‘Nah nah ne nah nah, I’m the fairest of all!’ she trilled.
‘I’ll show you the fairest, presumptuous brat!’ howled Hera, pointing her finger at Susan.
Susan shuddered.
She felt her body shrinking and curling, her face narrowing to a point. Fur sprouted and covered her. The apple thudded to the ground as her hands became tiny paws and she collapsed onto all fours. Her clothes slid off her into a heap.
‘Wh-what’s happening to me?’ she said, but all that came out of her whiskered mouth was a squeak.
‘There, mouse, now see who you will tell of your victory!’ cackled Hera as Susan scrabbled about on the rocky ground, trying to avoid the gigantic pounding hooves of the frightened cows. ‘To the crows!’
Keep calm, thought Susan. Keep calm, she repeated, as she heard Hera’s voice boom:
‘Now, Paris, you will judge once and for all who is truly the fairest.’
I must find the coin, thought Susan desperately. Her tiny feet pattered amidst the pebbles, rough grass, and daisies as she darted frantically about her clothes. Finally she nosed her way into the deep dark cavern of one pocket, and then the other.
Empty.
It must have fallen out, she thought miserably, as she wriggled free. Above her a hawk circled.
As if in a dream she heard Paris pronounce Aphrodite the victor, heard her silvery laugh, and saw the two rejected goddesses link arms and turn away.
Oh no! They were heading towards her.
Something glinted in the sunlight.
Susan leaped on it.
‘Stop her!’ cried Hera, looming up and blocking out the sun. Susan curled her paws tightly about the coin and wished with all her might.
Thirty pairs of eyes stared at Susan.
Mrs Winter opened her mouth and then closed it.
‘What are you all looking at?’ said Susan. She tried to stop panting. How wonderful it was to be back, in human form, sitting on the carpet.
Mrs Winter blinked. Then she shook her head.
‘Uhm, right,’ she said uncertainly. ‘For a moment, Susan, I thought you were . . . never mind.’
4
PARKING PEGASUS
‘Neigh! Neigh!’
‘Shut up, Eileen!’ bellowed Susan.
‘NEIGH!! NEIGH!!’ whinnied Eileen, louder than before, stomping on the ground and cantering madly up and down the field tossing her hair.
Susan’s big sister Eileen was horse-mad. Pictures of horses plastered her walls. Pony stories cluttered her shelves. Riding ribbons dangled from every surface.
Susan hated horses.
Ughh, she shuddered, just thinking about them gave her the creeps. What could be more boring than spending your life bobbing up and down on some smelly old nag, and then wasting whatever time was left cleaning hooves and mucking out stalls? Susan had had quite enough mucking out in her adventure with Hercules to last her a lifetime, thank you very much.
And now her mother was insisting that she have riding lessons.
‘Just one, to try it,’ said Mum.
‘I don’t want to have riding lessons,’ said Susan. ‘What if I fall? What if the horse runs away with me? What if –’
‘Oh do stop moaning, Susan,’ snapped her mother. ‘When I think what I would have given to have had riding lessons when I was a girl. . .’ she sighed deeply.
‘Scaredy-cat,’ sniggered Eileen.
‘Am not!’ Susan flared.
‘Then why not have a go?’ said Eileen.
Susan felt like screaming. Why wouldn’t they leave her alone? The truth was, horses terrified her. They were so big and moved so fast, and the thought of having to get on one was absolutely horrible. Almost as horrible as being turned into a mouse by Hera.
Susan had not had a magic adventure for weeks now.
That close call with the goddesses had frightened her. And then the coin playing that mean trick on her, returning her to Mrs Winter’s class a moment before she’d got her right body back. Mrs Winter kept giving her strange looks and muttering about early retirement, while a few of her bolder classmates had even squeaked at her once or twice. That coin was cantankerous and untrustworthy, and Susan had firmly resolved to leave it alone.
In recent days, however, she’d found herself taking quick peeks at it. She could have sworn she had felt the coin beckoning to her from its hiding place in the little box, tucked inside an old purple sock. Susan had taken it out, felt its strange warmth, then quickly replaced it in her drawer. But this morning she’d decided to put it back in her pocket. Just for safekeeping. Her little brother Freddie was always poking his nose into places where he wasn’t wanted, and Susan was scared that he might find the magic coin. Better to take it with her instead. After all, no harm in that. She and magic were through.
