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Speaker 1: Nature. Myths and Stories for Little Children by Flora J. Cook.

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This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in

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the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please

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visit LibriVox dot org. Preface, Feeling the great need of

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stories founded upon good literature, which are within the comprehension

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of little children, I have written the following stories, hoping

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that they may suggest to primary teachers the great wealth

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of material within our reach. Many teachers who firmly believe

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that reading should be something more than mere word getting

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while the child's reading habit is forming, are practically helpless

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without the use of a printing press. We will all

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agree that myths and fables are usually beautiful truths clothed

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in fancy, and the dress is almost always simple and transparent.

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Who can study these myths and not feel that nature

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has a new language for him, and that though the

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tales may be thousands of years old, they are quite

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as true as they were in the days of Homer.

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If the trees and the flowers, the clouds in the

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wind all tell wonderful stories to the child, he has

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sources of happiness of which no power can deprive him,

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and When we consider that here too is the key

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which unlocks so much of the best in art and literature,

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we feel that we cannot rank too highly the importance

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of the myth. In the primary school room, for instance,

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the child has been observing, reading, and writing about the sun,

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the moon, the direction of the wind, the trees, the flowers,

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or the forces that are acting around him. He has

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had the songs, poems, and pictures connected with these lessons

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to further enhance his thought, interest and observation. He is

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now given a beautiful myth. He is not expected to

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interpret it. It is presented for the same purpose that

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a good picture is placed before him. He feels its beauty,

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but does not analyze it. If through his observation or

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something in his experience, he does see a meaning in

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the story, he has entered a new world of life

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and beauty. Then comes the question to every thoughtful teacher.

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Can the repetition of words necessary to the growth of

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the child's vocabulary be obtained in this way? This may

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be accomplished if the teacher, in planning her year's work,

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sees a close relation between the science, literature and number work,

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so that the same words are always recurring and the

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interest in each line of work is constant and ever increasing.

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The following stories are suggested in the standard books of

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Mythology and Poetry, and have been tested and found to

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be very helpful in the first and third grades. A

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full list of myths, history, stories and fairy tales for

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the children in the different grades can be found in

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Emily J. Rice's Course of Study in History and Literature,

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which can be obtained of a Flanagan number two sixty two,

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Wabish Avenue, Chicago, end of preface Nature Myths and Stories

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for Little Children by Flora J. Cook. This LibriVox recording

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is in the public domain. Animal Stories, The Donkey and

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the Salt. One time a merchant went to the seashore

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for a load of salt. There were many hills and

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streams to cross on the journey. As the path was

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narrow and rocky, the man made his donkey carry the

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salt in large bags upon his back. It was a

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warm day, and the donkey did not like his heavy load.

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He hung down his head and went as slowly as

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he could. After a while, they came to a stream

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which had only a footbridge over it. The donkey went

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through the water splash, splash, splash. In the middle of

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the stream was a large stone which he did not see.

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He stumbled and fell, and the water ran over the

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bags of salt. Soon the donkey was glad that he

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had fallen, for he found his load much lighter. They

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came to another stream, but though donkey did not stumble,

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this time, he lay down in the middle of the brook.

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He was a wise donkey. This time he lost so

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much salt that his master was angry, for he was

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obliged to go back to the seashore for another load.

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As they were walking along, the merchant laughed to himself.

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He thought he knew a way to cure the donkey

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of this trick. When they came to the seashore, he

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filled the bags with sponges and started for home. The

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donkey thought, what a light load I have, and trotted

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gaily along over the rough road. Again they came to

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the brook, ah, thought the donkey, I will make my

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load still lighter. He lay down in the middle of

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the brook. This time he found his load so heavy

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that he could scarcely rise. His master kindly they helped him,

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but the donkey was not happy. The water ran down

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his sides and made him more miserable. Oh, thought he,

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I will never lie down in the water again. Once more,

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his master led him back to the seashore. He filled

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the bags with salt. The donkey was wiser now and

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carried the salt safely home. The end The Fox and

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the Stork. A fox met a stork and invited him

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to dinner with all my heart, friend, said the stork.

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When they arrived at the home of the fox and

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dinner was served, he was not so happy. The fox

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had fine hot soup, but he served it in shallow plates.

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The poor stork could only stand by and watch the

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fox eat. The fox seemed to think that it was

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a very good joke. The next day, the stork met

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the fox and invited him to dinner. The stork brought

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out fine hot soup in a high, narrow necked bottle,

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but the fox could not see the joke at all.

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The stork said, friend, Fox, enjoy your dinner. I hope

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that the soup is as well flavored as yours was yesterday.

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As he said this, he poured out half of the

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soup into a bowl and set it before the fox.

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The cunning old fox felt so ashamed that he has

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never looked anyone straight in the face since that day,

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the end the grateful Foxes. It was springtime in Japan,

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and the blossoms hung thick on the cherry trees. Butterflies

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and dragonflies fluttered over the golden cals of in the fields.

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The rice birds chirped merrily. Everything seemed to say how

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good it is to live in days like these. A

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beautiful princess o'haro San sat at the bank of a stream,

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gaily pulling the lilies. All the maidens of her court

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were with her. Along the river bank came a troop

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of noisy, laughing boys carrying a young cub fox. They

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were trying to decide who should have its skin and

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who its liver. At a safe distance from them, in

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a bamboo thicket, father fox and mother Fox sat looking

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sadly after their little cub. The Princess's heart was filled

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with pity, and she said, boys, pray lose the little fox.

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See his parents weeping in the rocks. The boys shook

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their heads. We shall sell the fox's skin, they said.

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The liver, too, if well powdered, will be used to

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cure fevers in the fall. Listen cried, o'hrew san, it

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is springtime and everything rejoices. How can you kill such

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a small soft beast? See here is twice your price.

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Take it all, And she drew copper money and silver

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money from her girdle. The boys placed the little frightened

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animal in her lap and ran away. Please to be

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so rich, the cub felt the touch of her soft

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hand and trembled no longer. She loosened carefully the knot

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and noose and string. She stroked the red fur smooth again,

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and bound up the little bleeding leg. She offered it

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rice and fish to eat, but the black eyes plainly said,

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this is very nice, But I hear my parents grieving

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near yonder beanstraw stack. I longed to go and comfort them.

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She set the little fox gently on the ground, and,

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forgetting its wounded leg, it leaped through the bushes in

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one happy bound. The two old foxes gravely looked it

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over neck and breast. They licked it from its bushy

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tail to its smooth brown crown. Then, sitting up on

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their haunches, they gave two sharp barks of gratitude. That

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was their way of saying, we send you, thinks sweet maid.

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As she walked home by the river side. All the

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world seemed more beautiful to o'haroo San. The summer time came,

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and the blossoms upon the cherry trees became rich, ripe fruit,

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But there was no joy in the emperor's house. His daughter,

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the gentle O'hou's son, was ill. She grew paler and

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weaker each day. Physicians came from far and near and

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shook their wise heads gravely. When the emperor's magician saw her,

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he said, no one can heal such sickness. A charm

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falls upon her every night, which steals away her strength.

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He alone can break the spell. Who with sleepless eyes

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can watch beside her bedside until sunrise. Gray haired nurses

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sat by her until morning, but a deep sleep fell

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upon them at midnight. Next four score maidens of the court,

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who loved her well, kept bright lights burning all the night,

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yet they too fell asleep. Five councilors of state watched

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with her father at the bedside, though they propped their

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eyes open with their fingers. Yet in the middle of

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the night, slumber overcame them. All believed that the gentle

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maid must die. The emperor was in despair, but Io,

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a brave soldier, said, I shall not sleep. Let me

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one night guard the sweet Oharu San. Her father led

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him to the chamber just at midnight. I too felt

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his eyes grow heavy. He rose and held his sword

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above his head. Rather will I die than sleep, he said.

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Then came a great struggle. Often his head nodded, but

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by his love and strength, Io conquered sleep. Suddenly he

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heard a voice which said, great foxes livers in the

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princess's rice broth, and all her ills will disappear. The

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next morning, the hunters searched far and near for foxes.

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They knew that to the Emperor a fox was worth

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its weight in gold. All day and night they were

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in the woods, without food or rest. At last they

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came sadly back to their homes. They brought no fox.

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All the foxes know, they said, and had hidden themselves away.

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The Emperor, in grief and anger, cried, must my child perish?

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Shall a princess die for the lack of one poor fox?

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She was never willing that one should be slain, and

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this is her reward? Ito said, I will get the fox.

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He started out with knife and ned to seek it.

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At the entrance of the town, he met a woman

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dressed in strange garments, very small and stooped. She seemed

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to Itto. She carried a jar in her arms. She

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bowed low before Itto and said, what you seek is

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in the jar. I have brought it from Afar. Here

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is gold, said Ito, what is the price? The woman

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pulled the blue hood farther over her face and said

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another time will do I can wait. Hasten now to

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the princess. Gladly. Itto obeyed. They made the broth in

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a bowl of beaten gold and fed it to Oharu's san.

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Immediately she was well, and all was joy in the

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emperor's house. The Emperor said, Ito, is she who brought

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this blessing? Paid Ito answered yonder, she waits at the

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entrance of the town. The Emperor himself, in his great joy,

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went with Ito to meet her, but they found only

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a dog fox dead around his neck. They read this message,

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This is my husband here for his child. He gives

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his liver to the princess. Dear, I, his very lowly wife,

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have brought it. The end how the spark of fire

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was saved long ago. When fire was first brought to earth,

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it was given into the care of two beldoms at

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the end of the world. The ka Roque Indians knew

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where it was hidden. They needed fire and were always

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planning ways to get it. They went at last to

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the wise coyote. That is simple enough, said he, I

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will show you a way to get it. Fire is

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a great blessing and should be free to all people.

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The coyote knew every inch of the road to the

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beldum's hut. Along the path leading to it, he stationed beasts,

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the strongest and best runners nearer the hut, and the

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weaker ones farther off. Nearest the guarded din. He placed

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one of the sinewy Caroque men. Then he walked boldly

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up to the door of the hut and knocked. The Beldums,

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not fearing a coyote in the least, invited him in.

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They were often lonely and living so near the end

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of the world. When the coyote had rested before the

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fire for some time, he said, the caroke nation need fire.

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Could you not give them one small spark? You would

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never miss it here it is of no use. The

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Beldams answered, we do not love it, but we dare

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not give it away. We must guard it while we live.

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The coyote had expected them to say this. He sprang

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to the window, and instantly outside were heard such sounds

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that the Beldams rushed out to see what the frightful

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noise could be. Each animal in the line was sounding

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the watchword of fire in his own way. The wild

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horse neighed, the mountain lion roared, the gray wolf howled,

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the serpent hissed, the buffalo bellowed, and every small animal

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did it part equally well. Indeed, it is no wonder

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that the Beldams were frightened nearly to death. The kiroke

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Fin brought water and told them not to fear for themselves.

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The coyote seized a half burned brand and was off

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in an instant. The Beldams sprang after him and followed

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him closely over hill and valley, Faster than the wind

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they flew. They were stronger than he, and though he

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put all his wild wood nerve to the strain, they

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steadily gained. Soon the race must end, but Puma, the

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monstrous cat, was watching, and leaped up just in time

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to save the brand. Each animal was in its place,

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and the good fire passed on. It came at last

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to the Cairoke nation, and was afterwards free to all

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people under the sun. There were only two mishaps in

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all the race. As the squirrel turned a corner of

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stumps and boulders, his beautiful tail caught fire, and a

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brown track was burned up over his back to his shoulders,

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and the curl has remained in his tail to this day.

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The frog had a harder fate. He was the last

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one in the line of beasts. When the brand reached him,

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it was smaller than the smallest coal in the grate.

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He seized it carefully and jumped forward as fast as

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he could, But the hand of the foremost beldom caught

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him and held him fast. How his heart beat, his

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eyeballs bulged out of his head, and he has looked

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ever since much in the same scared way. He did

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not lose his courage. However, he swallowed the coal and

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sprang into the water, sad to tell the Beldam still

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held in her hand his special pride and care his tail. Henceforth,

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only the tadpoles could wear tails. The frog sought a

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log and sat down upon it, to think, I did

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my duty, even if I lost my beauty. He thought,

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that is enough for a frog. This spark must be saved.

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After much choking, he spat the swallowed spark well into

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the bark. The gift came in this way to all men,

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For in even the wettest weather, if you rubbed two

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sticks together, fire is sure to come. Because we know

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how the frog hurt his throat that day, we like

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to listen to his hoarse voice when we hear him

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singing to his children in the spring. The end, how

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the chipmunk got the stripes on its back? Do you

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all know the little striped chipmunk which lives in our woods.

