Philoctetes, likewise, -and Æsculapius, who acquired immense repute as a doctor. The good -Chiron taught his pupils how to play upon the harp, and how to cure -diseases, and how to use the sword and shield, together with various -other branches of education, in which the lads of those days used to be -instructed, instead of writing and arithmetic. - -I have sometimes suspected that Master Chiron was not really very -different from other people, but that, being a kind-hearted and merry -old fellow, he was in the habit of making believe that he was a horse, -and scrambling about the school room on all fours, and letting the -little boys ride upon his back. And so, when his scholars had grown up, -and grown old, and were trotting their grandchildren on their knees, -they told them about the sports of their school days; and these young -folks took the idea that their grandfathers had been taught their -letters by a Centaur, half man and half horse. Little children, not -quite understanding what is said to them, often get such absurd notions -into their heads, you know. - -Be that as it may, it has always been told for a fact, (and always will -be told, as long as the world lasts,) that Chiron, with the head of a -schoolmaster, had the body and legs of a horse. Just imagine the grave -old gentleman clattering and stamping into the school room on his four -hoofs, perhaps treading on some little fellow's toes, flourishing his -switch tail instead of a rod, and, now and then, trotting out of doors -to eat a mouthful of grass! I wonder what the blacksmith charged him -for a set of iron shoes. - -So Jason dwelt in the cave, with this four-footed Chiron, from the time -that he was an infant, only a few months old, until he had grown to -the full height of a man. He became a very good harper, I suppose, and -skilful in the use of weapons, and tolerably acquainted with herbs and -other doctor's stuff, and, above all, an admirable horseman; for, in -teaching young people to ride, the good Chiron must have been without -a rival among schoolmasters. At length, being now a tall and athletic -youth, Jason resolved to seek his fortune in the world, without asking -Chiron's advice, or telling him anything about the matter. This was -very unwise, to be sure; and I hope none of you, my little hearers, -will ever follow Jason's example. But, you are to understand, he had -heard how that he himself was a prince royal, and how his father, -King Æson, had been deprived of the kingdom of Iolchos by a certain -Pelias, who would also have killed Jason, had he not been hidden in -the Centaur's cave. And, being come to the strength of a man, Jason -determined to set all this business to rights, and to punish the wicked -Pelias for wronging his dear father, and to cast him down from the -throne, and seat himself there instead. - -With this intention, he took a spear in each hand, and threw a -leopard's skin over his shoulders, to keep off the rain, and set forth -on his travels, with his long yellow ringlets waving in the wind. -The part of his dress on which he most prided himself was a pair of -sandals, that had been his father's. They were handsomely embroidered, -and were tied upon his feet with strings of gold. But his whole attire -was such as people did not very often see; and as he passed along, the -women and children ran to the doors and windows, wondering whither -this beautiful youth was journeying, with his leopard's skin and his -golden-tied sandals, and what heroic deeds he meant to perform, with a -spear in his right hand and another in his left. - -I know not how far Jason had travelled when he came to a turbulent -river, which rushed right across his pathway, with specks of white -foam among its black eddies, hurrying tumultuously onward, and roaring -angrily as it went. Though not a very broad river in the dry seasons -of the year, it was now swollen by heavy rains and by the melting of -the snow on the sides of Mount Olympus; and it thundered so loudly, -and looked so wild and dangerous, that Jason, bold as he was, thought -it prudent to pause upon the brink. The bed of the stream seemed to be -strewn with sharp and rugged rocks, some of which thrust themselves -above the water. By and by, an uprooted tree, with shattered branches, -came drifting along the current, and got entangled among the rocks. Now -and then, a drowned sheep, and once the carcass of a cow, floated past. - -In short the swollen river had already done a great deal of mischief. -It was evidently too deep for Jason to wade, and too boisterous for him -to swim; he could see no bridge; and as for a boat, had there been any, -the rocks would have broken it to pieces in an instant. - -"See the poor lad," said a cracked voice close to his side. "He -must have had but a poor education, since he does not know how to -cross a little stream like this. Or is he afraid of wetting his fine -golden-stringed sandals? It is a pity his four-footed schoolmaster is -not here to carry him safely across on his back!" - -Jason looked round greatly surprised, for he did not know that anybody -was near. But beside him stood an old woman, with a ragged mantle over -her head, leaning on a staff, the top of which was carved into the -shape of a cuckoo. She looked very aged, and wrinkled, and infirm; and -yet her eyes, which were as brown as those of an ox, were so extremely -large and beautiful, that, when they were fixed on Jason's eyes, he -could see nothing else but them. The old woman had a pomegranate in her -hand, although the fruit was then quite out of season. - -"Whither are you going, Jason?" she now asked. - -She seemed to know his name, you will observe; and indeed, those great -brown eyes looked as if they had a knowledge of everything, whether -past or to come. While Jason was gazing at her, a peacock strutted -forward, and took his stand at the old woman's side. - -"I am going to Iolchos," answered the young man, "to bid the wicked -King Pelias come down from my father's throne, and let me reign in his -stead." - -"Ah, well, then," said the old woman, still with the same cracked -voice, "if that is all your business, you need not be in a very great -hurry. Just take me on your back, there's a good youth, and carry me -across the river. I and my peacock have something to do on the other -side, as well as yourself." - -"Good mother," replied Jason, "your business can hardly be so important -as the pulling down a king from his throne. Besides, as you may see -for yourself, the river is very boisterous; and if I should chance to -stumble, it would sweep both of us away more easily than it has carried -off yonder uprooted tree. I would gladly help you if I could; but I -doubt whether I am strong enough to carry you across." - -"Then," said she, very scornfully, "neither are you strong enough to -pull King Pelias off his throne. And, Jason, unless you will help an -old woman at her need, you ought not to be a king. What are kings made -for, save to succor the feeble and distressed? But do as you please. -Either take me on your back, or with my poor old limbs I shall try my -best to struggle across the stream." - -Saying this, the old woman poked with her staff in the river, as if to -find the safest place in its rocky bed where she might make the first -step. But Jason, by this time, had grown ashamed of his reluctance -to help her. He felt that he could never forgive himself, if this -poor feeble creature should come to any harm in attempting to wrestle -against the headlong current. The good Chiron, whether half horse or -no, had taught him that the noblest use of his strength was to assist -the weak; and also that he must treat every young woman as if she were -his sister, and every old one like a mother. Remembering these maxims, -the vigorous and beautiful young man knelt down, and requested the good -dame to mount upon his back. - -"The passage seems to me not very safe," he remarked. "But as your -business is so urgent, I will try to carry you across. If the river -sweeps you away, it shall take me too." - -"That, no doubt, will be a great comfort to both of us," quoth the old -woman. "But never fear. We shall get safely across." - -So she threw her arms around Jason's neck; and lifting her from the -ground, he stepped boldly into the raging and foamy current, and began -to stagger away from the shore. As for the peacock, it alighted on the -old dame's shoulder. Jason's two spears, one in each hand, kept him -from stumbling, and enabled him to feel his way among the hidden rocks; -although, every instant, he expected that his companion and himself -would go down the stream, together with the driftwood of shattered -trees, and the carcasses of the sheep and cow. Down came the cold, -snowy torrent from the steep side of Olympus, raging and thundering -as if it had a real spite against Jason, or, at all events, were -determined to snatch off his living burden from his shoulders. When he -was half way across, the uprooted tree (which I have already told you -about) broke loose from among the rocks, and bore down upon him, with -all its