MYTHS.
_I.--LATONA AND THE RUSTICS._
1. Once on a time the goddess Latona wandered into the country withher infant twins in her arms. Weary with her burden and parched withthirst, she espied in the bottom of the valley a pond of clear water,where the country people were at work gathering willows and osiers. Thegoddess approached, and, kneeling on the banks, would have slaked herthirst in the cool water but the rustics forbade her.
2. "Why do you refuse me water?" said she; "water is free to all.Nature allows no one to claim as property the sunshine, the air, andthe water; I come to take my share of the common blessing. Yet I ask itof you as a favor. I only desire to quench my thirst. My mouth is sodry that I can hardly speak. A draught of water would revive me, and Iwould own myself indebted to you for life itself. Let these infantsmove your pity, who stretch out their little arms as if to plead forme."
3. Who would not have been moved with the gentle words of the goddess?But these clowns would not desist; they even added jeers and threats ofviolence if she did not leave the place. Nor was this all; they wadedinto the pond, and stirred up the mud with their feet, so as to make itunfit to drink.
4. Latona was so angry that she lifted up her voice to Heaven and criedout, "May they never quit that pool, but pass their lives there!" Andso it came to pass. They now live in the water, sometimes below andsometimes with their heads above the surface. Sometimes they comeout on the bank, but soon leap again into the water. They still usetheir bass voices in railing, and, though they have the water allto themselves, they still croak about it. Their voices are harsh,their throats bloated, their mouths have stretched, their necks havedisappeared, and their heads are joined directly to their bodies. Theirbacks are green, their huge bellies white, and they leap instead ofwalking. Have you seen anything like them?
_II.--THE MUSIC OF PAN._
1. Pan, the earth-god, had great skill in music, and he performed uponhis pipes in a wonderful way. Everybody praised him, and he grew sovain that he thought no one could equal him, and he sent a challengeto Apollo, the god of the lyre, to a trial of skill. The challengewas accepted, and Imolus, the mountain-god, was chosen umpire. Imoluscleared away the trees from his ears, to listen. At a given signal, Panblew his pipes, and his rustic melody greatly pleased himself and hisfollowers.
2. Then Imolus turned his head toward the sun-god, and all the treesturned with him. Apollo rose: in his left hand he held the lyre, andwith his right hand struck the strings. The music was truly heavenly,and Imolus at once awarded the victory to the god of the lyre. Allagreed with him except old King Midas, who happened to be present. Hequestioned the decision of the umpire, and declared that Pan's musicwas the best. Apollo would not permit such a depraved pair of ears anylonger to wear the human form, but caused them to grow out long, and tobecome hairy within and without, and movable at the roots. So the oldking, as long as he lived, wore the ears of a donkey.
_III.--BAUCIS AND PHILEMON._
1. On a certain hill in Phrygia stand a linden-tree and an oak. Notfar from the spot are a marsh, and a lake which was once the site of athriving village. Once on a time, Jupiter, in human shape, and Mercury,without his wings, paid a visit to this country, and, after a wearyday's walk, they reached the village about nightfall. Here they appliedfor shelter in vain. Everywhere they were driven away with insults, andeven, in some places, the dogs were set upon them. At last they reachedthe outskirts of the village, where stood a humble thatched cottage.Here Baucis, a pious old dame, and her husband Philemon, united whenyoung, had grown old together.
2. One need not look here for master or for servant; they two were thewhole household, master and servant alike. Here the two travelers foundrest. As they crossed the humble threshold, and bowed their heads topass under the low door, the old man placed a seat, and Baucis setabout preparing them some food. She raked out the coals, kindled up thefire with dry sticks, and with her scanty breath blew it into a flame.Her husband gathered pot-herbs from the garden, and cut a slice ofbacon from the flitch in the chimney, which Baucis quickly prepared forthe pot. She then filled a beechen bowl with clean water for her gueststo wash, keeping up a pleasant talk all the time.
3. On the bench where her guests were to sit she placed a cushionfilled with sea-weed, and then set out the table. This she rubbed downwith sweet-smelling herbs, and placed upon it some olives, radishes,and cheese, and eggs lightly cooked in the ashes. All was served incoarse earthen dishes. When all was ready, the stew, smoking hot, wasplaced upon the table. Some wine was added; and, for dessert, applesand wild-honey; and, over and above all, friendly faces and simple andhearty welcome.
4. The guests sat down, and the old couple saw with astonishment that,as fast as it was poured out, the wine renewed itself, and they thenknew that they were entertaining superior beings. They begged pardonfor the coarseness of their fare, but Jove raised them to their feet,thanked them for their kindness, and then said: "We are gods. Thepeople of the village must pay the penalty for their indolence andcruelty. Come with us to the top of yonder hill." They hastened toobey, and, with staff in hand, labored up the steep ascent. At the topthey turned their eyes below, and they saw the whole village turnedinto a lake, and their house the only one remaining.