Now here she was, at a stable, face to face with a ferocious, furious, frisky mare that somehow she was expected to climb on and ride.
‘No way,’ said Susan, backing off.
‘Don’t be scared,’ said the riding teacher. ‘Nellie is as gentle as a little lamb. Put these sugar cubes in your pocket – you can give them to her after the lesson.’
Yeah, some lamb, thought Susan, gazing nervously at Nellie’s big teeth and pounding hooves.
‘Up you get,’ said the instructor, heaving the quaking Susan into the saddle.
‘Ahhh, ahhh, help!’ squeaked Susan, swaying terrifyingly high above the ground.
‘Feet in the stirrups, that’s right,’ said the instructor, adjusting the straps, ‘and hold the reins like this, then–’
Afterwards, no one could say for sure what had happened. Suddenly Nellie snorted, and trotted off.
‘AAAH,’ screamed Susan. ‘Help! Get me out of here!’
I shouldn’t have said that, she thought, as the grey mist swept her up and whirled her away.
THUD!
‘Ow!’ said Susan loudly, as the magic belly-flopped her roughly onto the ground. You’d think the coin was punishing me for not using it, she thought crossly, sitting up and dusting herself off.
‘Quiet, would you?’ hissed a young man hiding behind a nearby rock. Susan jumped in surprise.
‘And keep your head down. I don’t want to scare him.’
‘Scare who?’ said Susan. They appeared to be alone near a clear, bubbling spring. The early morning sky was rosy-grey.
The young man didn’t answer.
He was lying flat on his stomach in the sweet-smelling grass. In one hand he held a glowing golden bridle. The only sound was the harsh humming of the cicadas.
They lay there for a moment in silence.
‘What are you doing?’ said Susan.
‘Shh, I’m waiting, can’t you see? Now run along. Unless of course you’ve come from Athena to help me,’ he added.
‘Naturally,’ said Susan grandly. ‘I am the nymph, Susan. Who are you, and what needs doing?’
‘I’m Bellerophon, and I’ve been trying for ages to capture the winged horse, Pegasus,’ he whispered. ‘Pegasus is the child of Poseidon and the monster Medusa. He’s wild, roaming the sky and the land, and will allow no one near him. I have tried and tried and tried to catch him, without success, but fortunately the gods love me. I slept one night at Athena’s temple and dreamed that she gave me a magic gold bridle and that Pegasus drank here at Pirene, in Corinth. When I woke, this bridle was in my hand.’
‘Why are you so keen to capture him?’ asked Susan.
‘Because King Iobates has asked me to kill the fire-breathing monster Chimaera,’ said Bellerophon. ‘A truly fearsome beast, with a lion’s head, goat’s body and dragon’s tail. I can’t fight her without Pegasus. Shh, look.’
Bellerophon pointed to the pinkish sky. There was a whirr and flutter of wings and down from the dawn sky flew a magnificent white horse. Susan’s jaw dropped. Open-mouthed in wonder, she peered at the soaring animal as he flew in to drink. Now that, she thought, is a horse worth riding.
Susan heard a ‘thu
nk’ as he landed, then the sound of water being guzzled.
‘How are you going to get near him?’ whispered Susan.
‘I’ve got a magic bridle, remember,’ hissed Bellerophon. ‘I just have to wave it and he’ll come running. Watch this!’
Bellerophon jumped up from behind the white boulder and charged at Pegasus, waving the bridle and shouting:
‘Come to your master, horse!’
Pegasus leaped backwards, then eyed the hurtling Bellerophon. A fraction of a second before Bellerophon caught him, Pegasus soared into the sky. He circled overhead, neighing and flapping his great wings.
If Susan hadn’t known better she would have thought Pegasus was sticking his tongue out.
Bellerophon just stood there holding the bridle while his prey wheeled and ducked above him.
‘Magic bridle, phooey!’ snarled Bellerophon, hurling it to the ground and stamping his foot. ‘What good’s a magic bridle if he won’t let me get near enough to put it on?’
Susan came out from behind the rock.
‘Shouting and screaming won’t do any good,’ she said.
‘If you’re so smart you get him, then,’ said Bellerophon.