splintered branches sticking out like the hundred arms of the -giant Briareus. It rushed past, however, without touching him. But the -next moment, his foot was caught in a crevice between two rocks, and -stuck there so fast, that, in the effort to get free he lost one of his -golden-stringed sandals. - -At this accident Jason could not help uttering a cry of vexation. - -"What is the matter, Jason?" asked the old woman. - -"Matter enough," said the young man. "I have lost a sandal here among -the rocks. And what sort of a figure shall I cut, at the court of King -Pelias, with a golden-stringed sandal on one foot, and the other foot -bare!" - -"Do not take it to heart," answered his companion cheerily. "You never -met with better fortune than in losing that sandal. It satisfies me -that you are the very person whom the Speaking Oak has been talking -about." - -There was no time, just then, to inquire what the Speaking Oak had -said. But the briskness of her tone encouraged the young man; and -besides, he had never in his life felt so vigorous and mighty as -since taking this old woman on his back. Instead of being exhausted, -he gathered strength as he went on; and, struggling up against the -torrent, he at last gained the opposite shore, clambered up the bank, -and set down the old dame and her peacock safely on the grass. As -soon as this was done, however, he could not help looking rather -despondently at his bare foot, with only a remnant of the golden string -of the sandal clinging round his ankle. - -"You will get a handsomer pair of sandals by and by," said the old -woman, with a kindly look out of her beautiful brown eyes. "Only let -King Pelias get a glimpse of that bare foot, and you shall see him turn -as pale as ashes, I promise you. There is your path. Go along, my good -Jason, and my blessing go with you. And when you sit on your throne, -remember the old woman whom you helped over the river." - -With these words, she hobbled away, giving him a smile over her -shoulders as she departed. Whether the light of her beautiful brown -eyes threw a glory round about her, or whatever the cause might be, -Jason fancied that there was something very noble and majestic in her -figure, after all, and that, though her gait seemed to be a rheumatic -hobble, yet she moved with as much grace and dignity as any queen on -earth. Her peacock, which had now fluttered down from her shoulder, -strutted behind her in prodigious pomp, and spread out its magnificent -tail on purpose for Jason to admire it. - -When the old dame and her peacock were out of sight, Jason set forward -on his journey. After travelling a pretty long distance, he came to -a town situated at the foot of a mountain, and not a great way from -the shore of the sea. On the outside of the town there was an immense -crowd of people, not only men and women, but children too, all in their -best clothes, and evidently enjoying a holiday. The crowd was thickest -towards the sea shore; and in that direction, over the people's heads, -Jason saw a wreath of smoke curling upward to the blue sky. He inquired -of one of the multitude what town it was, near by, and why so many -persons were here assembled together. - -"This is the kingdom of Iolchos," answered the man, "and we are the -subjects of King Pelias. Our monarch has summoned us together, that we -may see him sacrifice a black bull to Neptune, who, they say, is his -majesty's father. Yonder is the king, where you see the smoke going up -from the altar." - -While the man spoke he eyed Jason with great curiosity; for his garb -was quite unlike that of the Iolchians, and it looked very odd to see a -youth with a leopard's skin over his shoulders, and each hand grasping -a spear. Jason perceived, too, that the man stared particularly at -his feet, one of which, you remember, was bare, while the other was -decorated with his father's golden-stringed sandal. - -"Look at him! only look at him!" said the man to his next neighbor. "Do -you see? He wears but one sandal!" - -Upon this, first one person, and then another, began to stare at Jason, -and everybody seemed to be greatly struck with something in his aspect; -though they turned their eyes much oftener towards his feet than to any -other part of his figure. Besides, he could hear them whispering to one -another. - -"One sandal! One sandal!" they kept saying. "The man with one sandal! -Here he is at last! Whence has he come? What does he mean to do? What -will the king say to the one-sandalled man?" - -Poor Jason was greatly abashed, and made up his mind that the people -of Iolchos were exceedingly ill bred, to take such public notice of an -accidental deficiency in his dress. Meanwhile, whether it were that -they hustled him forward, or that Jason, of his own accord, thrust a -passage through the crowd, it so happened that he soon found himself -close to the smoking altar where King Pelias was sacrificing the -black bull. The murmur and hum of the multitude, in their surprise at -the spectacle of Jason with his one bare foot, grew so loud that it -disturbed the ceremonies; and the king, holding the great knife with -which he was just going to cut the bull's throat, turned angrily about, -and fixed his eyes on Jason. The people had now withdrawn from around -him, so that the youth stood in an open space, near the smoking altar, -front to front with the angry King Pelias. - -"Who are you?" cried the king, with a terrible frown. "And how dare you -make this disturbance, while I am sacrificing a black bull to my father -Neptune?" - -"It is no fault of mine," answered Jason. "Your majesty must blame the -rudeness of your subjects, who have raised all this tumult because one -of my feet happens to be bare." - -When Jason said this, the king gave a quick, startled glance down at -his feet. - -"Ha!" muttered he, "here is the one-sandalled fellow, sure enough! What -can I do with him?" - -And he clutched more closely the great knife in his hand, as if he were -half a mind to slay Jason, instead of the black bull. The people round -about caught up the king's words, indistinctly as they were uttered; -and first there was a murmur among them, and then a loud shout. - -"The one-sandalled man has come! The prophecy must be fulfilled!" - -For you are to know, that, many years before, King Pelias had been told -by the Speaking Oak of Dodona, that a man with one sandal should cast -him down from his throne. On this account, he had given strict orders -that nobody should ever come into his presence, unless both sandals -were securely tied upon his feet; and he kept an officer in his palace, -whose sole business it was to examine people's sandals, and to supply -them with a new pair, at the expense of the royal treasury, as soon -as the old ones began to wear out. In the whole course of the king's -reign, he had never been thrown into such a fright and agitation as by -the spectacle of poor Jason's bare foot. But, as he was naturally a -bold and hard-hearted man, he soon took courage, and began to consider -in what way he might rid himself of this terrible one-sandalled -stranger. - -"My good young man," said King Pelias, taking the softest tone -imaginable, in order to throw Jason off his guard, "you are excessively -welcome to my kingdom. Judging by your dress, you must have travelled a -long distance; for it is not the fashion to wear leopard skins in this -part of the world. Pray what may I call your name, and where did you -receive your education?" - -"My name is Jason," answered the young stranger. "Ever since my -infancy, I have dwelt in the cave of Chiron the Centaur. He was my -instructor, and taught me music, and horsemanship, and how to cure -wounds, and likewise how to inflict wounds with my weapons." - -"I have heard of Chiron the schoolmaster," replied King Pelias, "and -how that there is an immense deal of learning and wisdom in his head, -although it happens to be set on a horse's body. It gives me great -delight to see one of his scholars at my court. But, to test how much -you have profited under so excellent a teacher, will you allow me to -ask you a single question?" - -"I do not pretend to be very wise," said Jason. "But ask me what you -please, and I will answer to the best of my ability." - -Now King Pelias meant cunningly to entrap the young man, and to make -him say something that should be the cause of mischief and destruction -to himself. So, with a crafty and evil smile upon his face, he spoke as -follows:-- - -"What would you do, brave Jason," asked he, "if there were a man in the -world, by whom, as you had reason to believe, you were doomed to be -ruined and slain--what would you do, I say, if that man stood before -you, and in your power?" - -When Jason saw the malice and wickedness which King Pelias could not -prevent from gleaming out of his eyes, he probably guessed that the -king had discovered what he came for, and that he intended to turn his -own words against himself. Still he scorned to tell a falsehood. Like -an upright and honorable prince, as he was, he determined to speak out -the real truth. Since