5. But, while they gazed with wonder at the sight, their oldcottage changed into a temple. Lofty columns took the place of thecorner-posts, the thatch was changed to a gilded roof, the floorsbecame marble, and the doors were hung with ornaments of gold. ThenJupiter spoke and said: "Excellent old people, what favors have youto ask of us?" Then Baucis and Philemon took counsel together, andanswered, "Let us finish our lives here, where we have lived so long,and we wish to pass from life together in the same hour."
6. The prayer was granted. For many years they were the keepers of thetemple, and when they were very old, as they stood before the stepsof the sacred edifice, they felt themselves stiffen so they could notstir. At the same moment a leafy crown grew over the heads of each,and they had scarcely time to say, "Good-by, dear Philemon," "Good-by,dear Baucis," when they were changed into two stately trees--he into asturdy oak, and she into a graceful linden. There they stand, side byside, to the present day, and when the wind rises the peasant can hearthe rustle of the leaves as the branches caress each other, which seemsto say, "Dear Baucis!" "Dear Philemon!"
_IV.--THE DRAGON'S TEETH._
1. For many years Cadmus traveled in search of his lost sister Europa,who was carried off by Jupiter in the disguise of a white bull. As hewas unsuccessful, he dare not return to his own country, but consultedthe oracle to know where he should settle. He was told to follow acow, and where she lay down he should found a city and call it Thebes.As he came out of the cave where the oracle dwelt, he saw the cow andfollowed her. After several hours' weary tramp she lay down on a broadplain, and Cadmus saw that here he must build his city.
2. He gave thanks, and, wishing to offer a sacrifice to Jupiter, hesent his servants to bring pure water for a libation from a grove nearby. In the cave by the fountain lurked a horrid serpent with a crestedhead, and scales glittering like gold. His eyes shone like fire, andhe had a triple tongue and triple rows of teeth. No sooner had theservants dipped their vessels in the water, than out rushed the serpentwith a fearful hiss and killed them all with his fangs and poisonousbreath.
3. Cadmus waited until midday for their return, and then went in searchof them. He wore a lion's hide, and besides his javelin he carrieda lance. When he entered the wood and saw the dead bodies of hismen, and the monster with his bloody jaws, he exclaimed, "O faithfulfriends, I will avenge you or share your death!" So saying, he lifteda huge stone and threw it at the serpent, but it made no impression onthe monster. Cadmus next threw his javelin, and this penetrated theserpent's scales. Fierce with pain, the monster broke off the handleof the weapon but left the iron point still in the flesh. His neckswelled with rage, bloody foam covered his jaws, and the breath of hisnostrils poisoned the air around. Now he threw himself forward uponCadm
us, but the hero retreated backward holding his spear beforethe monster's open jaws. At last Cadmus made a sudden thrust with thespear and pinned the serpent's head to a tree. Then how the monster didwrithe, and hiss, and spit out his venom! but the spear held fast, andhe soon died.
4. Then Cadmus heard a voice telling him to take out the dragon's teethand sow them in the ground. So he made a furrow in the ground, and intoit he sowed the teeth and covered them up. Scarce had he done so, whenthe clods began to move, and the points of spears appeared above theground. Next helmets, with their nodding plumes, came up, and next theshoulders and breasts and limbs of men. Soon a crop of warriors stoodbefore him, all armed for fight. Their looks became fierce and cruel asthey stood and glared at one another. Cadmus was afraid of his life,but one of them said, "Meddle not with our civil war." At length one ofthe warriors raised his sword and smote down another. Then commenceda fight, and soon all of them were killed but five. These cast awaytheir weapons and said, "Let us live in peace." They joined Cadmus, andhelped him build his city of Thebes.
_V.--THE DO-AS-YOU-LIKES._
1. The fairy brought out from her cupboard a big book, and Tom andlittle Ellie read in the title-page, "The History of the Great andFamous Nation of the Do-as-you-likes, who came away from the Country ofHardwork, because they wanted to play on the Jew's-harp all day long."
2. In the first picture they saw these Do-as-you-likes living in theland of Ready-made, at the foot of the Happy-go-lucky Mountains, whereflap-doodle grows wild; and if you want to know what that is, you mustread "Peter Simple."
3. Instead of houses, they lived in the beautiful caves of tufa, andbathed in the warm springs three times a day; and, as for clothes, itwas so warm there that the gentlemen walked about in little besides acocked hat and a pair of straps, or some light summer tackle of thatkind; and the ladies all gathered gossamer in autumn to make theirwinter dresses.
4. They were very fond of music, but it was too much trouble to learnto play the piano or violin; so they sat on ant-hills all day long andplayed on the Jew's-harp; and if the ants bit them, why they just gotup and went to the next ant-hill, till they were bitten there also.
5. And they sat under the flapdoodle-trees, and let the flapdoodle dropinto their mouths; and under the vines, and squeezed the grape-juicedown their throats; and if any little pigs ran about ready roasted,crying "Come, and eat me," as was the fashion in that country, theywaited till the pigs ran against their mouths, and then took a bite,and were content, just as so many oysters would have been.
6. They needed no weapons, for no enemies ever came near their land;and the stern old fairy Necessity never came near them to hunt them up,and make them use their wits or die. And so on, till there were neversuch comfortable, easy-going, happy-go-lucky people in the world.