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He has a cousin in far off India called the Gheluree.

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It is said the stripes came on the back of

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the Gheluree in a wonderful way. One day the Great

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Siva saw a little gray chipmunk on the sea shore.

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He was dipping his bushy tail into the sea and

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shaking out the water on the shore twenty times a minute.

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He dipped it into the ocean in wonder. Shiva said,

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what are you doing, little foolish gray Khiluree. Why do

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you tire yourself with such hard labor? The Guilooree answered,

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I cannot stop, Great Shiva. The storm blew down the

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palm tree where I built my nest. See the tree

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has fallen seaward, and the nest lies in the water.

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My wife and pretty children are in it. I fear

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that it will float away. Therefore, all day and all

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night I must dip the water from the sea. I

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hope soon to bail it dry. I must save my darlings,

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even if I spoil my tail. Shiva stooped and with

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his great hand stroked the little squirrel on the guiloure's

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soft fur. From his nose to the end of his tail,

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there came four green stripes. They were the marks of

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Siva's fingers, placed there as signs of love. Shiva raised

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his hand, and the water rolled back from the shore,

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safe among the rocks and seaweeds. The palm tree lay

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on dry land. The little squirrel hastened to it. His

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tail was now high in the air. He found his

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wife and children dry and well in their house of

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woven grass blades. As they sang their welcomes to him,

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the Guiloui noticed with delight that each smooth little back

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was striped with marks of Sheva's fingers. This sign of

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love is still to be seen upon the back of chipmunks.

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That is the reason why in India good men never

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kill them. A man who loves both children and chipmunks

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says when he tells the story, Perhaps our squirrels, though

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Siva never stroked them, would be grateful if we left

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them unharmed to play in the maples in our woods.

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The end an Indian story of the mole. An Indian

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once saw a squirrel sunning himself in a tree top.

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The squirrel saw the hunter and leaped upon a passing cloud.

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He had escaped into cloud land before an arrow could

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reach him. The Indians set a trap for him, hoping

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that he would soon return to the tree for food.

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The sun happened to be coming that way and was

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caught in the trap. Suddenly, in the middle of the

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day it became dark. The Indian was frightened and said,

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ah me, what have I done? I have surely caught

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the sun in my trap. He sent many animals up

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to set it free, but all were instantly burned to ashes.

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At last, the mole said, let me try. I shall

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bore through the ground of the sky and gnaw off

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the cords which hold the trap. He did this, but

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just as he loosened the last chord, the sun sprang forth,

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and the bright light shone full in his eyes. The

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poor mole dropped to the earth, and though his friends

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were able to save his life, he was blind. You

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need not pity me, he said, I prefer to live

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under ground, where really there is no use for eyes.

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All the moles were so proud of this hero mole

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that they tried to be like him in every way.

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They too, went to live in a dark hole in

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the earth. Their eyes, which they did not need to use,

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became so small that they were entirely hidden by their fur. Indeed,

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it is now so hard to find them that many

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people think the entire mole family is blind. The end

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and Animal Stories, Nature Myths and Stories for Little Children

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by Flora J. Cook. This LibriVox recording is in the

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public domain. Bird Stories an Indian story of the Robin.

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00:26:18,559 --> 00:26:21,480
When an Indian boy was eleven years old, he was

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sent into a forest far away from his home. He

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00:26:25,039 --> 00:26:28,599
had to stay there all alone and fast for seven

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00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:33,880
days and nights. The Indians thought that at this time

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a spirit came into the youth, which helped him to

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become a great chief and warrior. The spirit also told

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the boy what his name should be in the tribe.

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Once there was a fierce Indian war chief who had

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only one son. The little boy was not strong, but

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his father loved him more than anything else on earth.

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When this boy was eleven years old, the chief went

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out into the forest and built a small lodge for

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00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:08,359
him to stay in. In it, he placed a mat

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of reeds, which his good squaw had woven with great care.

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By the side of the mat he laid a bow,

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some arrows, and his own great tomahawk. Next, he painted

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pictures upon the trees along the path leading from the

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wigwam to the lodge. He did this that the little

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boy might easily find his way home. When everything was ready,

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he sadly sent his son away into the forest. He

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missed him so much that he went every morning to

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look at him. Each day he asked him if the

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00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,839
spirit had not come to him. Each day, the little

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boy shook his head without opening his eyes. On the

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fifth day, his son said to him, father, take me home,

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or I shall die. No spirit will come to me.

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The old chief's pride was greater than his pity, and

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he said, no, my son, you must not be a coward.

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00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,640
You shall be as wise as a fox and as

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strong as a bear. Better that you should die than

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that boy and squaw should cry shame upon your father's son.

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Be patient. I will come in two days and bring

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you food. The sixth day came, and the little boy

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00:28:27,559 --> 00:28:31,599
lay upon the mat, white and still. On the seventh,

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00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:35,400
when the chief came with the son's first rays, his

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son was not in the lodge, nor about it. Above

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the door set a bird with brown coat and red breast,

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which until this time had been unknown to man. Sadly,

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the chief listened to the bird and understood its message.

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Mourn me not, great chief, it sang, I was once

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your son. I am happy, be now and free. I

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am the friend of man, and shall always live near

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00:29:05,079 --> 00:29:08,759
him and be his companion. I shall bring the tidings

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of spring, when the maple buds shoot and the wild

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00:29:13,079 --> 00:29:17,640
flowers come. Every child in the land shall know my voice.

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I shall teach how much better it is to sing

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00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:28,559
than to slay. Chief. Listen, Chief, be more gentle, be

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more loving. Chief, teach a chief. Be not fierce, Oh,

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00:29:34,799 --> 00:29:40,480
be not cruel. Love each other love each other the

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00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:47,480
end how the robin's breast became red. Long ago in

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the far north, where it was very cold, there was

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only one fire. A hunter and his little son took

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00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,920
care of this fire and kept it burning day and night.

390
00:30:00,039 --> 00:30:02,359
They knew that if the fire went out, the people

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00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:06,000
would freeze, and the white bear would have the northland

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00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:10,559
all to himself. One day, the hunter became ill, and

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00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,880
his son had the work to do. For many days

394
00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:17,000
and nights, he bravely took care of his father and

395
00:30:17,079 --> 00:30:21,319
kept the fire burning. The white bear was always hiding near,

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00:30:21,799 --> 00:30:25,839
watching the fire. He longed to put it out, but

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00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:29,799
he did not dare, for he feared the hunter's arrows.

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When he saw how tired and sleepy the little boy was,

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he came closer to the fire and laughed to himself.

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One night, the poor boy could endure the fatigue no

401
00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:44,359
longer and fell fast asleep. The white bear ran as

402
00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:46,960
fast as he could and jumped upon the fire with

403
00:30:47,039 --> 00:30:51,119
his wet feet and rolled upon it. At last, he

404
00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:54,880
thought it was all out, and went happily away to

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00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:59,240
his cave. A gray robin was flying near and saw

406
00:30:59,279 --> 00:31:02,680
what the white bear was doing. She waited until the

407
00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:06,519
bear went away. Then she flew down and searched with

408
00:31:06,599 --> 00:31:11,279
her sharp little eyes until she found a tiny live coal.

409
00:31:12,319 --> 00:31:15,880
This she fanned patiently with her wings for a long time.

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Her little breast was scorched red, but she did not

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00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:24,599
stop until the fine red flame blazed up from the ashes.

412
00:31:25,559 --> 00:31:28,880
Then she flew away to every hut in the Northland.

413
00:31:29,599 --> 00:31:34,559
Wherever she touched the ground, a fire began to burn. Soon,

414
00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:38,319
instead of one little fire, the whole north Country was

415
00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:42,279
lighted up. The white bear went further back into his

416
00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:47,880
cave in the iceberg and growled terribly. He knew that

417
00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,319
there was now no hope that he would ever have

418
00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:56,119
the Northland all to himself. This is the reason that

419
00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,279
the people in the North Country love the robin and

420
00:31:59,359 --> 00:32:02,920
are never tired of telling their children how its breast

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00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:10,799
became red. The end the red headed woodpecker. There was

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00:32:10,839 --> 00:32:13,720
an old woman who lived on a hill. You never

423
00:32:13,799 --> 00:32:17,039
heard of any one smaller or neaterer than she was.

424
00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:20,839
She always wore a black dress and a large white

425
00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:24,720
apron with big bows behind. On her head was the

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00:32:24,799 --> 00:32:29,319
queerest little red bonnet that you ever saw. It is

427
00:32:29,359 --> 00:32:32,319
a sad thing to tell, but this woman had grown

428
00:32:32,759 --> 00:32:37,000
very selfish. As the years went by, people said this

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00:32:37,279 --> 00:32:40,559
was because she lived alone and thought of nobody but herself.

430
00:32:41,599 --> 00:32:45,039
One morning, as she was baking cakes, a tired, hungry

431
00:32:45,079 --> 00:32:49,079
man came to her door. My good woman, he said,

432
00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:52,680
will you give me one of your cakes? I am

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00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:55,480
very hungry. I have no money to pay for it.

434
00:32:55,759 --> 00:32:59,720
But whatever you first wish for, you shall have. The

435
00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:02,319
old woman looked at her cakes and thought that they

436
00:33:02,359 --> 00:33:05,400
were too large to give away. She broke off a

437
00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,119
small bit of dough and put it into the oven

438
00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:11,799
to bake. When it was done, she thought this one

439
00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:15,480
was too nice and brown for a beggar. She baked

440
00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:18,960
a smaller one, and then a smaller one, but each

441
00:33:19,079 --> 00:33:22,799
one was as nice and brown as the first. At

442
00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:25,839
last she took a piece of dough only as big

443
00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:29,480
as the head of a pin. Yet even this, when

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00:33:29,519 --> 00:33:33,640
it was baked, looked as fine and large as the others.

445
00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:36,400
So the old woman put all the cakes on the

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00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:39,640
shelf and offered the stranger a dry crust of bread.

447
00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,319
The poor man only looked at her, and before she

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00:33:43,359 --> 00:33:48,200
could wink her eye, he was gone. She had done wrong,

449
00:33:48,359 --> 00:33:51,680
and of course she was unhappy. Oh I wish I

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00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,559
were a bird, she said, I would fly to him

451
00:33:54,599 --> 00:33:58,559
with the largest cake on the shelf. As she spoke,

452
00:33:59,039 --> 00:34:03,079
she felt herself growing smaller and smaller, until the wind

453
00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:07,640
whisked her up the chimney. She was no longer an

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00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:11,039
old woman, but a bird, as she had wished to be.

455
00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:15,440
She still wore her long black dress and red bonnet.

456
00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:19,719
She still seemed to have the large white apron with

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00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:25,039
the big bows behind, because from that day she pecked

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00:34:25,039 --> 00:34:28,519
her food from the hard wood of a tree. People

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00:34:28,639 --> 00:34:35,360
named this bird the red headed woodpecker. The end End

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00:34:35,679 --> 00:34:45,039
of Bird Stories, Nature Myths and Stories for Little Children

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00:34:45,039 --> 00:34:48,679
by Flora J. Cook. The Slibrivox recordings in the public

462
00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:55,440
domain Cloud Stories. The palace of ali Quinos, on a

463
00:34:55,480 --> 00:35:00,440
high plain covered with flowers, once lived good King Alikis

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00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:06,039
and his gentle people, the Faiachaeans. They were great sailors

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00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:11,719
and went about in silver ships without rudders or sails.

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00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:17,320
These wonderful ships went slowly or very fast, just as

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00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:22,119
the sailors wished. For many years, the Phaiakians were peaceful

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00:35:22,599 --> 00:35:26,880
and happy. Though they were as brave as they were gentle,

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00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:32,719
They hated war. Far below the Phaiakians. In a valley

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00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:39,679
lived a people larger, darker, fiercer than themselves. These dark

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00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:45,559
people cared for nothing so much as war and conquest.

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00:35:46,039 --> 00:35:48,840
When they saw the silver ships with the golden prows,

473
00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:53,440
they wanted them for their own. They armed themselves and

474
00:35:53,559 --> 00:35:57,800
made ready for a great battle. To be sure of victory,

475
00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:02,800
they borrowed the thunder and light from Zeus. The day

476
00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:06,320
came and all was ready for the dark people to advance.