the king had chosen to ask him the question, and -since Jason had promised him an answer, there was no right way, save to -tell him precisely what would be the most prudent thing to do, if he -had his worst enemy in his power. - -Therefore, after a moment's consideration, he spoke up, with a firm and -manly voice. - -"I would send such a man," said he, "in quest of the Golden Fleece!" - -This enterprise, you will understand, was, of all others, the most -difficult and dangerous in the world. In the first place, it would be -necessary to make a long voyage through unknown seas. There was hardly -a hope, or a possibility, that any young man who should undertake this -voyage would either succeed in obtaining the Golden Fleece, or would -survive to return home, and tell of the perils he had run. The eyes of -King Pelias sparkled with joy, therefore, when he heard Jason's reply. - -"Well said, wise man with the one sandal!" cried he. "Go, then, and at -the peril of your life, bring me back the Golden Fleece." - -"I go," answered Jason, composedly. "If I fail, you need not fear that -I will ever come back to trouble you again. But if I return to Iolchos -with the prize, then, King Pelias, you must hasten down from your lofty -throne, and give me your crown and scepter." - -"That I will," said the king, with a sneer. "Meantime, I will keep them -very safely for you." - -The first thing that Jason thought of doing, after he left the king's -presence, was to go to Dodona, and inquire of the Talking Oak what -course it was best to pursue. This wonderful tree stood in the center -of an ancient wood. Its stately trunk rose up a hundred feet into the -air, and threw a broad and dense shadow over more than an acre of -ground. Standing beneath it, Jason looked up among the knotted branches -and green leaves, and into the mysterious heart of the old tree, and -spoke aloud, as if he were addressing some person who was hidden in the -depths of the foliage. - -[Illustration: "What shall I do?" said he.] - -"What shall I do," said he, "in order to win the Golden Fleece?" - -At first there was a deep silence, not only within the shadow of the -Talking Oak, but all through the solitary wood. In a moment or two, -however, the leaves of the oak began to stir and rustle, as if a -gentle breeze were wandering amongst them, although the other trees -of the wood were perfectly still. The sound grew louder, and became -like the roar of a high wind. By and by, Jason imagined that he could -distinguish words, but very confusedly, because each separate leaf of -the tree seemed to be a tongue, and the whole myriad of tongues were -babbling at once. But the noise waxed broader and deeper, until it -resembled a tornado sweeping through the oak, and making one great -utterance out of the thousand and thousand of little murmurs which each -leafy tongue had caused by its rustling. And now, though it still had -the tone of a mighty wind roaring among the branches, it was also like -a deep bass voice, speaking, as distinctly as a tree could be expected -to speak, the following words:-- - -"Go to Argus, the ship builder, and bid him build a galley with fifty -oars." - -Then the voice melted again into the indistinct murmur of the rustling -leaves, and died gradually away. When it was quite gone, Jason felt -inclined to doubt whether he had actually heard the words, or whether -his fancy had not shaped them out of the ordinary sound made by a -breeze, while passing through the thick foliage of the tree. - -But on inquiry among the people of Iolchos, he found that there was -really a man in the city, by the name of Argus, who was a very skilful -builder of vessels. This showed some intelligence in the oak; else -how should it have known that any such person existed? At Jason's -request, Argus readily consented to build him a galley so big that it -should require fifty strong men to row it; although no vessel of such -a size and burden had heretofore been seen in the world. So the head -carpenter, and all his journeymen and apprentices, began their work and -for a good while afterwards, there they were, busily employed, hewing -out the timbers, and making a great clatter with their hammers; until -the new ship, which was called the _Argo_, seemed to be quite ready -for the sea. And, as the Talking Oak had already given him such good -advice, Jason thought that it would not be amiss to ask for a little -more. He visited it again, therefore, and standing beside its huge, -rough trunk, inquired what he should do next. - -This time, there was no such universal quivering of the leaves, -throughout the whole tree, as there had been before. But after a while, -Jason observed that the foliage of a great branch which stretched above -his head had begun to rustle, as if the wind were stirring that one -bough, while all the other boughs of the oak were at rest. - -"Cut me off!" said the branch, as soon as it could speak distinctly; -"cut me off! cut me off! and carve me into a figure head for your -galley." - -Accordingly, Jason took the branch at its word, and lopped it off the -tree. A carver in the neighborhood engaged to make the figure head. He -was a tolerably good workman, and had already carved several figure -heads, in what he intended for feminine shapes, and looking pretty much -like those which we see nowadays stuck up under a vessel's bowsprit, -with great staring eyes, that never wink at the dash of the spray. But -(what was very strange) the carver found that his hand was guided by -some unseen power, and by a skill beyond his own, and that his tools -shaped out an image which he had never dreamed of. When the work was -finished, it turned out to be the figure of a beautiful woman, with -a helmet on her head, from beneath which the long ringlets fell down -upon her shoulders. On the left arm was a shield, and in its center -appeared a lifelike representation of the head of Medusa with the snaky -locks. The right arm was extended, as if pointing onward. The face of -this wonderful statue, though not angry or forbidding, was so grave -and majestic, that perhaps you might call it severe; and as for the -mouth, it seemed just ready to unclose its lips, and utter words of the -deepest wisdom. - -Jason was delighted with the oaken image, and gave the carver no rest -until it was completed, and set up where a figure head has always -stood, from that time to this, in the vessel's prow. - -"And now," cried he, as he stood gazing at the calm, majestic face of -the statue, "I must go to the Talking Oak, and inquire what next to do." - -"There is no need of that, Jason," said a voice which, though it was -far lower, reminded him of the mighty tones of the great oak. "When you -desire good advice, you can seek it of me." - -Jason had been looking straight into the face of the image when these -words were spoken. But he could hardly believe either his ears or his -eyes. The truth was, however, that the oaken lips had moved, and, -to all appearance, the voice had proceeded from the statue's mouth. -Recovering a little from his surprise, Jason bethought himself that the -image had been carved out of the wood of the Talking Oak, and that, -therefore, it was really no great wonder, but, on the contrary, the -most natural thing in the world, that it should possess the faculty -of speech. It would have been very odd, indeed, if it had not. But -certainly it was a great piece of good fortune that he should be able -to carry so wise a block of wood along with him in his perilous voyage. - -"Tell me, wonderous image," exclaimed Jason,--"since you inherit the -wisdom of the Speaking Oak of Dodona, whose daughter you are,--tell me, -where shall I find fifty bold youths, who will take each of them an oar -of my galley? They must have sturdy arms to row, and brave hearts to -encounter perils, or we shall never win the Golden Fleece." - -"Go," replied the oaken image, "go, summon all the heroes of Greece." - -And, in fact, considering what a great deed was to be done, could any -advice be wiser than this which Jason received from the figure head of -his vessel? He lost no time in sending messages to all the cities, and -making known to the whole people of Greece, that Prince Jason, the son -of King Æson, was going in quest of the Fleece of Gold, and that he -desired the help of forty-nine of the bravest and strongest young men -alive, to row his vessel and share his dangers. And Jason himself would -be the fiftieth. - -At this news, the adventurous youths, all over the country, began to -bestir themselves. Some of them had already fought with giants, and -slain dragons; and the younger ones, who had not yet met with such -good fortune, thought it a shame to have lived so long without getting -astride of a flying serpent, or sticking their spears into a Chimæra, -or, at least, thrusting their right arms down a monstrous lion's -throat. There was a fair prospect that they would meet with plenty of -such adventures before finding the Golden Fleece. As soon as they could -furbish up their helmets and shields, therefore, and gird on their -trusty