7. "Well, that is a jolly life," said Tom. "You think so?" said thefairy. "Do you see that great peaked mountain there behind, with smokecoming out of its top?" "Yes." "And do you see those ashes, and slag,and cinders lying about?" "Yes." "Then turn over the next five hundredyears, and you will see what happens."
8. And behold! the mountain had blown up like a barrel of gunpowder,and then boiled over like a kettle; whereby one third of theDo-as-you-likes were blown into the air, and another third weresmothered in the ashes; so that there were only one third left. "Yousee," said the fairy, "what comes of living on a burning mountain."
9. "Oh, why did you not warn them?" said little Ellie. "I did warn themall I could. I let the smoke come out of the mountain, and whereverthere is smoke there is a fire. And laid the ashes and cinders allabout; and wherever there are cinders, cinders may be again. But theydid not like to face facts, my dears, as few people do; and so theyinvented a cock-and-bull story, which, I am sure, I never told them,that the smoke was the breath of a giant, whom some god or other hadburied under the mountain; and other nonsense of that kind. And whenfolks are in that humor I can not teach them, save by the good oldbirch-rod."
10. And then she turned over the next five hundred years; and therewere the remnant of the Do-as-you-likes, doing as they liked, asbefore. They were too lazy to move away from the mountain; so theysaid, "If it has blown up once, that is all the more reason it will notblow up again." And they were few in number, but they only said, "Themore the merrier, but the fewer the better fare."
11. However, that was not quite true; for all the flapdoodle-trees werekilled by the volcano, and they had eaten all the roast pigs, who, ofcourse, could not be expected to have little ones; so they had to livevery hard, on nuts and roots which they scratched out of the ground.Some of them talked of sowing corn, as their ancestors used to do,before they came into the land of Ready-made, but they had forgottenhow to make plows, and had eaten all the seed-corn which they hadbrought out of the land of Hardwork years since; and of course it wastoo much trouble to go away and find more. So they lived miserably onroots and nuts, and all the weakly little children had great stomachs,and then died.
12. "Why," said Tom, "they are growing no better than savages." "Andlook how ugly they are all getting!" said Ellie. "Yes; when people liveon poor vegetables, instead of roast beef and plum-pudding, their jawsgrow larger and their lips grow coarser, like the poor people who eatnothing but potatoes."
13. And she turned over the next five hundred years, and there theywere all living up in trees, and making nests to keep off the rain.And underneath the trees lions were prowling about. "Why," saidEllie, "the lions seem to have eaten a good many of them, for thereare very few left now!" "Yes," said the fairy, "you see it was onlythe strongest and most active ones who could climb the trees, and soescape." "But what great, hulking, broad-shouldered chaps they are!"said Tom; "they are as rough a lot as ever I saw."
14. And she turned over the next five hundred years. And in thatthey were fewer still, and stronger, and fiercer; but their feet hadchanged shape very oddly, for they laid hold of the branches with theirgreat-toes, as if they had been thumbs, just as a Hindoo tailor useshis toes to thread his needle.
15. The children were very much surprised, and asked the fairy whetherthat was her doing. "Yes and no," she said, smiling. "It was only thosewho could use their feet as well as their hands who could get a goodliving; so they got the best of everything, and starved out all therest." "But there is a hairy one among them," said Ellie. "Ah!" saidthe fairy, "that will be a great man in his time, and chief of all thetribe."
16. And when she turned over the next five hundred years, it wastrue. For this hairy chief had hairier children still. The climate wasgrowing so damp that none but the hairy ones could live; all the restcoughed and sneezed, and had sore throats, and went into consumptions,before they could grow up into men and women.
17. Then the fairy turned over the next five hundred years. And theywere fewer still. "Why, there is one on the ground picking up roots,"said Ellie, "and he can not walk upright." No more he could; for, inthe same way that the shape of their feet had altered, the shape oftheir backs had altered too. "Why," said Tom, "I declare they are allapes!"
18. "Something fearfully like it, poor, foolish creatures," said thefairy. "They are grown so stupid now, that they can hardly think; fornone of them have used their wits for many hundred years. They havealmost forgotten, too, how to talk. For each stupid child forgot someof the words it heard from its stupid parents, and had not wit enoughto make fresh words for itself. Besides, they have grown so fierce andsuspicious and brutal, that they keep out of each other's way, and mopeand sulk in dark forests, never hearing each other's voice, till theyhave forgotten almost what speech is like. I am afraid they will allbe apes very soon, and all be doing only what they liked."
19. And in the next five hundred years they were all dead and gone, bybad food and wild beasts and hunters; all except one tremendous oldfellow with jaws like a jack, who stood full seven feet high; and M. duChaillu came up to him and shot him, as he stood roaring and thumpinghis breast. And he remembered that his ancestors had once been men, andhe tried to say, "Am
I not a man and a brother?" but he had forgottenhow to use his tongue; and then he had tried to call for a doctor,but he had forgotten the word for one. So all he said was "Ubboboo!"and died. And that was the end of the great and jolly nation of theDo-as-you-likes.
Stories of Heroic Deeds for Boys and Girls Page 2