‘Certainly,’ said Susan. ‘I too have strong magic with me.’ She put her hand in her pocket and, amidst the wadded tissue and unidentified bits and bobs, found her coin. Then, her heart pounding, she wished she were riding Pegasus.
Nothing happened.
Gritting her teeth, Susan wished again.
Zilch.
If there was anything worse than having a temperamental magic coin Susan couldn’t think what it was. She had half a mind to hurl that coin into the spring and be done with it.
Bellerophon laughed.
‘Some magic,’ he sneered.
Blushing, she stuffed the coin back in her pocket. As she did, her fingers touched something unfamiliar.
She took it out. It was one of the sugar cubes the riding instructor had given her.
‘What’s that?’ said Bellerophon.
‘Sugar,’ said Susan.
‘Never heard of it,’ said Bellerophon.
‘Horses love it,’ said Susan.
She held out her hand and walked a few paces till she was beneath the hovering Pegasus.
‘Here, boy!’ she called. ‘Look at this.’
Pegasus circled overhead. Susan ducked as his flashing hooves passed above. His nostrils flared as he sniffed, then sniffed again.
Then he landed, several feet in front of Susan. Wings outstretched, poised for flight, he stood still, his eyes fixed on her hand.
Susan held out the sugar.
‘Here boy,’ she murmured, taking one step towards him. ‘See what I’ve got for you.’
Pegasus snorted, and flew a few feet into the air.
‘Come here,’ coaxed Susan. She clicked her tongue the way she’d heard Eileen do.
Pegasus’ nostrils twitched. He landed again, this time closer. Then slowly, delicately, he stretched out his neck and reached for the sugar. His lips felt soft on Susan’s palm.
‘Good boy,’ said Susan. Bellerophon threw the bridle over his head. Pegasus snorted, then calmly furled his wings as he chomped.
Bellerophon leaped on his back. ‘And now to fight Chimaera!’ he screamed. Pegasus spread his wings and they took off.
‘Hey!’ shouted Susan. ‘What about me?’ But Pegasus and Bellerophon had already disappeared into the clouds.
Susan felt furious. The nerve of that Greek! She helps him tame Pegasus and then he flies off on an exciting adventure without so much as a thank you. And she had so wanted to ride Pegasus!
Well, that was that. What a disappointment.
Susan splashed some water on her face, then sat down by the fountain’s edge and wished to be home.
At once grey mist swirled round her, but it seemed different this time. More like clouds than mist, thought Susan. The next moment she felt the wind pulling her hair while her fingers twisted round the rough long strands of a white horse’s mane.
She was on Pegasus.
‘How did you get here?’ muttered Bellerophon. He was riding behind her. He looked shocked.
‘Oh my goodness, I’m – FLYING!’ squealed Susan. Too late she remembered her fear of heights. Her stomach lurched as she caught a brief glimpse of rocky cliffs and white-capped waves far, far below.
‘Don’t blame me if Chimaera incinerates you with one breath,’ hissed Bellerophon. Susan didn’t care. She was riding Pegasus!
‘This is wonderful!’ shouted Susan. ‘I’m flying!’
They darted through the clouds, leaping and soaring. All too soon Bellerophon shouted in her ear:
‘We’ll be swooping down over Chimaera soon. I’m going to shoot her with my arrows.’
‘I can help,’ said Susan eagerly. ‘I’ve done lots of archery at school.’
‘Just keep out of my way,’ he snapped. ‘Watch out, there she is!’
Below them the monster reared up on her scaly legs and roared when she saw them. Fire poured from the lion’s mouth while the dragon tail thrashed the ground.
High as she was Susan felt the heat of Chimaera’s fiery breath. Pegasus shuddered. Bellerophon kicked him with his heels and tightened his hold on the bridle. Susan held tight to Pegasus’ mane.
‘Down!’ shouted Bellerophon. Pegasus swooped low above the bellowing monster. Bellerophon took aim and shot. The arrow hit the enraged beast in the tail. Chimaera reared up and howled. A tongue of flame lashed out, catching Bellerophon’s hand. There was a horrid smell of singed hair.
‘Yow!’ he yelped, dropping his bow as he put his burnt hand in his mouth.