swords, they came thronging to Iolchos, and clambered on board -the new galley. Shaking hands with Jason, they assured him that they -did not care a pin for their lives, but would help row the vessel to -the remotest edge of the world, and as much farther as he might think -it best to go. - -Many of these brave fellows had been educated by Chiron, the -four-footed pedagogue, and were therefore old schoolmates of Jason, -and knew him to be a lad of spirit. The mighty Hercules, whose -shoulders afterwards held up the sky, was one of them. And there -were Castor and Pollux, the twin brothers, who were never accused -of being chicken-hearted, although they had been hatched out of an -egg; and Theseus, who was so renowned for killing the Minotaur; and -Lynceus, with his wonderfully sharp eyes, which could see through -a millstone, or look right down into the depths of the earth, and -discover the treasures that were there; and Orpheus, the very best of -harpers, who sang and played upon his lyre so sweetly, that the brute -beasts stood upon their hind legs, and capered merrily to the music. -Yes, and at some of his more moving tunes, the rocks bestirred their -moss-grown bulk out of the ground, and a grove of forest trees uprooted -themselves, and, nodding their tops to one another, performed a country -dance. - -One of the rowers was a beautiful young woman, named Atalanta, who had -been nursed among the mountains by a bear. So light of foot was this -fair damsel, that she could step from one foamy crest of a wave to -the foamy crest of another, without wetting more than the sole of her -sandal. She had grown up in a very wild way, and talked much about the -rights of women, and loved hunting and war far better than her needle. -But, in my opinion, the most remarkable of this famous company were two -sons of the North Wind, (airy youngsters, and of rather a blustering -disposition,) who had wings on their shoulders, and, in case of a -calm, could puff out their cheeks, and blow almost as fresh a breeze -as their father. I ought not to forget the prophets and conjurers, of -whom there were several in the crew, and who could foretell what would -happen to-morrow, or the next day, or a hundred years hence, but were -generally quite unconscious of what was passing at the moment. - -Jason appointed Tiphys to be helmsman, because he was a star-gazer, and -knew the points of the compass. Lynceus, on account of his sharp sight, -was stationed as a lookout in the prow, where he saw a whole day's -sail ahead, but was rather apt to overlook things that lay directly -under his nose. If the sea only happened to be deep enough, however, -Lynceus could tell you exactly what kind of rocks or sand were at the -bottom of it; and he often cried out to his companions, that they were -sailing over heaps of sunken treasure, which he was none the richer for -beholding. To confess the truth, few people believed him when he said -it. - -Well! But when the Argonauts, as these fifty brave adventurers -were called, had prepared everything for the voyage, an unforeseen -difficulty threatened to end it before it was begun. The vessel, you -must understand, was so long, and broad, and ponderous, that the united -force of all the fifty was insufficient to shove her into the water. -Hercules, I suppose, had not grown to his full strength, else he might -have set her afloat as easily as a little boy launches his boat upon -a puddle. But here were these fifty heroes, pushing, and straining, -and growing red in the face, without making the _Argo_ start an inch. -At last, quite wearied out, they sat themselves down on the shore, -exceedingly disconsolate, and thinking that the vessel must be left to -rot and fall in pieces, and that they must either swim across the sea -or lose the Golden Fleece. - -All at once, Jason bethought himself of the galley's miraculous figure -head. - -"O, daughter of the Talking Oak," cried he, "how shall we set to work -to get our vessel into the water?" - -"Seat yourselves," answered the image, (for it had known what had ought -to be done from the very first, and was only waiting for the question -to be put,)--"seat yourselves, and handle your oars, and let Orpheus -play upon his harp." - -Immediately the fifty heroes got on board, and seizing their oars, held -them perpendicularly in the air, while Orpheus (who liked such a task -far better than rowing) swept his fingers across the harp. At the first -ringing note of the music, they felt the vessel stir. Orpheus thrummed -away briskly, and the galley slid at once into the sea, dipping her -prow so deeply that the figure head drank the wave with its marvellous -lips, and rising again as buoyant as a swan. The rowers plied their -fifty oars; the white foam boiled up before the prow; the water gurgled -and bubbled in their wake; while Orpheus continued to play so lively -a strain of music, that the vessel seemed to dance over the billows -by way of keeping time to it. Thus triumphantly did the Argo sail out -of the harbor, amidst the huzzahs and good wishes of everybody except -the wicked old Pelias, who stood on a promontory, scowling at her, and -wishing that he could blow out of his lungs the tempest of wrath that -was in his heart, and so sink the galley with all on board. When they -had sailed above fifty miles over the sea, Lynceus happened to cast his -sharp eyes behind, and said that there was this bad-hearted king, still -perched upon the promontory, and scowling so gloomily that it looked -like a black thunder cloud in that quarter of the horizon. - -In order to make the time pass away more pleasantly during the voyage, -the heroes talked about the Golden Fleece. It originally belonged, it -appears, to a Bœotian ram, who had taken on his back two children, when -in danger of their lives, and fled with them over land and sea, as far -as Colchis. One of the children, whose name was Helle, fell into the -sea and was drowned. But the other, (a little boy, named Phrixus) was -brought safe ashore by the faithful ram, who, however, was so exhausted -that he immediately lay down and died. In memory of this good deed, -and as a token of his true heart, the fleece of the poor dead ram was -miraculously changed to gold, and became one of the most beautiful -objects ever seen on earth. It was hung upon a tree in a sacred grove, -where it had now been kept I know not how many years, and was the envy -of mighty kings, who had nothing so magnificent in any of their palaces. - -If I were to tell you all the adventures of the Argonauts, it would -take me till nightfall, and perhaps a great deal longer. There was -no lack of wonderful events, as you may judge from what you have -already heard. At a certain island they were hospitably received by -King Cyzicus, its sovereign, who made a feast for them, and treated -them like brothers. But the Argonauts saw that this good king looked -downcast and very much troubled, and they therefore inquired of him -what was the matter. King Cyzicus hereupon informed them that he and -his subjects were greatly abused and incommoded by the inhabitants of a -neighboring mountain, who made war upon them, and killed many people, -and ravaged the country. And while they were talking about it, Cyzicus -pointed to the mountain, and asked Jason and his companions what they -saw there. - -"I see some very tall objects," answered Jason; "but they are at such -a distance that I cannot distinctly make out what they are. To tell -your majesty the truth, they look so very strangely that I am inclined -to think them clouds, which have chanced to take something like human -shapes." - -"I see them very plainly," remarked Lynceus, whose eyes, you know, were -as far sighted as a telescope. "They are a band of enormous giants, all -of whom have six arms apiece, and a club, a sword, or some other weapon -in each of their hands." - -"You have excellent eyes," said King Cyzicus. "Yes, they are six armed -giants, as you say, and these are the enemies whom I and my subjects -have to contend with." - -The next day, when the Argonauts were about setting sail, down -came these terrible giants, stepping a hundred yards at a stride, -brandishing their six arms apiece and looking very formidable, so far -aloft in the air. Each of these monsters was able to carry on a whole -war by himself, for with one of his arms he could fling immense stones, -and wield a club with another, and a sword with a third, while the -fourth was poking a long spear at the enemy, and the fifth and sixth -were shooting him with a bow and arrow. But, luckily, though the giants -were so huge, and had so many arms, they had each but one heart, and -that no bigger nor braver than the heart of an ordinary man. Besides, -if they had been like the hundred-armed Briareus, the brave Argonauts -would have given them their hands full of fight. Jason and his friends -went boldly to meet them, slew a great many, and made the rest take to -their heels, so that, if the giants had had six legs apiece instead of -six arms, it would have served them better to run away with. - -Another