477
00:36:07,639 --> 00:36:11,360
They reached the land of the Phaiakians in the morning,

478
00:36:12,039 --> 00:36:18,119
and King Aliquinos came forward to meet them. They soon

479
00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:22,519
saw that he alone was more powerful than their entire army.

480
00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:27,000
He was dressed in armor so bright that it dazzled

481
00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:30,039
their eyes to look at it. It was covered with

482
00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:36,679
millions of golden arrows tipped with diamonds. The king showed

483
00:36:36,719 --> 00:36:39,840
the frightened people how he could shoot the arrows in

484
00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:45,239
all directions at the same time. The dark people trembled

485
00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:50,360
with fear, but King Alikenos smiled at them, and then

486
00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:54,559
he and his people sailed slowly away toward the west.

487
00:36:55,679 --> 00:36:58,840
On and on they went until they came to a

488
00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:03,440
great soul for a sea. Here they stopped and built

489
00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:07,360
a palace for their king. This palace was made of

490
00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:13,079
silver and gold and precious stones. Its towers were rose

491
00:37:13,119 --> 00:37:18,360
color and shone with a wonderful light. Its steps were

492
00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:22,280
of pure gold. On each side of the silver gates

493
00:37:22,519 --> 00:37:27,199
were huge dogs which guarded the palace. There were boys

494
00:37:27,239 --> 00:37:32,039
in the halls dressed in white, holding burning torches. There

495
00:37:32,039 --> 00:37:37,159
were girls weaving wonderful curtains and painting pictures upon the walls.

496
00:37:38,159 --> 00:37:43,599
There were mountains and fountains, and rivers and lakes. There

497
00:37:43,599 --> 00:37:48,360
were singing birds and flower gardens, and little children everywhere.

498
00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:52,800
Even to this day, the great King often sits in

499
00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,960
his palace in the west when his day's work is done.

500
00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,159
He loves to see the people glide about upon on

501
00:38:00,199 --> 00:38:05,039
the silver Sea in their ships without rudders or sails.

502
00:38:06,039 --> 00:38:10,840
The fierce dark people still go to war. They seldom

503
00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:15,119
let the gentle kings see them fighting. Yet often after

504
00:38:15,159 --> 00:38:19,320
a brave battle, Ala Chinos comes out of his palace

505
00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:23,800
and smiles brightly upon them. The dark people plush and

506
00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:27,880
seem to smile at the king. You must find out

507
00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:31,079
how much good these dark people do, and how the

508
00:38:31,199 --> 00:38:35,440
King of the Phayachaeans helps them in their work. If

509
00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:43,239
you wish to understand their friendship the end the swan Maidens.

510
00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:47,079
A long long time ago, there was born in the

511
00:38:47,199 --> 00:38:51,840
east a wonderful king. He was called the King of

512
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:56,599
the Golden Sword. Every day he came in his golden chariot,

513
00:38:57,199 --> 00:39:02,599
scattering heat, light and happiness among his people. Every day

514
00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:06,960
he passed from his palace in the east far over

515
00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:11,159
to his throne in the west. He never missed a day,

516
00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:14,280
for he wanted to see that every one had a

517
00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:18,559
full share of his gifts. Throughout the kingdom, the birds

518
00:39:18,599 --> 00:39:22,239
sang and the flowers bloomed. The sky was full of

519
00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:28,000
beautiful pictures, which were constantly changing. The king had many daughters,

520
00:39:28,559 --> 00:39:32,760
who were called swan maidens. They were as graceful as

521
00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:38,639
swans and usually wore white, featherlike dresses. The swan maidens

522
00:39:38,679 --> 00:39:41,679
loved their good father, and each one longed to help

523
00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:45,039
him in his work. Sometimes the king saw that the

524
00:39:45,079 --> 00:39:47,840
grass was brown or the buds were not coming out.

525
00:39:48,559 --> 00:39:51,159
Then he called the swan maidens to him and said,

526
00:39:51,800 --> 00:39:55,480
my children, this must not be. There is nothing more

527
00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:58,840
beautiful in the kingdom than the green grass in the trees.

528
00:40:00,079 --> 00:40:05,199
They need your care. Gladly. Each maiden changed her dress

529
00:40:05,639 --> 00:40:08,920
and set out at once on her journey. Often they

530
00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:12,679
could not all work upon the grass and the buds.

531
00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:15,239
Some of them ran off to play with the stones

532
00:40:15,239 --> 00:40:18,519
in the brook. The best ones went down to feed

533
00:40:18,559 --> 00:40:22,599
the roots and worms, and worked out of sight. When

534
00:40:22,639 --> 00:40:26,039
their tasks were finished, they always hurried back to their father,

535
00:40:26,159 --> 00:40:30,960
the king. They went so noiselessly and swiftly, that for

536
00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:34,920
a long time their way of traveling was a mystery.

537
00:40:36,119 --> 00:40:39,800
In the fall, the king called the bravest swan maidens

538
00:40:39,840 --> 00:40:43,679
to him. He told them they must go away for

539
00:40:43,719 --> 00:40:48,719
a long time. The swan maidens wrapped themselves in white

540
00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:54,719
feathery blankets and came softly down to the shivering flowers. Gently,

541
00:40:54,800 --> 00:40:58,159
they placed a white spread on the earth, and left

542
00:40:58,239 --> 00:41:03,559
no small seed uncovered. At last, when the kings smiled

543
00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:08,000
and their work was done, they stole away so softly

544
00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:15,119
and happily that no one missed them. The end. End

545
00:41:15,519 --> 00:41:25,039
of Cloud Stories, Nature Myths and Stories for Little Children

546
00:41:25,079 --> 00:41:28,320
by Flora J. A. Cook. The slibrivox recording is in

547
00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:36,280
the public domain. Flower Stories. Clytis Clytie was a beautiful

548
00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:39,480
little water nymph who lived in a cave at the

549
00:41:39,519 --> 00:41:42,639
bottom of the sea. The walls of the cave were

550
00:41:42,639 --> 00:41:46,320
covered with pearls and shells. The floor was made of

551
00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:50,920
sand as white as snow. There were many chairs of

552
00:41:51,039 --> 00:41:55,960
amber with soft mossy cushions. On each side of the

553
00:41:56,039 --> 00:42:00,840
cave opening was a great forest of coral. Back of

554
00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:07,119
the cave were clyties gardens. Here were the sea anemonies, starfish,

555
00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:12,280
and all kinds of seaweed. In the garden grotto were

556
00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:18,199
her horses. These were the gentlest goldfish and turtles. The

557
00:42:18,239 --> 00:42:23,000
ocean fairies loved CLYTII and wove her dresses of softest

558
00:42:23,519 --> 00:42:29,000
green as sea lace. With all these treasures, CLYTII should

559
00:42:29,079 --> 00:42:33,199
have been happy, but she was not. She had once

560
00:42:33,280 --> 00:42:36,760
heard of a mermaid seeing of a glorious light which

561
00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:40,199
shone on the top of the water. She could think

562
00:42:40,239 --> 00:42:44,639
of nothing else but longed day and night to know

563
00:42:44,800 --> 00:42:48,960
more of the wonderful light. No ocean fairy dared take

564
00:42:49,039 --> 00:42:52,360
her to it, and she was afraid to go alone.

565
00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:56,079
One day, she was taking her usual ride in her

566
00:42:56,119 --> 00:43:00,679
shell carriage. The water was warm, and the turtles so

567
00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:06,519
slowly that Clytilli soon fell asleep. On and on they

568
00:43:06,559 --> 00:43:12,360
went straight towards the light until they came to an island.

569
00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:17,880
As the waves dashed the carriage against the shore, Clytilli awoke.

570
00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:21,519
She climbed out of the shell and sat down upon

571
00:43:21,559 --> 00:43:25,880
a large rock. She had never seen the trees and flowers.

572
00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:29,920
She had never heard the birds chirping or the forest

573
00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:35,000
winds singing. She had never known the perfume of the flowers,

574
00:43:35,119 --> 00:43:39,000
or seen the dew on the grass. In wonder, she

575
00:43:39,079 --> 00:43:42,039
saw a little boy and girl near her, and heard

576
00:43:42,039 --> 00:43:46,119
them say, here it comes, here it comes. As she

577
00:43:46,159 --> 00:43:49,440
looked away in the east, she saw the glorious light

578
00:43:49,960 --> 00:43:55,159
that she had so longed for in its mist in

579
00:43:55,199 --> 00:44:00,679
a golden chariot, said a wonderful king. The king smiled,

580
00:44:00,719 --> 00:44:04,960
and instantly the birds began to sing, the plants unfolded

581
00:44:04,960 --> 00:44:09,840
their buds, and even the old sea looked happy. Clytie

582
00:44:10,119 --> 00:44:13,360
sat on the rock all day long and wished that

583
00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:17,480
she might be like the great kind king. She wept

584
00:44:17,599 --> 00:44:20,400
when he entered the land of the sunset, and she

585
00:44:20,480 --> 00:44:24,000
could see him no longer. She went home, but she

586
00:44:24,039 --> 00:44:28,239
could scarcely wait until the morning. Very early the next day,

587
00:44:28,519 --> 00:44:32,840
her swiftest goldfish carried her to the rock After this,

588
00:44:33,400 --> 00:44:37,079
she came every day wishing more and more to be

589
00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:41,079
like the great kind King. One evening, as she was

590
00:44:41,119 --> 00:44:43,679
ready to go home, she found that she could not

591
00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:48,039
move her feet. She leaned out over the sea and

592
00:44:48,159 --> 00:44:52,480
knew that she had her wish. Instead of a water nymph,

593
00:44:53,039 --> 00:44:57,159
a beautiful sunflower looked back at her from the water.

594
00:44:58,320 --> 00:45:02,760
Her yellow hair had been come golden petals, her green

595
00:45:02,920 --> 00:45:07,199
lace dress had turned into leaves and stems, and her

596
00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:11,679
little feet had become roots, which fastened her to the ground.

597
00:45:12,840 --> 00:45:16,960
The good King the next day sent her into many countries,

598
00:45:17,519 --> 00:45:21,519
into dry and sandy places, that the people might be

599
00:45:21,599 --> 00:45:25,960
made happy by looking at her bright face so like

600
00:45:26,039 --> 00:45:35,400
his own. The end golden Rod and asked her golden

601
00:45:35,519 --> 00:45:38,639
hair and blue eyes lived at the foot of a

602
00:45:38,639 --> 00:45:42,119
great hill. On the top of this hill, in a

603
00:45:42,239 --> 00:45:46,840
little hut, lived a strange, wise woman. It was said

604
00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:51,239
that she could change people into anything she wished. She

605
00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:56,119
looked so grim and severe that people were afraid to

606
00:45:56,199 --> 00:46:00,199
go near her. One summer day, the two little girls

607
00:46:00,199 --> 00:46:02,559
at the foot of the hill thought they would like

608
00:46:02,679 --> 00:46:08,320
to do something to make everybody happy. I know, said Goldenhair.

609
00:46:08,880 --> 00:46:11,039
Let us go and ask the woman on the hill

610
00:46:11,079 --> 00:46:14,800
about it. She is very wise and can surely tell

611
00:46:14,880 --> 00:46:19,360
us just what to do. Oh yes, said blue eyes,

612
00:46:19,760 --> 00:46:23,440
and away they started at once. It was a warm

613
00:46:23,519 --> 00:46:26,519
day and a long walk to the top of the hill.

614
00:46:27,719 --> 00:46:30,719
The little girls stopped many times to rest under the

615
00:46:30,719 --> 00:46:35,599
big oaks which shaded their pathway. They could find no flowers,

616
00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:38,559
but they made a basket of oak leaves and filled

617
00:46:38,599 --> 00:46:42,000
it with berries for the wise woman. They fed the

618
00:46:42,039 --> 00:46:45,159
fish in the brook and talked to the squirrels and

619
00:46:45,239 --> 00:46:49,400
the birds. They walked on and on in the rocky path.