Susan caught the heavy bow before it fell. Bellerophon was hunched over in pain. Then before she could stop him Pegasus wheeled about and hovered above the maddened Chimaera.
‘Go, Pegasus!’ screamed Susan, as Chimaera opened her jaws to release a torrent of flame. The heat was unbearable. Gripping Pegasus tightly with her knees, Susan twisted round, grabbed several arrows, then fired them again and again and again.
Chimaera writhed and sank to the earth.
Pegasus circled above, then landed gently.
Her heart pounding, Susan slid off his back. Bellerophon followed, avoiding looking at her. Ooh, her legs were sore. Cautiously, they approached Chimaera’s still body. A few wisps of steam curled out of her open mouth. A single fly buzzed around her head.
Bellerophon poked the hairy, scaly body with his spear. It was dead.
‘I did it!’ Susan rejoiced, punching the air with her fist.
‘No you didn’t,’ said Bellerophon sulkily. ‘I gave her the death shot.’
‘Didn’t!’
‘Did!’ said Bellerophon. ‘Anyway, no one would believe you. Those are my arrows in her.’ He leaped on Pegasus’ broad white back. ‘I’m off to tell King Iobates the good news,’ he said, digging his heels into Pegasus’s flanks. The great horse unfurled his wings and took off into the sky.
‘Bye, nymph!’ he shouted. ‘Nice knowing you!’
Susan scowled and shook her fist at him.
‘Dog-face!’ she shrieked. ‘Deer-heart!’ But Bellerophon had long since flown off.
I think he’s worse than Hercules, and I didn’t think that was possible, she thought. But she, at least, would always know the truth.
She took out her magic coin. A horse’s head had replaced the woman’s profile.
‘I wish to go back to the stables,’ she said, clutching the coin.
Susan felt herself falling. Down she fell, head first into a large bundle of hay. She heard a horse whinny as she spat out a mouthful and rubbed the dust from her eyes.
She was in a stable all right, but not the one she had left. This one had a chariot of ivory and gold in the corner, and only one familiar white horse.
‘Hey, Pegasus,’ said Susan, stroking his soft nose. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Who dares speak to the king’s horse?’ bellowed an angry voi
ce. ‘By Hercules, you’ll be fed to the hungry crows.’
It was too late to move. Susan stood still as a richly dressed man came into view. He wore a gold crown on his head and his arm glittered with bracelets. In his raised arm he held an olive-wood sceptre encrusted with gold.
‘Bellerophon?’ said Susan, peering at him through the gloomy light. She’d just left him not five minutes before, yet he looked so different, older, with jowly cheeks, a double chin, and greying hair.
He stared at her, then lowered his club.
‘I know you,’ he said slowly. ‘You were with me when I killed Chimaera all those years ago. ‘You have not changed, nymph,’ said Bellerophon.
‘When I killed her, you mean,’ said Susan.
Bellerophon waved his hand. ‘That was just the first of my exploits,’ he continued. ‘I beat the Amazons, defeated a band of pirates, fought off Iobates’ palace guard – finally the king realized how much the gods loved me, and gave me his daughter and half his kingdom.’ He sighed deeply. ‘The Lycians adore me, I have a family, and all the earthly power and riches an ordinary man could desire. But frankly, it’s been dull, just being a king on earth. So I thought I’d go up to Olympus and visit the gods.’
‘Up to Olympus?’ said Susan. Her whole body tingled at the thought. Imagine, flying up to see the palace of the gods!
‘Why not?’ said Bellerophon. ‘Why should the gods rule over the world while I’m stuck ruling down in Lycia? I seek the higher honours I deserve. The gods have always loved me and will be delighted to welcome me amongst them, I am sure. You can come with me if you like – bring me luck.’
Suddenly Susan felt a little uneasy. He seemed awfully boastful, and from what she knew about the gods they didn’t like bragging mortals. But who could pass up the chance to visit Olympus?
‘Let’s do it!’ said Susan. Bellerophon helped her mount Pegasus, and swung himself up behind her. Then Pegasus trotted out of the stone stable and hurled himself into the sky, a whirl of white wings.
Higher and higher they rose. Susan peeked down. The land already looked tiny beneath her. Susan trembled. They dashed through the clouds, the wind whipping her hair, Pegasus’ mane blowing across her eyes.
Helping Hercules Page 4