strange adventure happened when the voyagers came to Thrace, -where they found a poor blind king, named Phineus, deserted by -his subjects, and living in a very sorrowful way, all by himself. -On Jason's inquiring whether they could do him any service, the -king answered that he was terribly tormented by three great winged -creatures, called Harpies, which had the faces of women, and the wings, -bodies, and claws of vultures. These ugly wretches were in the habit of -snatching away his dinner, and allowed him no peace of his life. Upon -hearing this, the Argonauts spread a plentiful feast on the sea shore, -well knowing, from what the blind king said of their greediness, that -the Harpies would snuff up the scent of the victuals, and quickly come -to steal them away. And so it turned out; for, hardly was the table -set, before the three hideous vulture women came flapping their wings, -seized the food in their talons, and flew off as fast as they could. -But the two sons of the North Wind drew their swords, spread their -pinions, and set off through the air in pursuit of the thieves, whom -they at last overtook among some islands, after a chase of hundreds of -miles. The two winged youths blustered terribly at the Harpies, (for -they had the rough temper of their father,) and so frightened them with -their drawn swords, that they solemnly promised never to trouble King -Phineus again. - -Then the Argonauts sailed onward, and met with many other marvellous -incidents, any one of which would make a story by itself. At one -time, they landed on an island, and were reposing on the grass, when -they suddenly found themselves assailed by what seemed a shower of -steel-headed arrows. Some of them stuck in the ground, while others -hit against their shields, and several penetrated their flesh. The -fifty heroes started up, and looked about them for the hidden enemy, -but could find none, nor see any spot, on the whole island, where even -a single archer could lie concealed. Still, however, the steel-headed -arrows came whizzing among them, and, at last, happening to look -upward, they beheld a large flock of birds, hovering and wheeling -aloft, and shooting their feathers down upon the Argonauts. These -feathers were the steel-headed arrows that had so tormented them. -There was no possibility of making any resistance; and the fifty -heroic Argonauts might all have been killed or wounded by a flock of -troublesome birds, without ever setting eyes on the Golden Fleece, if -Jason had not thought of asking the advice of the oaken image. - -So he ran to the galley as fast as his legs would carry him. - -"O, daughter of the Speaking Oak," cried he, all out of breath, "we -need your wisdom more than ever before! We are in great peril from a -flock of birds, who are shooting us with their steel-pointed feathers. -What can we do to drive them away?" - -"Make a clatter on your shields," said the image. - -On receiving this excellent counsel, Jason hurried back to his -companions, (who were far more dismayed than when they fought with -the six-armed giants,) and bade them strike with their swords upon -their brazen shields. Forthwith the fifty heroes set heartily to work, -banging with might and main, and raised such a terrible clatter, that -the birds made what haste they could to get away; and though they had -shot half the feathers out of their wings, they were soon seen skimming -among the clouds, a long distance off, and looking like a flock of wild -geese. Orpheus celebrated this victory by playing a triumphant anthem -on his harp, and sang so melodiously that Jason begged him to desist, -lest, as the steel-feathered birds had been driven away by an ugly -sound, they might be enticed back again by a sweet one. - -While the Argonauts remained on this island, they saw a small vessel -approaching the shore, in which were two young men of princely -demeanor, and exceedingly handsome, as young princes generally were, -in those days. Now, who do you imagine these two voyagers turned out -to be? Why, if you will believe me, they were the sons of that very -Phrixus, who, in his childhood, had been carried to Colchis on the back -of the golden-fleeced ram. Since that time, Phrixus had married the -king's daughter; and the two young princes had been born and brought -up at Colchis, and had spent their play days in the outskirts of the -grove, in the center of which the Golden Fleece was hanging upon a -tree. They were now on their way to Greece, in hopes of getting back a -kingdom that had been wrongfully taken from their father. - -When the princes understood whither the Argonauts were going, they -offered to turn back, and guide them to Colchis. At the same time, -however, they spoke as if it were very doubtful whether Jason would -succeed in getting the Golden Fleece. According to their account, the -tree on which it hung was guarded by a terrible dragon, who never -failed to devour, at one mouthful, every person who might venture -within his reach. - -"There are other difficulties in the way," continued the young princes. -"But is not this enough? Ah, brave Jason, turn back before it is too -late. It would grieve us to the heart, if you and your nine and forty -brave companions should be eaten up, at fifty mouthfuls, by this -execrable dragon." - -"My young friends," quietly replied Jason, "I do not wonder that you -think the dragon very terrible. You have grown up from infancy in the -fear of this monster, and therefore still regard him with the awe -that children feel for the bugbears and hobgoblins which their nurses -have talked to them about. But, in my view of the matter, the dragon -is merely a pretty large serpent, who is not half so likely to snap -me up at one mouthful as I am to cut off his ugly head, and strip the -skin from his body. At all events, turn back who may, I will never see -Greece again, unless I carry with me the Golden Fleece." - -"We will none of us turn back!" cried his nine and forty brave -comrades. "Let us get on board the galley this instant; and if the -dragon is to make a breakfast of us, much good may it do him." - -And Orpheus (whose custom it was to set everything to music) began to -harp and sing most gloriously, and made every mother's son of them feel -as if nothing in this world were so delectable as to fight dragons, and -nothing so truly honorable as to be eaten up at one mouthful, in case -of the worst. - -After this, (being now under the guidance of the two princes, who -were well acquainted with the way,) they quickly sailed to Colchis. -When the king of the country, whose name was Æetes, heard of their -arrival, he instantly summoned Jason to court. The king was a stern and -cruel-looking potentate; and though he put on as polite and hospitable -an expression as he could, Jason did not like his face a whit better -than that of the wicked King Pelias, who dethroned his father. - -"You are welcome, brave Jason," said King Æetes. "Pray, are you on -a pleasure voyage?--or do you meditate the discovery of unknown -islands?--or what other cause has procured me the happiness of seeing -you at my court?" - -"Great sir," replied Jason, with an obeisance,--for Chiron had taught -him how to behave with propriety, whether to kings or beggars,--"I have -come hither with a purpose which I now beg your majesty's permission to -execute. King Pelias, who sits on my father's throne, (to which he has -no more right than to the one on which your excellent majesty is now -seated,) has engaged to come down from it, and give me his crown and -scepter, provided I bring him the Golden Fleece. This, as your majesty -is aware, is now hanging on a tree here at Colchis; and I humbly -solicit your gracious leave to take it away." - -In spite of himself, the king's face twisted itself into an angry -frown; for, above all things else in the world, he prized the Golden -Fleece and was even suspected of having done a very wicked act, in -order to get it into his own possession. It put him into the worst -possible humor, therefore, to hear that the gallant Prince Jason, and -forty-nine of the bravest young warriors of Greece, had come to Colchis -with the sole purpose of taking away his chief treasure. - -"Do you know," asked King Æetes, eyeing Jason very sternly, "what are -the conditions which you must fulfil before getting possession of the -Golden Fleece?" - -"I have heard," rejoined the youth, "that a dragon lies beneath the -tree on which the prize hangs, and that whoever approaches him runs the -risk of being devoured at a mouthful." - -"True," said the king, with a smile that did not look particularly -good-natured. "Very true, young man. But there are other things as -hard, or perhaps a little harder, to be done, before you can even have -the privilege of being devoured by the dragon. For example, you must -first tame my two brazen-footed and brazen-lunged bulls, which Vulcan, -the wonderful blacksmith, made for me. There is a furnace in each of -their stomachs; and they breathe such hot fire out of their mouths -and nostrils, that nobody has hitherto gone nigh them without