620
00:46:50,719 --> 00:46:55,119
After a while, the sun went down, the birds stopped singing,

621
00:46:56,199 --> 00:47:01,000
the squirrels went to bed, the trees fell asleep. Even

622
00:47:01,199 --> 00:47:06,480
the wind was resting. Oh how still and cool it

623
00:47:06,639 --> 00:47:10,599
was on the hillside. The moon and stars came out,

624
00:47:11,079 --> 00:47:16,360
the frogs and toads awoke, the night music began. The

625
00:47:16,400 --> 00:47:20,280
beetles and fireflies flew away to a party. But the

626
00:47:20,360 --> 00:47:25,159
tired little children climbed on towards the hilltop. At last

627
00:47:25,480 --> 00:47:29,480
they reached it. There at the gate was the strange

628
00:47:29,480 --> 00:47:34,960
old woman, looking even more stern than usual. The little

629
00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:39,920
girls were frightened. They clung close together, while brave golden

630
00:47:39,960 --> 00:47:44,480
hair said, we know you are wise, and we came

631
00:47:44,559 --> 00:47:48,039
to see if you would tell us how to make

632
00:47:48,320 --> 00:47:53,519
everyone happy. Please let us stay together, said timid blue eyes,

633
00:47:54,880 --> 00:47:57,920
as she opened the gate for the children. The wise

634
00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:01,639
woman was seen to smile in the moonlight. The two

635
00:48:01,679 --> 00:48:04,719
little girls were never seen again. At the foot of

636
00:48:04,719 --> 00:48:09,400
the hill. The next morning, all over the hillside people

637
00:48:09,519 --> 00:48:16,199
saw beautiful waving golden rod and purple asters growing. It

638
00:48:16,239 --> 00:48:19,920
has been said that these two bright flowers, which grow

639
00:48:20,039 --> 00:48:23,840
side by side, could tell the secret if they would,

640
00:48:24,679 --> 00:48:28,039
of what became of the two little girls on that

641
00:48:28,159 --> 00:48:40,880
moonlight summer night. The end end of Flower Stories, Nature

642
00:48:40,920 --> 00:48:43,760
Myths and Stories for Little Children by Flora J. Cook.

643
00:48:44,159 --> 00:48:48,639
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Insects Stories

644
00:48:50,639 --> 00:48:54,960
a Rockney. A Rockney was a beautiful maiden and the

645
00:48:55,000 --> 00:48:59,159
most wonderful weaver that ever lived. Her father was famed

646
00:48:59,239 --> 00:49:02,119
throughout the land, and for his great skill in coloring.

647
00:49:03,079 --> 00:49:05,920
He dyed a Rockney's wolves in all the colors of

648
00:49:05,960 --> 00:49:09,559
the rainbow. People came from miles around to see and

649
00:49:09,599 --> 00:49:14,360
admire her work. They all agreed that Queen Athena must

650
00:49:14,360 --> 00:49:18,639
have been her teacher. A Rockney proudly said that she

651
00:49:19,199 --> 00:49:23,519
had never been taught to weave. She said that she

652
00:49:23,559 --> 00:49:26,960
would be glad to weave with Athena to see which

653
00:49:26,960 --> 00:49:30,719
had the greater skill. In Vain, her father told her

654
00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:37,159
that perhaps Athena, unseen guided her hand. A Rockney would

655
00:49:37,199 --> 00:49:40,960
not listen and would think no one for her gift,

656
00:49:41,360 --> 00:49:45,920
believing only in herself. One day, as she was boasting

657
00:49:46,159 --> 00:49:49,800
of her skill, an old woman came to her. She

658
00:49:49,920 --> 00:49:53,760
kindly advised her to accept her rare gift humbly. Be

659
00:49:53,960 --> 00:49:57,559
thankful that you are so fortunate a Rockney. She said,

660
00:49:58,679 --> 00:50:01,320
you may give great happines as to others by your

661
00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:06,280
beautiful work. Queen Athena longs to help you, but I

662
00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:09,719
warn you she can do no more for you until

663
00:50:09,760 --> 00:50:16,039
you grow unselfish unkind. A Rockney scorned this advice and

664
00:50:16,199 --> 00:50:19,719
said again that nothing would please her so much as

665
00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:23,719
to weave with Athena. If I fail, she said, I

666
00:50:23,760 --> 00:50:27,800
will gladly take the punishment, but Athena is afraid to

667
00:50:27,920 --> 00:50:31,400
weave with me. Then the old woman threw aside her

668
00:50:31,400 --> 00:50:36,519
cloak and said, Athena is here. Come, foolish girl. You

669
00:50:36,599 --> 00:50:40,679
shall try your skills with hers. Both went quickly to work,

670
00:50:41,039 --> 00:50:46,320
and for hours their shuttles flew swiftly in and out. Athena,

671
00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:50,559
as usual, used the sky for her loom, and in

672
00:50:50,679 --> 00:50:54,719
it she wove a picture too beautiful to describe. If

673
00:50:54,719 --> 00:50:57,360
you wish to know more about it, look at the

674
00:50:57,360 --> 00:51:01,840
western sky when the sun is setting. A Rockney's work,

675
00:51:02,400 --> 00:51:06,920
though her colors were in harmony and her weaving wonderfully fine,

676
00:51:07,599 --> 00:51:12,400
was full of spite and selfishness. When the work was finished,

677
00:51:12,599 --> 00:51:17,400
A Rockney lifted her eyes to Athena's work. Instantly she

678
00:51:17,519 --> 00:51:22,719
knew she had failed. Ashamed and miserable, she tried to

679
00:51:22,760 --> 00:51:26,320
hang herself in her web. Athena saw her and said,

680
00:51:26,400 --> 00:51:30,679
in pity, no, you shall not die. Live and do

681
00:51:30,800 --> 00:51:34,559
the work for which you are best fitted. You shall

682
00:51:34,599 --> 00:51:37,400
be the mother of a great race, which shall be

683
00:51:37,480 --> 00:51:41,079
called spiders. You and your children shall be among the

684
00:51:41,119 --> 00:51:46,000
greatest spinners and weavers on earth. As she spoke, a

685
00:51:46,119 --> 00:51:52,400
Rockney became smaller and smaller, until she was scarcely larger

686
00:51:52,440 --> 00:51:57,239
than a fly. From that day to this, A Rockney

687
00:51:57,280 --> 00:52:01,440
and her family have been faithful spinners. But they do

688
00:52:01,559 --> 00:52:05,760
their work so quietly and in such dark places, that

689
00:52:06,000 --> 00:52:10,800
very few people know what marvelous weavers they are the

690
00:52:10,920 --> 00:52:21,119
end Aurora and Tothonis, the beautiful youth. Tothonis loved Arora,

691
00:52:21,639 --> 00:52:24,639
the Queen of the Dawn. He was the first one

692
00:52:24,719 --> 00:52:27,280
to greet her each day as she drew back the

693
00:52:27,320 --> 00:52:31,039
purple curtains of the east. He made his bed on

694
00:52:31,119 --> 00:52:33,800
the green grass in the meadow that he might not

695
00:52:33,880 --> 00:52:38,039
miss her coming. Aurora grew to expect his welcome and

696
00:52:38,119 --> 00:52:41,960
to love the youth. Dearly one morning when she came

697
00:52:42,039 --> 00:52:45,519
to Thonis was not in his usual place. As she

698
00:52:45,599 --> 00:52:49,639
looked anxiously around, she saw him with pale face and

699
00:52:49,719 --> 00:52:53,760
closed eyes, lying upon the ground. She darted down to

700
00:52:53,840 --> 00:52:58,199
earth and carried his almost lifeless body to Zeus. She

701
00:52:58,360 --> 00:53:03,280
begged the great king to that to Thonis should never die,

702
00:53:04,199 --> 00:53:08,679
But alas in her haste she forgot to ask that

703
00:53:08,760 --> 00:53:13,239
he might forever remain young. Therefore he grew old and

704
00:53:13,360 --> 00:53:17,920
bent and could no longer walk. In misery, he begged

705
00:53:17,960 --> 00:53:20,119
to go back to the cool grass in the meadow

706
00:53:20,519 --> 00:53:25,079
where he had been so happy. Aurora, and pity said,

707
00:53:25,679 --> 00:53:28,800
you shall go, my Tothonis. To make you happy is

708
00:53:28,840 --> 00:53:32,519
my dearest wish. You shall be free from all care.

709
00:53:33,400 --> 00:53:36,119
You shall not be a man, lest you be compelled

710
00:53:36,159 --> 00:53:39,519
to work for your food. In your old age, you

711
00:53:40,119 --> 00:53:43,320
shall be a grasshopper, free to dance in the meadow

712
00:53:43,360 --> 00:53:47,280
grass all the long summer days. I have prepared a

713
00:53:47,400 --> 00:53:51,039
dress for you which shall protect you well. Then she

714
00:53:51,119 --> 00:53:54,920
gave to Thonis the wonderful grasshopper coat of mail, which

715
00:53:54,920 --> 00:53:58,880
had been unknown on earth until this time. She tinted

716
00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:01,519
it a soft green, so that he might not be

717
00:54:01,639 --> 00:54:05,199
noticed in the grass t Thonis went that day to

718
00:54:05,239 --> 00:54:08,559
live in the meadow, and there any summer day you

719
00:54:08,599 --> 00:54:12,159
may find him and his family hopping merrily about in

720
00:54:12,199 --> 00:54:21,119
the sunshine. The end, King Solomon and the Ants. One morning,

721
00:54:21,159 --> 00:54:23,639
the Queen of Sheba started back to her home in

722
00:54:23,679 --> 00:54:27,400
the south. King Solomon and all his court went with

723
00:54:27,559 --> 00:54:30,519
her to the gates of the city. It was a

724
00:54:30,599 --> 00:54:35,800
glorious sight. The King and queen rode upon white horses.

725
00:54:36,559 --> 00:54:41,159
The purple and scarlet coverings of their followers glittered with

726
00:54:41,400 --> 00:54:45,440
silver and gold. The king looked down and saw an

727
00:54:45,480 --> 00:54:50,199
ant hill in the path before them. See yonder, little people,

728
00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:54,000
he said, Do you hear what they are saying? As

729
00:54:54,039 --> 00:55:00,400
they run about so wildly? They say, here comes the king, men,

730
00:55:00,400 --> 00:55:04,960
call wise and good and great. He will trample us

731
00:55:05,039 --> 00:55:08,519
under his cruel feet. They should be proud to die

732
00:55:08,599 --> 00:55:11,400
under the feet of such king, said the queen. How

733
00:55:11,559 --> 00:55:16,320
dare they complain? Not so, great, queen, replied the king.

734
00:55:17,239 --> 00:55:20,360
He turned his horse aside, and all his followers did

735
00:55:20,360 --> 00:55:24,199
the same. When the great company had passed, there was

736
00:55:24,239 --> 00:55:29,559
the ant hill unharmed in the path. The queen said, happy, indeed,

737
00:55:29,719 --> 00:55:33,679
must be your people, Wise King, I shall remember the lesson.

738
00:55:34,639 --> 00:55:37,440
He only is noble and great who cares for the

739
00:55:37,480 --> 00:55:46,000
helpless and weak. The end the wise King and the bee.

740
00:55:46,360 --> 00:55:49,599
Long ago there lived in the east, the greatest king

741
00:55:49,800 --> 00:55:53,199
in the world. It was believed that no one could

742
00:55:53,280 --> 00:55:57,000
ask him a question which he could not answer. Wise

743
00:55:57,039 --> 00:56:00,000
men came from far and near, but they were never

744
00:56:00,039 --> 00:56:03,719
were able to puzzle King Solomon. He knew all the

745
00:56:03,760 --> 00:56:09,320
trees and plants. He understood the beasts, fowls, and creeping

746
00:56:09,440 --> 00:56:13,960
things almost as well as he did people. The fame

747
00:56:14,039 --> 00:56:17,880
of his knowledge spread into all lambs. In the south,

748
00:56:18,280 --> 00:56:22,159
the great Queen of Sheba heard of the wonderful wisdom

749
00:56:22,519 --> 00:56:26,960
of Solomon, and said, I shall test his power for myself.

750
00:56:27,760 --> 00:56:30,800
She picked some clover blossoms from the field, and bad

751
00:56:30,840 --> 00:56:34,920
a great artist to make for her in wax flowers,

752
00:56:35,119 --> 00:56:40,000
buds and leaves exactly like them. She was much pleased

753
00:56:40,039 --> 00:56:43,039
when they were finished, for she herself could see no

754
00:56:43,119 --> 00:56:46,639
difference the two bunches. She carried them to the king

755
00:56:46,719 --> 00:56:50,880
and said, choose a wise one, which are the real flowers?