being -instantly burned to a small, black cinder. What do you think of this, -my brave Jason?" - -"I must encounter the peril," answered Jason, composedly, "since it -stands in the way of my purpose." - -"After taming the fiery bulls," continued King Æetes, who was -determined to scare Jason if possible, "you must yoke them to a plough, -and must plough the sacred earth in the grove of Mars, and sow some of -the same dragon's teeth from which Cadmus raised a crop of armed men. -They are an unruly set of reprobates, those sons of the dragon's teeth; -and unless you treat them suitably, they will fall upon you sword in -hand. You and your nine and forty Argonauts, my bold Jason, are hardly -numerous or strong enough to fight with such a host as will spring up." - -"My master Chiron," replied Jason, "taught me, long ago, the story of -Cadmus. Perhaps I can manage the quarrelsome sons of the dragon's teeth -as well as Cadmus did." - -"I wish the dragon had him," muttered King Æetes to himself, "and -the four-footed pedant, his schoolmaster, into the bargain. Why, -what a foolhardy, self-conceited coxcomb he is! We'll see what -my fire-breathing bulls will do for him. Well, Prince Jason," he -continued, aloud, and as complaisantly as he could, "make yourself -comfortable for to-day, and to-morrow morning, since you insist upon -it, you shall try your skill at the plough." - -While the king talked with Jason, a beautiful young woman was standing -behind the throne. She fixed her eyes earnestly upon the youthful -stranger, and listened attentively to every word that was spoken; and -when Jason withdrew from the king's presence, this young woman followed -him out of the room. - -"I am the king's daughter," she said to him, "and my name is Medea. I -know a great deal of which other young princesses are ignorant, and can -do many things which they would be afraid so much as to dream of. If -you will trust to me, I can instruct you how to tame the fiery bulls, -and sow the dragon's teeth, and get the Golden Fleece." - -"Indeed, beautiful princess," answered Jason, "if you will do me this -service, I promise to be grateful to you my whole life long." - -[Illustration: "I am the king's daughter."] - -Gazing at Medea, he beheld a wonderful intelligence in her face. She -was one of those persons whose eyes are full of mystery; so that, -while looking into them, you seem to see a very great way, as into a -deep well, yet can never be certain whether you see into the farthest -depths, or whether there be not something else hidden at the bottom. If -Jason had been capable of fearing anything, he would have been afraid -of making this young princess his enemy; for, beautiful as she now -looked, she might, the very next instant, become as terrible as the -dragon that kept watch over the Golden Fleece. - -"Princess," he exclaimed, "you seem indeed very wise and very powerful. -But how can you help me to do the things of which you speak? Are you an -enchantress?" - -"Yes, Prince Jason," answered Medea, with a smile, "you have hit upon -the truth. I am an enchantress. Circe, my father's sister, taught me to -be one, and I could tell you, if I pleased, who was the old woman with -the peacock, the pomegranate, and the cuckoo staff, whom you carried -over the river; and, likewise, who it is that speaks through the lips -of the oaken image, that stands in the prow of your galley. I am -acquainted with some of your secrets, you perceive. It is well for you -that I am favorably inclined; for, otherwise, you would hardly escape -being snapped, up by the dragon." - -"I should not so much care for the dragon," replied Jason, "if I only -knew how to manage the brazen-footed and fiery-lunged bulls." - -"If you are as brave as I think you, and as you have need to be," said -Medea, "your own bold heart will teach you that there is but one way -of dealing with a mad bull. What it is I leave you to find out in the -moment of peril. As for the fiery breath of these animals, I have a -charmed ointment here, which will prevent you from being burned up, and -cure you if you chance to be a little scorched." - -So she put a golden box into his hand, and directed him how to apply -the perfumed unguent which it contained, and where to meet her at -midnight. - -"Only be brave," added she, "and before daybreak the brazen bulls shall -be tamed." - -The young man assured her that his heart would not fail him. He then -rejoined his comrades, and told them what had passed between the -princess and himself, and warned them to be in readiness in case there -might be need of their help. - -At the appointed hour he met the beautiful Medea on the marble steps of -the king's palace. She gave him a basket, in which were the dragon's -teeth, just as they had been pulled out of the monster's jaws by -Cadmus, long ago. Medea then led Jason down the palace steps, and -through the silent streets of the city, and into the royal pasture -ground, where the two brazen-footed bulls were kept. It was a starry -night, with a bright gleam along the eastern edge of the sky, where the -moon was soon going to show herself. After entering the pasture, the -princess paused and looked around. - -"There they are," said she, "reposing themselves and chewing their -fiery cuds in that farthest corner of the field. It will be excellent -sport, I assure you, when they catch a glimpse of your figure. My -father and all his court delight in nothing so much as to see a -stranger trying to yoke them, in order to come at the Golden Fleece. It -makes a holiday in Colchis whenever such a thing happens. For my part, -I enjoy it immensely. You cannot imagine in what a mere twinkling of an -eye their hot breath shrivels a young man into a black cinder." - -[Illustration: AT THE APPOINTED HOUR HE MET THE BEAUTIFUL MEDEA] - -"Are you sure, beautiful Medea," asked Jason, "quite sure, that the -unguent in the gold box will prove a remedy against those terrible -burns?" - -"If you doubt, if you are in the least afraid," said the princess, -looking him in the face by the dim starlight, "you had better never -have been born than go a step nigher to the bulls." - -But Jason had set his heart steadfastly on getting the Golden Fleece; -and I positively doubt whether he would have gone back without it, even -had he been certain of finding himself turned into a red-hot cinder, -or a handful of white ashes, the instant he made a step farther. -He therefore let go Medea's hand, and walked boldly forward in the -direction whither she had pointed. At some distance before him he -perceived four streams of fiery vapor, regularly appearing, and again -vanishing, after dimly lighting up the surrounding obscurity. These, -you will understand, were caused by the breath of the brazen bulls, -which was quietly stealing out of their four nostrils, as they lay -chewing their cuds. - -At the first two or three steps which Jason made, the four fiery -streams appeared to gush out somewhat more plentifully; for the two -brazen bulls had heard his foot tramp, and were lifting up their hot -noses to snuff the air. He went a little farther, and by the way in -which the red vapor now spouted forth, he judged that the creatures had -got upon their feet. Now he could see glowing sparks, and vivid jets -of flame. At the next step, each of the bulls made the pasture echo -with a terrible roar, while the burning breath, which they thus belched -forth, lit up the whole field with a momentary flash. One other stride -did bold Jason make, and, suddenly, as a streak of lightning, on came -these fiery animals, roaring like thunder, and sending out sheets of -white flame, which so kindled up the scene that the young man could -discern every object more distinctly than by daylight. Most distinctly -of all he saw the two horrible creatures galloping right down upon him, -their brazen hoofs rattling and ringing over the ground, and their -tails sticking up stiffly into the air, as has always been the fashion -with angry bulls. Their breath scorched the herbage before them. So -intensely hot it was, indeed, that it caught a dry tree, under which -Jason was now standing, and set it all in a light blaze. But as for -Jason himself, (thanks to Medea's enchanted ointment,) the white flame -curled around his body, without injuring him a jot more than if he had -been made of asbestos. - -Greatly encouraged at finding himself not yet turned into a cinder, -the young man awaited the attack of the bulls. Just as the brazen -brutes fancied themselves sure of tossing him into the air, he caught -one of them by the horn, and the other by his screwed-up tail, and -held them in a gripe like that of an iron vice, one with his right -hand, the other with his left. Well, he must have been wonderfully -strong in his arms, to be sure. But the secret of the matter was, -that the brazen bulls were enchanted creatures, and that Jason had -broken the spell of their fiery fierceness by his bold way of handling -them. And, ever since that time, it has been the favorite method of -brave men, when danger assails them, to do what they call "taking