756
00:56:52,000 --> 00:56:55,760
At first King Solomon was puzzled, But soon he saw

757
00:56:55,800 --> 00:57:00,159
a bee buzzing at the window. Ah, he said, here

758
00:57:00,320 --> 00:57:04,320
is one come to help me in my choice. Throw

759
00:57:04,360 --> 00:57:08,400
open the window for my friend. Then the Queen Nasheba

760
00:57:08,519 --> 00:57:12,400
bowed her head and said, you are indeed a wise king,

761
00:57:13,159 --> 00:57:16,400
but I begin to understand your wisdom. I thank you

762
00:57:16,480 --> 00:57:28,559
for this lesson. The end end of Insects Stories, Nature

763
00:57:28,639 --> 00:57:32,760
Methicen's Stories for Little Children by Flora J. Cook. This

764
00:57:32,840 --> 00:57:37,079
LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Mineralogy Stories

765
00:57:38,199 --> 00:57:43,079
The story of Sissyphus. Little white Cloud was the Ocean's daughter.

766
00:57:44,039 --> 00:57:46,920
The ocean loved her and wished always to keep her

767
00:57:46,960 --> 00:57:50,960
near him. One day, when her father was asleep, white

768
00:57:50,960 --> 00:57:54,360
Cloud went out to walk alone. The son saw her

769
00:57:54,400 --> 00:57:58,519
and said, come, white Cloud, I am your king. I

770
00:57:58,559 --> 00:58:01,960
will give you a ride upon my bright rays. White

771
00:58:02,000 --> 00:58:05,440
Cloud had often longed for this very thing. So she

772
00:58:05,519 --> 00:58:09,159
went loudly, and soon found herself among the fleecy clouds

773
00:58:09,159 --> 00:58:13,119
in the sky. When the ocean awoke, he called his

774
00:58:13,239 --> 00:58:19,960
little daughter. She did not answer. He called again and again, louder,

775
00:58:20,400 --> 00:58:25,599
and still louder, until the people said, listen, it is thundering.

776
00:58:26,880 --> 00:58:29,280
But the ocean only heard the echo of his own

777
00:58:29,400 --> 00:58:33,079
voice from the shore. He rushed high up on the

778
00:58:33,079 --> 00:58:37,639
beach and moaned aloud. He ran into all the caves,

779
00:58:37,760 --> 00:58:42,360
but White Cloud could not be found. Everyone had loved

780
00:58:42,360 --> 00:58:45,239
White Cloud, so by this time all the water was

781
00:58:45,280 --> 00:58:50,159
white with the crusts of the weeping sea nymphs. A

782
00:58:50,239 --> 00:58:53,960
great giant was sitting upon the shore near the sea.

783
00:58:54,000 --> 00:58:58,079
His name was Sissiphus. He felt sorry for the ocean

784
00:58:58,119 --> 00:59:02,639
and said, listen, freendo ocean. I often watch you carrying

785
00:59:02,679 --> 00:59:05,199
the great ships, and wish that I too had a

786
00:59:05,239 --> 00:59:08,840
great work to do. You see how dry it is

787
00:59:09,320 --> 00:59:12,760
on the side of the mountain. Few people come this way.

788
00:59:13,599 --> 00:59:16,840
You are not even now as lonely as I. Yet

789
00:59:17,079 --> 00:59:20,760
I want to help you. Promise me that you will

790
00:59:20,800 --> 00:59:24,280
put a spring upon this mountain side, where all the

791
00:59:24,360 --> 00:59:27,800
tired and thirsty people may drink. And I'll tell you

792
00:59:27,880 --> 00:59:32,920
where white Cloud is. The ocean said, I cannot put

793
00:59:32,920 --> 00:59:36,000
a spring upon the mountain, but if you will follow

794
00:59:36,039 --> 00:59:39,119
my sun river, he will take you to a spring

795
00:59:39,360 --> 00:59:43,199
where he was born. The giant told the ocean how

796
00:59:43,239 --> 00:59:46,840
the sun ran away with white Cloud. The sun heard

797
00:59:46,920 --> 00:59:51,719
him and was angry. He placed Sissyphis in the sea, saying,

798
00:59:52,360 --> 00:59:55,760
you are far too strong to sit idly here upon

799
00:59:55,800 --> 00:59:59,320
the shore. You say you want a great work to do,

800
01:00:00,360 --> 01:00:04,559
you shall have it. You shall forever use your strength

801
01:00:04,880 --> 01:00:08,840
to push these stones upon the shore, and they shall

802
01:00:08,880 --> 01:00:13,199
forever roll back upon you. The giant began his work

803
01:00:13,239 --> 01:00:17,239
at once and has worked faithfully every day since that time.

804
01:00:18,400 --> 01:00:20,960
Many people do not yet know what his work is.

805
01:00:21,679 --> 01:00:26,320
Do you do you know what Sissyphus is making? The

806
01:00:26,519 --> 01:00:32,000
end the story of the pudding Stone. Once upon a

807
01:00:32,039 --> 01:00:35,000
time a family of giants lived upon the high mountains

808
01:00:35,039 --> 01:00:38,400
in the west. One day, the mother giant was called

809
01:00:38,440 --> 01:00:42,000
away from home. She arose early in the morning and

810
01:00:42,079 --> 01:00:44,639
made ready the bread and butter for the little giants

811
01:00:44,679 --> 01:00:48,119
to eat while she was gone. When she had finished

812
01:00:48,119 --> 01:00:51,000
her work, it was not yet time to start upon

813
01:00:51,039 --> 01:00:55,480
her journey. She said to herself, my children are the

814
01:00:55,519 --> 01:00:58,840
best children in the world, and they shall have a treat.

815
01:00:59,639 --> 01:01:03,440
I have many plums left from the Christmas feast. I

816
01:01:03,480 --> 01:01:07,880
will make them a plum pudding for a surprise. The

817
01:01:07,920 --> 01:01:11,480
good woman brought together the plums, which it had taken

818
01:01:11,519 --> 01:01:14,000
her many days to prepare with the help of all

819
01:01:14,039 --> 01:01:18,159
of her children. Indeed, she had emptied several mountain lakes

820
01:01:18,159 --> 01:01:22,079
to get water enough to wash them all. She now

821
01:01:22,159 --> 01:01:25,840
mixed these wonderful plums into a pudding and put it

822
01:01:25,880 --> 01:01:30,159
into an oven to bake. The mixing took so long

823
01:01:30,480 --> 01:01:33,559
that she had to hurry, and she quite forgot to

824
01:01:33,559 --> 01:01:37,519
say anything about the pudding to the little giants. She

825
01:01:37,599 --> 01:01:40,519
had intended to tell them about it just before she

826
01:01:40,679 --> 01:01:44,480
left them. It was afternoon when the giant children found

827
01:01:44,519 --> 01:01:47,880
the pudding. It was badly burned upon the top. By

828
01:01:47,920 --> 01:01:51,119
this time, they had already eaten the bread and butter

829
01:01:51,280 --> 01:01:55,039
and were not hungry. One little giant said to the others,

830
01:01:55,440 --> 01:01:58,079
let us make balls of the pudding, and see who

831
01:01:58,119 --> 01:02:02,239
can throw the farthest. You know that giants are very strong,

832
01:02:02,760 --> 01:02:06,000
and away went the pudding up into the air. The

833
01:02:06,039 --> 01:02:09,920
little giants made little balls, and the older giants threw

834
01:02:09,960 --> 01:02:14,079
pieces as big as a house many pieces went over

835
01:02:14,119 --> 01:02:18,599
the mountains and fell down into the valley beyond. Indeed,

836
01:02:18,840 --> 01:02:24,039
this wonderful pudding was scattered for miles over the whole land,

837
01:02:24,840 --> 01:02:28,239
for the giants did not stop throwing as long as

838
01:02:28,280 --> 01:02:31,519
there was any pudding left in the pan. When the

839
01:02:31,519 --> 01:02:34,840
sun had shone upon it many days and dried and

840
01:02:34,960 --> 01:02:39,239
hardened it, people called it pudding stone. You may find

841
01:02:39,239 --> 01:02:42,400
it today thrown all over the land, full of the

842
01:02:42,440 --> 01:02:45,679
plums which the good woman washed with the waters of

843
01:02:45,880 --> 01:02:58,679
many lakes. The end. End of Mineralogy, Stories, Nature Myths

844
01:02:58,760 --> 01:03:01,159
and Stories for Little Children by Flora J. A. Cook.

845
01:03:01,679 --> 01:03:07,280
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Sun Myths Balder.

846
01:03:08,320 --> 01:03:10,920
The people in the north once believed that high above

847
01:03:10,920 --> 01:03:15,639
the clouds was the beautiful plain of Asgard. Odin, ruler

848
01:03:15,679 --> 01:03:19,800
of Asgard, Mighty Thor, and many other heroes lived on

849
01:03:19,840 --> 01:03:24,159
the plain. Their homes were great castles, splendid with silver

850
01:03:24,280 --> 01:03:27,440
and gold. In the middle of the plain, and apart

851
01:03:27,480 --> 01:03:32,400
from the other dwellings, stood a pure white palace. Nothing

852
01:03:32,440 --> 01:03:35,440
that was not fair and good had ever dared to

853
01:03:35,639 --> 01:03:40,280
enter it. It was the home of Balder. Because of

854
01:03:40,320 --> 01:03:43,760
his great beauty and wisdom, he was called Balder the beautiful,

855
01:03:44,199 --> 01:03:49,119
and Balder the good. Everything loved him. The dull rocks

856
01:03:49,159 --> 01:03:52,000
and the gray old mountains met him with a smile.

857
01:03:52,960 --> 01:03:57,400
The flowers opened, the birds sang, and the water sparkled

858
01:03:57,599 --> 01:04:00,760
when they saw his face. One night, he dreamed that

859
01:04:00,840 --> 01:04:03,960
he must soon leave Asgard and all the things that

860
01:04:04,039 --> 01:04:07,320
he loved. The next night he dreamed that he was

861
01:04:07,400 --> 01:04:11,960
living in the gloomy underground world. The third night, when

862
01:04:12,000 --> 01:04:15,840
the same terrible dream came to him, he was greatly troubled.

863
01:04:16,880 --> 01:04:21,679
He told Odin, his father, and Frigga his mother, about it. Odin,

864
01:04:21,760 --> 01:04:26,599
in great fear, called together his wisest heroes. They shook

865
01:04:26,639 --> 01:04:30,719
their heads, but could do nothing to help him. Friga cried,

866
01:04:31,119 --> 01:04:35,360
it shall not be I. His mother will save him.

867
01:04:35,639 --> 01:04:41,280
She went straightway to Hymn Daal, who guarded the Rainbow Bridge. Bivrost,

868
01:04:41,679 --> 01:04:44,320
which was the name of the bridge, was the only

869
01:04:44,440 --> 01:04:49,039
path which led from Asgard to the earth. Hymn Dayal

870
01:04:49,480 --> 01:04:52,639
allowed only those who lived in the plain to pass

871
01:04:52,679 --> 01:04:58,800
over it. All feared Himdal, yet they loved him. He

872
01:04:58,880 --> 01:05:02,119
could see to the inn of the world. He could

873
01:05:02,199 --> 01:05:06,119
hear the wool growing on the sheep's back, and knew

874
01:05:06,159 --> 01:05:11,880
when each grass blade broke into the sunshine. Hemdayal loved Balder,

875
01:05:12,360 --> 01:05:16,400
and when he heard what troubled Friga pitied her. He

876
01:05:16,519 --> 01:05:19,719
gave her his swift black horse and showed her the

877
01:05:19,760 --> 01:05:23,400
way to the ends of the earth. For nine days

878
01:05:23,400 --> 01:05:27,280
and nights she traveled without food or rest. She asked

879
01:05:27,320 --> 01:05:33,960
everything she met to promise not to harm balder animals, flowers, trees, water,

880
01:05:34,480 --> 01:05:40,480
air fire. Everything she asked gladly gave the promise. They

881
01:05:40,559 --> 01:05:44,119
smiled in wonder at the question, who could wish to

882
01:05:44,320 --> 01:05:49,800
hurt the gentle balder Alas the mistletoe did not promise,

883
01:05:50,920 --> 01:05:54,639
Frigga saw it growing high up on an oak tree.

884
01:05:54,760 --> 01:05:57,320
It seemed too small and weak to do any harm.

885
01:05:58,000 --> 01:06:01,280
She did not ask it to promise. On the tenth

886
01:06:01,400 --> 01:06:04,280
day of her journey, she came back again to Asgard.

887
01:06:05,000 --> 01:06:07,880
She told the sorrowing Odin and his friends what she

888
01:06:07,960 --> 01:06:11,159
had done. In their joy, they found a new way

889
01:06:11,199 --> 01:06:14,519
to do balder honor. He stood in their midst while

890
01:06:14,559 --> 01:06:19,840
his most skillful heroes hurled their arrows at him. At first,

891
01:06:19,880 --> 01:06:24,559
they threw only small twigs and pebbles. Everything, however, had

892
01:06:24,599 --> 01:06:29,360
soon proved itself true to its promise. Then the heroes

893
01:06:29,440 --> 01:06:33,840
lost all fear of harming him and threw their warlike weapons.

894
01:06:34,280 --> 01:06:39,719
Balder stood unharmed and smiling among them. Each day they

895
01:06:39,800 --> 01:06:43,360
met on the plane, and in this sport proved the

896
01:06:43,440 --> 01:06:47,840
love of all things for him. The blind Hoder was

897
01:06:47,920 --> 01:06:51,000
the only one in Asgard who could not join in

898
01:06:51,039 --> 01:06:55,559
the game. He was Baldard's brother and loved him very dearly.

899
01:06:56,239 --> 01:06:59,639
Hoder was not unhappy, but always cheered and shouted as

900
01:06:59,679 --> 01:07:03,880
gayly as the others. One day he stood aside Loki

901
01:07:03,960 --> 01:07:08,679
saw him. Loki was a mischief maker. His jokes were

902
01:07:08,719 --> 01:07:13,440
often cruel. Indeed, most of the unhappiness in Asgard was

903
01:07:13,480 --> 01:07:17,599
caused by Loki's unkindness. Hoder, why do you not do

904
01:07:17,719 --> 01:07:23,280
Balder honor, asked Loki. I am blind, Oder said, And besides,

905
01:07:23,320 --> 01:07:27,000
I have nothing to throw. Here is my arrow, said Loki.

906
01:07:27,320 --> 01:07:31,760
Take it. I will guide your hands alas the cruel

907
01:07:31,960 --> 01:07:37,039
Loki had made the arrow of mistletoe. He knew that

908
01:07:37,199 --> 01:07:40,519
this was the only way in which Balder could be harmed.

909
01:07:41,400 --> 01:07:43,760
He longed to see the surprise of the heroes when

910
01:07:43,800 --> 01:07:47,800
Balder should at last be wounded away flew the arrow

911
01:07:48,679 --> 01:07:53,880
Balder the beautiful fell lifeless to the ground. Then all

912
01:07:54,000 --> 01:07:59,679
Asgard was dark with sorrow. Strong heroes wept and would

913
01:07:59,760 --> 01:08:05,000
not be comforted. The earth grew cold, white, and still

914
01:08:06,079 --> 01:08:09,639
the water would not flow. The seeds refused to grow.

915
01:08:10,360 --> 01:08:14,960
The birds were silent. No flowers breathed their perfumes into

916
01:08:15,000 --> 01:08:18,720
the air. There was not a smile in all the world.

917
01:08:19,880 --> 01:08:26,359
Odin said, this cannot be. Balder shall return. I myself

918
01:08:26,439 --> 01:08:31,159
will go and bring him from Hela's dark regions. But

919
01:08:31,279 --> 01:08:34,760
Friga had already sent a message to the spirit world

920
01:08:35,119 --> 01:08:39,680
to beg Queenhila to release Balder. While waiting for the

921
01:08:39,680 --> 01:08:44,039
message to return, the heroes were not idle. For twelve

922
01:08:44,119 --> 01:08:46,840
days and nights, they worked as only love can make

923
01:08:46,920 --> 01:08:50,640
men work. They did not pause for food nor rest.

924
01:08:51,319 --> 01:08:54,560
They built a great funeral pyre, and no one was

925
01:08:54,640 --> 01:08:57,760
too small to help in the work of love. They

926
01:08:57,760 --> 01:09:01,920
found Balder's ship among the seashore. They brought great logs

927
01:09:01,960 --> 01:09:05,880
from the forest and bound them upon the deck. Upon

928
01:09:06,000 --> 01:09:10,159
these they placed his beautiful white horse, his dogs, his

929
01:09:10,279 --> 01:09:13,880
shining armor, and many things which he had loved on earth.

930
01:09:14,720 --> 01:09:18,520
When it was finished, they raised the sails, set the

931
01:09:18,560 --> 01:09:21,720
ship on fire, and pushed it out upon the sea.

932
01:09:22,600 --> 01:09:25,680
They sang and wept all night, until at sunrise the

933
01:09:25,800 --> 01:09:30,399
sails fell. They watched the flames die down and the

934
01:09:30,439 --> 01:09:34,760
waves wash over the sinking ship. As they turned sadly

935
01:09:34,800 --> 01:09:39,800
from the shore, they met the messenger from Hela's regions. Rejoice,

936
01:09:39,840 --> 01:09:44,439
he said, HeLa says, if everything living and lifeless weep

937
01:09:44,520 --> 01:09:48,800
for Balder, he may return to us. There was great

938
01:09:48,880 --> 01:09:52,840
happiness in Asgar that day. Surely they thought every one

939
01:09:52,880 --> 01:09:56,760
in the world will weep for Balder. They had forgotten

940
01:09:56,800 --> 01:10:01,720
the cruel Loki. He set with dry eyes, though rocks

941
01:10:01,720 --> 01:10:07,399
and trees, birds and flowers, wind and clouds were shedding tears.

942
01:10:07,760 --> 01:10:11,600
When Odin found that Balder could not return to life,

943
01:10:11,760 --> 01:10:16,439
his anger and grief were terrible to see. In fear,

944
01:10:16,640 --> 01:10:19,680
Loki hid himself deep in the earth under a mountain.

945
01:10:20,600 --> 01:10:24,399
Frigin knew that he was conquered, and she patiently waited

946
01:10:24,439 --> 01:10:27,520
for the time when Balder should again be allowed to

947
01:10:27,560 --> 01:10:31,039
bring gladness to the earth and fill all the heavens

948
01:10:31,159 --> 01:10:39,720
with the glory of his smile. The end, Persephone Demeter

949
01:10:39,920 --> 01:10:43,279
had the care of all the plants, fruits, and grains

950
01:10:43,439 --> 01:10:46,439
in the world. She taught the people how to plow

951
01:10:46,479 --> 01:10:50,119
the fields and plant the seeds. She helped them gather

952
01:10:50,239 --> 01:10:54,119
in their harvests. They loved the kind earth mother and

953
01:10:54,199 --> 01:10:59,600
gladly obeyed her. They also loved her daughter, the beautiful Persephone.

954
01:11:00,359 --> 01:11:03,960
Persephone wandered all day in the meadows among the flowers.

955
01:11:04,560 --> 01:11:08,560
Wherever she went, the birds, singing merrily, flocked after her.

956
01:11:09,399 --> 01:11:14,600
The people said, where Persephone is, there is the warm sunshine.

957
01:11:15,479 --> 01:11:19,520
Flowers bloom when she smiles. Listen to her voice. It

958
01:11:19,600 --> 01:11:23,920
is like a bird's song. Demeter wished always to have

959
01:11:24,000 --> 01:11:28,680
her child near her. One day, Persephone went alone into

960
01:11:28,760 --> 01:11:31,960
a meadow near the sea. She had made a wreath

961
01:11:32,159 --> 01:11:35,000
for her hair and gathered all the flowers that her

962
01:11:35,079 --> 01:11:39,960
apron could hold. Far away across the meadow, she saw

963
01:11:40,000 --> 01:11:44,119
a white flower gleaming. She ran to it and found

964
01:11:44,199 --> 01:11:48,239
that it was a narcissus, but far more beautiful than

965
01:11:48,319 --> 01:11:52,560
any she had ever seen. On a single stem were

966
01:11:52,600 --> 01:11:56,039
a hundred blossoms. She tried to pick it, but the

967
01:11:56,119 --> 01:11:59,920
stem would not break. With all her strength, she grasped it,

968
01:12:00,479 --> 01:12:04,119
and slowly it came up by the roots. It left

969
01:12:04,159 --> 01:12:07,479
a great opening in the earth, which grew larger and

970
01:12:07,600 --> 01:12:13,800
larger Persephone heard rumbling like thunder under her feet. Then

971
01:12:14,000 --> 01:12:18,199
she saw four black horses coming toward her from the opening.

972
01:12:19,079 --> 01:12:22,039
Behind them was a chariot made of gold and precious

973
01:12:22,039 --> 01:12:28,239
stones in it, said a dark, stern man. It was Hades.

974
01:12:29,319 --> 01:12:32,279
He had come up from his land of darkness and

975
01:12:32,399 --> 01:12:36,319
was shading his eyes with his hands. He saw Persephone

976
01:12:36,399 --> 01:12:40,079
beautiful with flowers, and instantly caught her in his arms

977
01:12:40,319 --> 01:12:44,680
and placed her in the chariot beside him. The flowers

978
01:12:44,720 --> 01:12:49,199
fell from her apron, Oh, my pretty flowers, she cried,

979
01:12:49,520 --> 01:12:53,399
I have lost them all. Then she saw the stern

980
01:12:53,520 --> 01:12:57,960
face of Hades. Frightened, she stretched out her hands to

981
01:12:58,119 --> 01:13:03,239
kind Apollo, who was his chariot overhead. She called to

982
01:13:03,279 --> 01:13:07,840
her mother for help. Hades drove straight toward his dark

983
01:13:08,119 --> 01:13:13,079
underground home. The horses seemed to fly as they left

984
01:13:13,119 --> 01:13:17,640
the light. Hades tried to comfort Persephone. He told her

985
01:13:17,680 --> 01:13:20,840
of the wonders of his kingdom. He had gold and

986
01:13:21,000 --> 01:13:26,079
silver and all kinds of precious stones. Persephone saw gems

987
01:13:26,359 --> 01:13:30,399
glittering on every side as they went along, but she

988
01:13:30,479 --> 01:13:33,800
did not care for them. Hades told her how lonely

989
01:13:33,880 --> 01:13:36,079
he was, and that he wished her to be his

990
01:13:36,239 --> 01:13:41,039
queen and share all his riches. Persephone did not want

991
01:13:41,119 --> 01:13:43,840
to be a queen. She longed only for her mother

992
01:13:43,960 --> 01:13:48,000
and the bright sunshine. Soon they came to the land

993
01:13:48,039 --> 01:13:52,119
of Hades. It seemed very dark and dismal to Persephone,

994
01:13:52,319 --> 01:13:55,960
and very cold too. A feast was ready for her,

995
01:13:56,279 --> 01:13:59,560
but she would not eat. She knew that any one

996
01:13:59,600 --> 01:14:04,000
who ate in Hades's home could never return to Earth again.

997
01:14:04,840 --> 01:14:08,520
She was very unhappy. Though Hades tried in many ways

998
01:14:08,560 --> 01:14:12,199
to please her, everything on the earth was unhappy too.

999
01:14:13,000 --> 01:14:16,039
One by one, the flowers hung their heads and said,

1000
01:14:16,720 --> 01:14:22,119
we cannot bloom, for Persephone has gone. The trees dropped

1001
01:14:22,159 --> 01:14:28,279
their leaves and moaned, Persephone is gone. Gone. The birds

1002
01:14:28,319 --> 01:14:34,119
flew away and said we cannot sing, for Persephone has gone.

1003
01:14:34,279 --> 01:14:37,960
Demeter was more miserable than any one else. She had

1004
01:14:38,000 --> 01:14:41,520
heard Persephone call her and had gone straight home. She

1005
01:14:41,640 --> 01:14:44,840
searched all the earth for her child. She asked every

1006
01:14:44,840 --> 01:14:49,720
one she met these questions, have you seen Persephone? Where

1007
01:14:49,840 --> 01:14:55,720
is Persephone? The only answer she ever received was gone gone,

1008
01:14:55,880 --> 01:15:01,319
Persephone is gone. Demeter became a wrinkled old woman. No

1009
01:15:01,359 --> 01:15:03,880
one would have known that she was the kind mother

1010
01:15:04,000 --> 01:15:08,039
who had always smiled on the people. Nothing grew on

1011
01:15:08,079 --> 01:15:12,960
the earth, and all was dreary and barren. Demeter said

1012
01:15:13,039 --> 01:15:16,920
that she would do nothing until Persephone returned to her.

1013
01:15:17,800 --> 01:15:20,239
It was useless for the people to plow the soil,

1014
01:15:20,880 --> 01:15:24,439
it was useless to plant the seeds. Nothing could grow

1015
01:15:24,520 --> 01:15:28,159
without the help of Demeter. All the people were idle

1016
01:15:28,720 --> 01:15:33,319
and sad. When Demeter found no one on earth who

1017
01:15:33,319 --> 01:15:37,039
could tell her about Persephone, she looked up toward the sky.