the -bull by the horns;" and to gripe him by the tail is pretty much the -same thing--that is, to throw aside fear, and overcome the peril by -despising it. - -It was now easy to yoke the bulls, and to harness them to the plough, -which had lain rusting on the ground for a great many years gone by; -so long was it before anybody could be found capable of ploughing that -piece of land. Jason, I suppose, had been taught how to draw a furrow -by the good old Chiron, who, perhaps, used to allow himself to be -harnessed to the plough. At any rate, our hero succeeded perfectly well -in breaking up the greensward; and, by the time that the moon was a -quarter of her journey up the sky, the ploughed field lay before him, a -large tract of black earth, ready to be sown with the dragon's teeth. -So Jason scattered them broadcast, and harrowed them into the soil with -a brush-harrow, and took his stand on the edge of the field, anxious to -see what would happen next. - -"Must we wait long for harvest time?" he inquired of Medea, who was now -standing by his side. - -"Whether sooner or later, it will be sure to come," answered the -princess. "A crop of armed men never fails to spring up, when the -dragon's teeth have been sown." - -The moon was now high aloft in the heavens, and threw its bright beams -over the ploughed field, where as yet there was nothing to be seen. -Any farmer, on viewing it, would have said that Jason must wait weeks -before the green blades would peep from among the clods, and whole -months before the yellow grain would be ripened for the sickle. But -by and by, all over the field, there was something that glistened -in the moonbeams, like sparkling drops of dew. These bright objects -sprouted higher, and proved to be the steel heads of spears. Then there -was a dazzling gleam from a vast number of polished brass helmets, -beneath which, as they grew farther out of the soil, appeared the dark -and bearded visages of warriors, struggling to free themselves from -the imprisoning earth. The first look that they gave at the upper -world was a glare of wrath and defiance. Next were seen their bright -breastplates; in every right hand there was a sword or a spear, and on -each left arm a shield; and when this strange crop of warriors had but -half grown out of the earth, they struggled,--such was their impatience -of restraint,--and, as it were, tore themselves up by the roots. -Wherever a dragon's tooth had fallen, there stood a man armed for -battle. They made a clangor with their swords against their shields and -eyed one another fiercely; for they had come into this beautiful world, -and into the peaceful moonlight, full of rage and stormy passions, and -ready to take the life of every human brother, in recompense of the -boon of their own existence. - -There have been many other armies in the world that seemed to possess -the same fierce nature with the one which had now sprouted from -the dragon's teeth; but these, in the moonlit field, were the more -excusable, because they never had women for their mothers. And how it -would have rejoiced any great captain, who was bent on conquering the -world, like Alexander or Napoleon, to raise a crop of armed soldiers as -easily as Jason did! - -For a while, the warriors stood flourishing their weapons, clashing -their swords against their shields, and boiling over with the red-hot -thirst for battle. Then they began to shout--"Show us the enemy! Lead -us to the charge! Death or victory! Come on, brave comrades! Conquer or -die!" and a hundred other outcries, such as men always bellow forth on -a battle field, and which these dragon people seemed to have at their -tongues' ends. At last, the front rank caught sight of Jason, who, -beholding the flash of so many weapons in the moonlight, had thought it -best to draw his sword. In a moment all the sons of the dragon's teeth -appeared to take Jason for an enemy; and crying with one voice, "Guard -the Golden Fleece!" they ran at him with uplifted swords and protruded -spears. Jason knew that it would be impossible to withstand this -bloodthirsty battalion with his single arm, but determined, since there -was nothing better to be done, to die as valiantly as if he himself had -sprung from a dragon's tooth. - -Medea, however, bade him snatch up a stone from the ground. - -"Throw it among them quickly!" cried she. "It is the only way to save -yourself." - -The armed men were now so nigh that Jason could discern the fire -flashing out of their enraged eyes, when he let fly the stone, and saw -it strike the helmet of a tall warrior, who was rushing upon him with -his blade aloft. The stone glanced from this man's helmet to the shield -of his nearest comrade, and thence flew right into the angry face of -another, hitting him smartly between the eyes. Each of the three who -had been struck by the stone took it for granted that his next neighbor -had given him a blow; and instead of running any farther towards Jason, -they began a fight among themselves. The confusion spread through the -host, so that it seemed scarcely a moment before they were all hacking, -hewing, and stabbing at one another, lopping off arms, heads, and legs, -and doing such memorable deeds that Jason was filled with immense -admiration; although, at the same time, he could not help laughing to -behold these mighty men punishing each other for an offence which he -himself had committed. In an incredibly short space of time, (almost -as short, indeed, as it had taken them to grow up,) all but one of the -heroes of the dragon's teeth were stretched lifeless on the field. The -last survivor, the bravest and strongest of the whole, had just force -enough to wave his crimson sword over his head, and give a shout of -exultation, crying, "Victory! Victory! Immortal fame!" when he himself -fell down, and lay quietly among his slain brethren. And there was the -end of the army that had sprouted from the dragon's teeth. That fierce -and feverish fight was the only enjoyment which they had tasted on this -beautiful earth. - -"Let them sleep in the bed of honor," said the Princess Medea, with a -sly smile at Jason. "The world will always have simpletons enough, just -like them, fighting and dying for they know not what, and fancying that -posterity will take the trouble to put laurel wreaths on their rusty -and battered helmets. Could you help smiling, Prince Jason, to see the -self-conceit of that last fellow, just as he tumbled down?" - -"It made me very sad," answered Jason gravely. "And, to tell you the -truth, princess, the Golden Fleece does not appear so well worth the -winning, after what I have here beheld." - -"You will think differently in the morning," said Medea. "True, the -Golden Fleece may not be so valuable as you have thought it; but then -there is nothing better in the world; and one must needs have an -object, you know. Come! Your night's work has been well performed; -and to-morrow you can inform King Æetes that the first part of your -allotted task is fulfilled." - -Agreeably to Medea's advice, Jason went betimes in the morning to the -palace of King Æetes. Entering the presence chamber, he stood at the -foot of the throne, and made a low obeisance. - -"Your eyes look heavy, Prince Jason," observed the king; "you appear -to have spent a sleepless night. I hope you have been considering the -matter a little more wisely, and have concluded not to get yourself -scorched to a cinder, in attempting to tame my brazen-lunged bulls." - -"That is already accomplished, may it please your majesty," replied -Jason. "The bulls have been tamed and yoked; the field has been -ploughed; the dragon's teeth have been sown broadcast, and harrowed -into the soil; the crop of armed warriors have sprung up, and they have -slain one another, to the last man. And now I solicit your majesty's -permission to encounter the dragon, that I may take down the Golden -Fleece from the tree, and depart, with my nine and forty comrades." - -King Æetes scowled, and looked very angry and excessively disturbed; -for he knew that, in accordance with his kingly promise, he ought now -to permit Jason to win the fleece, if his courage and skill should -enable him to do so. But, since the young man had met with such good -luck in the matter of the brazen bulls and the dragon's teeth, the -king feared that he would be equally successful in slaying the dragon. -And therefore, though he would gladly have seen Jason snapped up at a -mouthful, he was resolved (and it was a very wrong thing of this wicked -potentate) not to run any further risk of losing his beloved fleece. - -"You never would have succeeded in this business, young man," said -he, "if my undutiful daughter Medea had not helped you with her -enchantments. Had you acted fairly, you would have been, at this -instant, a black cinder, or a handful of white ashes. I forbid you, on -pain of death, to make any more attempts to get the Golden Fleece. To -speak my mind plainly, you shall never set eyes on so much as one of -its glistening locks." - -Jason left the king's presence in great sorrow