1018
01:15:37,920 --> 01:15:41,640
There she saw Apollo in his bright chariot. He was

1019
01:15:41,680 --> 01:15:44,520
not driving as high in the sky as he was

1020
01:15:44,600 --> 01:15:49,000
wont to do. Often, he gathered dark mists about him,

1021
01:15:49,399 --> 01:15:53,960
so that none saw him. For many days. Demeter knew

1022
01:15:54,039 --> 01:15:58,680
that he must know about Persephone, for he could see

1023
01:15:58,720 --> 01:16:03,079
all things on earth and in the sky. Apollo told

1024
01:16:03,119 --> 01:16:07,159
Demeter that Hades had carried Persephone away, and that she

1025
01:16:07,439 --> 01:16:12,279
was with him in his underground home. Demeter hastened to

1026
01:16:12,319 --> 01:16:16,159
the great father Zeus, who could do all things. She

1027
01:16:16,359 --> 01:16:20,359
asked him to send to Hades for her daughter. Zeus

1028
01:16:20,680 --> 01:16:24,800
called Hermes. He bade him go as swiftly as the

1029
01:16:24,840 --> 01:16:29,399
wind to the home of Hades. Hermes whispered to everything

1030
01:16:29,439 --> 01:16:32,479
on the way that he was going for Persephone so

1031
01:16:32,600 --> 01:16:36,479
that all might be ready to welcome her back. He

1032
01:16:36,600 --> 01:16:39,680
soon arrived in the kingdom and gave Hades the message

1033
01:16:39,680 --> 01:16:43,479
from Zeus. He told about the barren earth and of

1034
01:16:43,520 --> 01:16:48,680
how Demeter was mourning for her child. He said she

1035
01:16:48,800 --> 01:16:52,800
would not let anything grow until Persephone came back. The

1036
01:16:52,840 --> 01:16:57,359
people must starve if she did not soon return. Then

1037
01:16:57,520 --> 01:17:02,359
Persephone wept bitterly, for that very day she had eaten

1038
01:17:02,399 --> 01:17:07,399
a pomegranate and swallowed six of its seeds. Hades pitied

1039
01:17:07,439 --> 01:17:10,600
her and said that she need only stay with him

1040
01:17:10,640 --> 01:17:14,760
one month for each seed she had eaten. Joy gave

1041
01:17:14,760 --> 01:17:19,199
her wings, and as swiftly as Hermes himself, Persephone flew

1042
01:17:19,279 --> 01:17:23,119
up into the sunshine. Apello saw her and rose higher

1043
01:17:23,119 --> 01:17:27,600
and higher into the sky. A gentle breeze came rustling

1044
01:17:27,680 --> 01:17:33,239
from the southeast and whispered something to everything he met. Suddenly,

1045
01:17:33,279 --> 01:17:37,239
the flowers sprang up, the birds flocked together and sang.

1046
01:17:37,840 --> 01:17:42,359
The trees put on bright green leaves. Everything great and

1047
01:17:42,600 --> 01:17:46,600
small began to say, in its own language, be happy,

1048
01:17:47,159 --> 01:17:52,560
for Persephone has come. Persephone has come. Demeter saw these

1049
01:17:52,640 --> 01:17:57,840
changes and was puzzled, can the earth be ungrateful? Does

1050
01:17:57,880 --> 01:18:03,680
she so soon forget procesh she cried. It was not long, however,

1051
01:18:03,760 --> 01:18:07,560
before her own face became beautiful and happy, for she

1052
01:18:07,640 --> 01:18:12,359
held again her beloved child in her arms. When Demet

1053
01:18:12,960 --> 01:18:16,520
found that Persephone could stay with her only half the year,

1054
01:18:17,159 --> 01:18:21,079
she brought out the choicest treasures from her storehouse, and

1055
01:18:21,159 --> 01:18:25,479
while Persephone stayed the world was filled with beauty and joy.

1056
01:18:26,720 --> 01:18:30,039
When she had gone, Demeter covered the rivers and lakes

1057
01:18:30,319 --> 01:18:33,800
and spread a soft white blanket over the sleeping earth.

1058
01:18:34,479 --> 01:18:38,279
Then she too fell asleep and dreamed such pleasant dreams

1059
01:18:38,600 --> 01:18:42,239
that she did not awake until she felt Persephone's warm

1060
01:18:42,359 --> 01:18:51,560
kiss on her forehead. The end. Phaatin Phaatin was the

1061
01:18:51,640 --> 01:18:54,720
son of Helius, who drove the chariot of the Sun.

1062
01:18:55,520 --> 01:18:59,199
He lived with his mother, the gentle Clemini, in a

1063
01:18:59,199 --> 01:19:04,039
beautiful valley in the east. One day, when Phaeton was

1064
01:19:04,079 --> 01:19:07,880
telling his companions about his father, the sky King, they

1065
01:19:08,000 --> 01:19:11,640
laughed and said, how do you know that Helius is

1066
01:19:11,680 --> 01:19:16,119
your father? You have never seen him. If, as you say,

1067
01:19:16,159 --> 01:19:19,479
he cannot safely come nearer to the earth, why do

1068
01:19:19,600 --> 01:19:23,960
you not sometimes go to his land? Phaaeton answered, my

1069
01:19:24,079 --> 01:19:27,600
father's throne is far away from this valley. My mother

1070
01:19:27,680 --> 01:19:30,640
has promised that when I am stronger, I shall go

1071
01:19:30,720 --> 01:19:34,720
to my father's palace. I often watch his golden chariot

1072
01:19:34,840 --> 01:19:37,960
roll by in its path, and think, perhaps some day

1073
01:19:38,319 --> 01:19:41,960
I shall drive the glorious horses of the Sun. I

1074
01:19:42,000 --> 01:19:44,439
shall go now to my mother and ask her how

1075
01:19:44,520 --> 01:19:49,439
much longer I must wait. When Phaeton told his mother

1076
01:19:49,600 --> 01:19:54,000
what his companions had said, she answered, go, my child,

1077
01:19:54,520 --> 01:19:58,199
ask great Helius if you are his son, if you

1078
01:19:58,239 --> 01:20:01,399
are worthy to be the son of Helia, you will

1079
01:20:01,479 --> 01:20:05,600
be given strength and courage for the journey. Faaton gladly

1080
01:20:05,680 --> 01:20:09,239
and bravely climbed the unused path which led to the

1081
01:20:09,279 --> 01:20:13,319
Palace of the Sun. At last he came in sight

1082
01:20:13,399 --> 01:20:17,119
of the throne. He had never seen anything so beautiful.

1083
01:20:17,720 --> 01:20:20,800
On one side were standing the days, months, and the

1084
01:20:20,840 --> 01:20:25,119
old years. On the other side were the seasons, spring

1085
01:20:25,479 --> 01:20:29,760
covered with flowers, summer with their baskets of fruit and grain,

1086
01:20:30,560 --> 01:20:34,760
autumn and a mini colored dress, and young winter with

1087
01:20:34,840 --> 01:20:39,319
a crown of icicles. As Faatin came nearer to the throne,

1088
01:20:39,600 --> 01:20:42,920
the light was greater than his eyes could bear. Its

1089
01:20:43,000 --> 01:20:48,560
wonderful colors dazzled him. Helius saw the brave youth and

1090
01:20:48,720 --> 01:20:52,439
knew that it was Faatin his son. He took his

1091
01:20:52,520 --> 01:20:56,600
glittering crown from his head and went forward to meet him.

1092
01:20:57,159 --> 01:21:02,399
Faaetin cried, great Helius, if you are my father, give

1093
01:21:02,439 --> 01:21:07,600
me and other's proof that it is so. Helius took

1094
01:21:07,680 --> 01:21:10,680
him in his arms and kissed him. You are indeed

1095
01:21:10,760 --> 01:21:13,760
my son, he said, I will put an end to

1096
01:21:13,840 --> 01:21:17,199
your doubts. Ask any gift you will, and it shall

1097
01:21:17,199 --> 01:21:21,199
be yours. Bayaton had always had one wish in his heart,

1098
01:21:21,239 --> 01:21:24,720
and said, oh, my father, let me drive the wonderful

1099
01:21:24,760 --> 01:21:29,439
golden chariot of the sun for just one day. Helius

1100
01:21:29,439 --> 01:21:32,840
shook his head sadly and said, that is the one

1101
01:21:33,079 --> 01:21:37,199
thing which you must not ask to do. You are

1102
01:21:37,239 --> 01:21:40,279
my son, and I love you for your own sake.

1103
01:21:40,439 --> 01:21:43,800
I cannot let you do this. You have neither the

1104
01:21:43,920 --> 01:21:47,880
strength nor the wisdom for the great work. The first

1105
01:21:47,920 --> 01:21:51,319
part of the way is very steep and rugged. In

1106
01:21:51,359 --> 01:21:54,760
the middle part even I dare not look below at

1107
01:21:54,800 --> 01:21:58,039
the far stretching earth. And the last part is full

1108
01:21:58,079 --> 01:22:03,399
of terrible dangers. Fayeton would not listen, but threw his

1109
01:22:03,560 --> 01:22:09,000
arms around his father's neck and begged to go. Helius said,

1110
01:22:09,039 --> 01:22:13,319
at last, if you persist, foolish boy, you shall have

1111
01:22:13,479 --> 01:22:17,359
your wish, for I cannot break my promise. I beg

1112
01:22:17,439 --> 01:22:22,239
of you. Choose more wisely, ask the most precious thing

1113
01:22:22,319 --> 01:22:25,720
on earth or in the sky, and you shall have it.

1114
01:22:27,159 --> 01:22:30,560
Already dawn had drawn back the purple curtains of the morning,

1115
01:22:30,960 --> 01:22:33,880
and the hours were harnessing the horses to the chariot.

1116
01:22:34,720 --> 01:22:38,600
The stars and moon were retiring for the day. The

1117
01:22:38,720 --> 01:22:43,159
chariot glittered with jewels, which scent the light in all directions.

1118
01:22:43,960 --> 01:22:48,319
Faeton looked upon it with delight, and longed impatiently for

1119
01:22:48,399 --> 01:22:53,399
the great joy of driving it. Helius said, oh, my

1120
01:22:53,520 --> 01:22:57,600
dear son, go not too high, or you will scorch

1121
01:22:57,680 --> 01:23:02,000
the dwelling of heaven. Nor too low lest you set

1122
01:23:02,039 --> 01:23:05,600
the world on fire. Keep in the middle path that

1123
01:23:05,760 --> 01:23:09,479
is best, and do not use the whip, rather hold

1124
01:23:09,560 --> 01:23:12,840
the horses in. Phaeton was too happy to hear what

1125
01:23:12,880 --> 01:23:16,479
his father was saying. He leapt into the golden chariot

1126
01:23:16,840 --> 01:23:20,399
and stood erect. As the fiery horses sprang forth from

1127
01:23:20,439 --> 01:23:24,039
the eastern gates of day. They soon missed the strong,

1128
01:23:24,119 --> 01:23:27,960
steady hand of their master. Up Up, they went far

1129
01:23:28,079 --> 01:23:32,279
into the sky, above the stars and then plunged downward

1130
01:23:32,640 --> 01:23:38,079
toward the earth. The clouds smoked, the mountain tops caught fire,

1131
01:23:38,439 --> 01:23:45,119
Many rivers dried up, and whole countries became deserts. Great

1132
01:23:45,199 --> 01:23:49,039
cities were burned, and even Poseidon cried out in terror

1133
01:23:49,079 --> 01:23:53,199
from the sea. Then the people on earth learned with

1134
01:23:53,520 --> 01:23:56,720
what great wisdom the path of the Sun was planned.

1135
01:23:57,880 --> 01:24:00,800
Helius saw that the whole world world would soon be

1136
01:24:00,880 --> 01:24:03,960
on fire, and cried to Father Zeus to save the

1137
01:24:04,000 --> 01:24:07,720
earth from the flames. Zeus searched all the heavens for

1138
01:24:07,800 --> 01:24:13,359
clouds and hurled his thunderbolts from the sky. Fayaton fell

1139
01:24:13,439 --> 01:24:17,800
from the chariot down down into a clear river. The

1140
01:24:17,920 --> 01:24:22,279
naids cooled his burning brow and gently sang him to sleep.