and anger. He could -think of nothing better to be done than to summon together his -forty-nine brave Argonauts, march at once to the grove of Mars, slay -the dragon, take possession of the Golden Fleece, get on board the -_Argo_, and spread all sail for Iolchos. The success of this scheme -depended, it is true, on the doubtful point whether all the fifty -heroes might not be snapped up, at so many mouthfuls, by the dragon. -But, as Jason was hastening down the palace steps, the Princess Medea -called after him, and beckoned him to return. Her black eyes shone -upon him with such a keen intelligence, that he felt as if there were -a serpent peeping out of them; and, although she had done him so much -service only the night before, he was by no means very certain that -she would not do him an equally great mischief before sunset. These -enchantresses, you must know, are never to be depended upon. - -"What says King Æetes, my royal and upright father?" inquired Medea, -slightly smiling. "Will he give you the Golden Fleece, without any -further risk or trouble?" - -"On the contrary," answered Jason, "he is very angry with me for taming -the brazen bulls and sowing the dragon's teeth. And he forbids me to -make any more attempts, and positively refuses to give up the Golden -Fleece, whether I slay the dragon or no." - -"Yes, Jason," said the princess, "and I can tell you more. Unless you -set sail from Colchis before to-morrow's sunrise, the king means to -burn your fifty oared galley, and put yourself and your forty-nine -brave comrades to the sword. But be of good courage. The Golden Fleece -you shall have, if it lies within the power of my enchantments to get -it for you. Wait for me here an hour before midnight." - -At the appointed hour, you might again have seen Prince Jason and the -Princess Medea, side by side, stealing through the streets of Colchis, -on their way to the sacred grove, in the center of which the Golden -Fleece was suspended to a tree. While they were crossing the pasture -ground, the brazen bulls came towards Jason, lowing, nodding their -heads, and thrusting forth their snouts, which, as other cattle do, -they, loved to have rubbed and caressed by a friendly hand. Their -fierce nature was thoroughly tamed; and, with their fierceness, the two -furnaces in their stomachs had likewise been extinguished, insomuch -that they probably enjoyed far more comfort in grazing and chewing -their cuds than ever before. Indeed, it had heretofore been a great -inconvenience to these poor animals, that, whenever they wished to eat -a mouthful of grass, the fire out of their nostrils had shrivelled -it up, before they could manage to crop it. How they contrived to -keep themselves alive is more than I can imagine. But now, instead of -emitting jets of flame and streams of sulphurous vapor, they breathed -the very sweetest of cow breath. - -[Illustration: "WHAT IS IT"? ASKED JASON] - -After kindly patting the bulls, Jason followed Medea's guidance into -the Grove of Mars, where the great oak trees, that had been growing -for centuries, threw so thick a shade that the moonbeams struggled -vainly to find their way through it. Only here and there a glimmer -fell upon the leaf-strewn earth, or now and then a breeze stirred the -boughs aside, and gave Jason a glimpse of the sky, lest, in that deep -obscurity, he might forget that there was one, overhead. At length, -when they had gone farther and farther into the heart of the duskiness, -Medea squeezed Jason's hand. - -"Look yonder," she whispered. "Do you see it?" - -Gleaming among the venerable oaks, there was a radiance, not like the -moonbeams, but rather resembling the golden glory of the setting sun. -It proceeded from an object, which appeared to be suspended at about a -man's height from the ground, a little farther within the wood. - -"What is it?" asked Jason. - -"Have you come so far to seek it," exclaimed Medea, "and do you not -recognize the meed of all your toils and perils, when it glitters -before your eyes? It is the Golden Fleece." - -Jason went onward a few steps farther, and then stopped to gaze. O, how -beautiful it looked, shining with a marvellous light of its own, that -inestimable prize, which so many heroes had longed to behold, but had -perished in the quest of it, either by the perils of their voyage, or -by the fiery breath of the brazen-lunged bulls. - -"How gloriously it shines!" cried Jason, in a rapture. "It has surely -been dipped in the richest gold of sunset. Let me hasten onward, and -take it to my bosom." - -"Stay," said Medea, holding him back. "Have you forgotten what guards -it?" - -To say the truth, in the joy of beholding the object of his desires, -the terrible dragon had quite slipped out of Jason's memory. Soon, -however, something came to pass, that reminded him what perils were -still to be encountered. An antelope, that probably mistook the yellow -radiance for sunrise, came bounding fleetly through the grove. He was -rushing straight towards the Golden Fleece, when suddenly there was -a frightful hiss, and the immense head and half the scaly body of -the dragon was thrust forth, (for he was twisted round the trunk of -the tree on which the fleece hung,) and seizing the poor antelope, -swallowed him with one snap of his jaws. - -After this feat, the dragon seemed sensible that some other living -creature was within reach, on which he felt inclined to finish his -meal. In various directions he kept poking his ugly snout among the -trees, stretching out his neck a terrible long way, now here, now -there, and now close to the spot where Jason and the Princess were -hiding behind an oak. Upon my word, as the head came waving and -undulating through the air, and reaching almost within arm's length of -Prince Jason, it was a very hideous and uncomfortable sight. The gape -of his enormous jaws was nearly as wide as the gateway of the king's -palace. - -"Well, Jason," whispered Medea, (for she was ill-natured, as all -enchantresses are, and wanted to make the bold youth tremble,) "what do -you think now of your prospect of winning the Golden Fleece?" - -Jason answered only by drawing his sword, and making a step forward. - -"Stay, foolish youth," said Medea, grasping his arm. "Do not you see -you are lost, without me as your good angel? In this gold box I have a -magic potion, which will do the dragon's business far more effectively -than your sword." - -The dragon had probably heard the voices; for swift as lightning, -his black head and forked tongue came hissing among the trees again, -darting full forty feet at a stretch. As it approached, Medea tossed -the contents of the gold box right down the monster's wide-open -throat. Immediately, with an outrageous hiss and a tremendous -wriggle,--flinging his tail up to the tip-top of the tallest tree, and -shattering all its branches as it crashed heavily down again,--the -dragon fell at full length upon the ground, and lay quite motionless. - -"It is only a sleeping potion," said the enchantress to Prince Jason. -"One always finds a use for these mischievous creatures, sooner or -later; so I did not wish to kill him outright. Quick! Snatch the prize, -and let us begone. You have won the Golden Fleece." - -Jason caught the fleece from the tree, and hurried through the grove, -the deep shadows of which were illuminated as he passed by the golden -glory of the precious object that he bore along. A little way before -him, he beheld the old woman whom he had helped over the stream, with -her peacock beside her. She clapped her hands for joy, and beckoning -him to make haste, disappeared among the duskiness of the trees. -Espying the two winged sons of the North Wind, (who were disporting -themselves in the moonlight, a few hundred feet aloft,) Jason bade -them tell the rest of the Argonauts to embark as speedily as possible. -But Lynceus, with his sharp eyes, had already caught a glimpse of him, -bringing the Golden Fleece, although several stone walls, a hill, and -the black shadows of the grove of Mars, intervened between. By his -advice, the heroes had seated themselves on the benches of the galley, -with their oars held perpendicularly, ready to let fall into the water. - -As Jason drew near, he heard the Talking Image calling to him with more -than ordinary eagerness, in its grave, sweet voice:-- - -"Make haste, Prince Jason! For your life, make haste!" - -With one bound, he leaped aboard. At sight of the glorious radiance of -the Golden Fleece, the nine and forty heroes gave a mighty shout, and -Orpheus, striking his harp, sang a song of triumph, to the cadence of -which the galley flew over the water, homeward bound, as if careering -along with wings! - -[Illustration] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tanglewood Tales, by Nathaniel Hawthorne - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TANGLEWOOD TALES *** - -***** This file should be named 51995-0.txt or 51995-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/9/9/51995/ - -Produced by Madeleine Fournier. 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