1141
01:24:23,039 --> 01:24:25,439
His sisters came to the banks of the river and

1142
01:24:25,520 --> 01:24:30,760
wept that they might be always near Fayatin. Zeus, in pity,

1143
01:24:31,279 --> 01:24:35,039
changed them into poplar trees, and their tears became clear

1144
01:24:35,199 --> 01:24:38,960
amber as they fell into the water. At last, the

1145
01:24:39,000 --> 01:24:43,720
tired horses became quiet, and the great car rolled slowly

1146
01:24:43,880 --> 01:24:48,880
back into its old path. But the deserts and barren

1147
01:24:48,960 --> 01:24:53,159
mountain tops still tell the story of the day Fayaton

1148
01:24:53,640 --> 01:24:57,880
tried to drive the Chariot of the Sun. The End

1149
01:24:59,039 --> 01:25:08,439
End of Sunny Myths, Nature Myths and Stories for Little

1150
01:25:08,479 --> 01:25:12,399
Children by Flora J. Cook. This LibriVox recording is in

1151
01:25:12,439 --> 01:25:18,399
the public domain Tree Stories. Daphne was the daughter of

1152
01:25:18,479 --> 01:25:22,560
the river Peneus. She was a beautiful child, and her

1153
01:25:22,600 --> 01:25:25,239
father loved her more than anything else in the world.

1154
01:25:26,399 --> 01:25:29,199
Her home was in a cave which she had cut

1155
01:25:29,239 --> 01:25:33,520
for her in a great white cliff. The walls of

1156
01:25:33,560 --> 01:25:37,279
the cave were of marble. From the roof hung crystal

1157
01:25:37,359 --> 01:25:42,640
chandeliers which Penias's servants had made. On the floor was

1158
01:25:42,680 --> 01:25:48,239
a soft green carpet woven by the water fairies. Peneas

1159
01:25:48,239 --> 01:25:52,359
brought his most beautiful pebbles to Daphne's cave every night.

1160
01:25:53,479 --> 01:25:56,479
He sang songs to her in the evenings and told

1161
01:25:56,479 --> 01:26:00,319
her stories of his travels. She visited with him on

1162
01:26:00,359 --> 01:26:03,399
the great island which he was building in the sea.

1163
01:26:04,399 --> 01:26:07,600
When the morning stars shone in the sky, it was

1164
01:26:07,680 --> 01:26:12,079
Daphne who awakened the birds and flowers. With her golden

1165
01:26:12,159 --> 01:26:16,439
hair flying behind her, she sped into the forest. Everything

1166
01:26:16,479 --> 01:26:19,840
awoke when they felt the touch of her rosy fingers,

1167
01:26:20,359 --> 01:26:24,880
and smiled as they saw her. Happy face. The trees

1168
01:26:25,119 --> 01:26:28,640
and the forest animals were her playfellows, and she had

1169
01:26:28,640 --> 01:26:33,119
no wish for other friends. She learned their ways, and

1170
01:26:33,239 --> 01:26:37,119
the deer could not run more swiftly than she, nor

1171
01:26:37,199 --> 01:26:41,399
the birds sing more sweetly. One day, as she was

1172
01:26:41,479 --> 01:26:46,479
running over the stones near the cave, King Apollo saw her, Ah,

1173
01:26:46,640 --> 01:26:51,039
little maid. He said, you are very beautiful. Your feet

1174
01:26:51,079 --> 01:26:55,680
are too tender for the hard rocky earth. Come you

1175
01:26:55,760 --> 01:26:58,199
shall live with me in my palace in the sky.

1176
01:26:59,399 --> 01:27:03,159
But daf fled from him. She did not want to

1177
01:27:03,239 --> 01:27:07,760
leave her beautiful earth home. Fear gave her wings, and

1178
01:27:07,920 --> 01:27:12,800
faster and faster she flew. Her hair streamed behind her

1179
01:27:13,239 --> 01:27:17,399
like a cloud of golden light. Apollo followed more swiftly

1180
01:27:17,479 --> 01:27:21,359
than the wind. Stop and listen, he cried, I am

1181
01:27:21,399 --> 01:27:25,000
not a foe. Foolish girl, It is Apollo who follows you.

1182
01:27:25,640 --> 01:27:28,079
I shall carry you to a home more beautiful than

1183
01:27:28,159 --> 01:27:32,840
anything you have ever seen. She felt his breath upon

1184
01:27:32,920 --> 01:27:35,920
her hair, and saw his hand as he stretched it

1185
01:27:36,000 --> 01:27:40,960
forth to seize her father. Save me from Apollo, she cried,

1186
01:27:41,399 --> 01:27:45,920
let the earth enclose me. Peneus heard her voice, and

1187
01:27:46,119 --> 01:27:50,239
instantly her feet became fastened in the soil, like roots.

1188
01:27:50,880 --> 01:27:54,560
A soft bark covered her body, and her beautiful hair

1189
01:27:54,680 --> 01:27:59,319
became the leaves of the laurel tree. Apollo sadly gathered

1190
01:27:59,359 --> 01:28:02,359
some of the lee leaves and wove them into a wreath.

1191
01:28:03,520 --> 01:28:07,439
He laid his hand upon the tree and said, I

1192
01:28:07,479 --> 01:28:10,399
would have made you happy, but you would not listen

1193
01:28:10,479 --> 01:28:15,720
to me. At least you shall be my tree. Your

1194
01:28:15,840 --> 01:28:20,119
leaves shall be ever green, and heroes shall be crowned

1195
01:28:20,159 --> 01:28:27,239
with them in a sign of victory. The end a

1196
01:28:27,279 --> 01:28:32,359
fairy story. Some fairies once lived in a dark glen

1197
01:28:32,640 --> 01:28:36,760
in a pine forest. They were real fairies, many of

1198
01:28:36,800 --> 01:28:40,560
them not higher than a pin. Their greatest treasure was

1199
01:28:40,600 --> 01:28:44,279
a magic cap, which had been in the fairy family

1200
01:28:44,359 --> 01:28:48,359
for many generations. The most wonderful thing about the cap

1201
01:28:48,840 --> 01:28:53,000
was that it fitted exactly anyone who wore it. When

1202
01:28:53,039 --> 01:28:56,600
one fairy put it on, he and all the others

1203
01:28:56,680 --> 01:29:02,359
became invisible. A stupid race of giants lived among the

1204
01:29:02,399 --> 01:29:06,159
mountains near them. They wanted the fairy cap more than

1205
01:29:06,319 --> 01:29:10,199
anything else in the world. One warm day, when the

1206
01:29:10,239 --> 01:29:14,000
elves were away from home, a giant came into the glen.

1207
01:29:14,720 --> 01:29:17,600
He was seeking just such a cool place for his

1208
01:29:17,720 --> 01:29:22,880
afternoon nap. He was so large and the glen so small,

1209
01:29:23,439 --> 01:29:26,800
that when he lay down he almost filled the valley.

1210
01:29:28,239 --> 01:29:32,239
The music of a fairy brook soon lulled him to sleep.

1211
01:29:32,960 --> 01:29:36,359
Perhaps you have heard how a giant snores, and how

1212
01:29:36,399 --> 01:29:41,279
his breath comes in great puffs. The giant was snoring

1213
01:29:41,319 --> 01:29:45,680
and puffing when the fairies came towards home. They heard

1214
01:29:45,680 --> 01:29:48,600
the strange sound and thought a great storm was brewing.

1215
01:29:49,479 --> 01:29:52,239
There has never been such a wind in the glen,

1216
01:29:52,479 --> 01:29:55,760
said the fairy queen. We will not go down into it.

1217
01:29:56,479 --> 01:29:59,600
We must seek shelter for to night on this hill side.

1218
01:30:00,800 --> 01:30:04,800
Just then they came to the giant's ear. Here is

1219
01:30:04,840 --> 01:30:08,479
a fine cavern, the queen said, and she stopped and

1220
01:30:08,600 --> 01:30:12,319
waved her wand a fairy hastened forward to carry the

1221
01:30:12,359 --> 01:30:15,239
cap to a safe place in the cave, for that

1222
01:30:15,399 --> 01:30:20,319
was always their first care. Just then the giant awoke.

1223
01:30:21,239 --> 01:30:25,600
He raised his great head. Oh how miserable the fairies were.

1224
01:30:26,239 --> 01:30:29,800
They wept and moaned, until even the dull ear of

1225
01:30:29,840 --> 01:30:34,119
the giant heard them. It was a sound like the

1226
01:30:34,239 --> 01:30:39,640
tolling of tiny silver bells. He listened and understood what

1227
01:30:39,720 --> 01:30:42,520
the wee voice of the prisoner in his ear was

1228
01:30:42,560 --> 01:30:47,560
saying he was the wisest and most kind hearted of

1229
01:30:47,760 --> 01:30:52,560
all the giants. He helped the little creature gently out

1230
01:30:52,600 --> 01:30:56,520
into his hand, and looked at him in wonder. He

1231
01:30:56,600 --> 01:31:00,399
had never before seen a fairy in vain. The brave

1232
01:31:00,520 --> 01:31:04,920
little fellow tried to conceal the precious cap. The giants

1233
01:31:04,920 --> 01:31:08,560
saw the wonderful star and knew at once that he

1234
01:31:09,000 --> 01:31:12,680
had the treasure cap of the elves. He set the

1235
01:31:12,680 --> 01:31:16,239
fairy carefully upon the ground and shouted for joy as

1236
01:31:16,279 --> 01:31:21,199
he found that the cap exactly fitted his own great head.

1237
01:31:22,479 --> 01:31:26,000
The poor fairies could no longer see him, but they

1238
01:31:26,039 --> 01:31:29,039
heard a sound like thunder as he hurried over the

1239
01:31:29,079 --> 01:31:33,720
stones towards his home. They were now afraid to move about.

1240
01:31:33,720 --> 01:31:38,000
While the sun shone, They crept under leaves and into shells,

1241
01:31:38,359 --> 01:31:42,359
and cried bitterly. By sundown, every plant in the glen

1242
01:31:42,479 --> 01:31:46,039
was wet with their tears. The sharp eyes of the

1243
01:31:46,079 --> 01:31:49,039
eagle on the mountain top saw them, and a great

1244
01:31:49,159 --> 01:31:53,520
pity filled his heart. I must help the fairies, he said,

1245
01:31:54,000 --> 01:31:56,920
otherwise I should not be worthy to be called the

1246
01:31:57,000 --> 01:32:00,319
king of the birds. He went directly to the home

1247
01:32:00,359 --> 01:32:03,720
of the giants and demanded the cap, but they refused

1248
01:32:03,720 --> 01:32:07,000
to give it up. All that an eagle could do

1249
01:32:07,399 --> 01:32:11,199
he did. But as the giants wore the invisible cap,

1250
01:32:11,680 --> 01:32:14,479
he could not see them. He could only hear their

1251
01:32:14,520 --> 01:32:18,840
great voices. He knew, however, that the giants were proud

1252
01:32:18,920 --> 01:32:22,399
of their great size and strength, and liked above all

1253
01:32:22,479 --> 01:32:27,000
things to be seen. He was sure that they would

1254
01:32:27,039 --> 01:32:30,680
not wear the cap in a battle, and he did

1255
01:32:30,720 --> 01:32:35,159
not lose hope. One day, they carefully placed it under

1256
01:32:35,199 --> 01:32:39,359
a large stone on the mountain side below them. The

1257
01:32:39,439 --> 01:32:43,880
keen eye of the eagle was watching. He flew fearlessly

1258
01:32:43,960 --> 01:32:47,039
to the spot. As soon as the giants had left it.

1259
01:32:47,800 --> 01:32:51,039
He lifted the stone in his great talons and was

1260
01:32:51,119 --> 01:32:54,279
soon flying away with the cap to the fairy glen.

1261
01:32:54,960 --> 01:32:57,840
The giants saw him and knew at once what he

1262
01:32:57,960 --> 01:33:02,439
was doing. They began a fierce attack upon him. The

1263
01:33:02,479 --> 01:33:07,239
air was filled with flying arrows and sharp rocks. Drops

1264
01:33:07,239 --> 01:33:10,880
of blood fell on the mountain side, and many feathers

1265
01:33:10,920 --> 01:33:15,880
fluttered down, But the brave eagle was soon out of

1266
01:33:15,960 --> 01:33:19,720
their reach. He did not stop until the cap was

1267
01:33:19,800 --> 01:33:24,279
safe in the fairy queen's lap. There was great rejoicing

1268
01:33:24,319 --> 01:33:27,640
among the fairies that day, they had a feast in

1269
01:33:27,680 --> 01:33:31,520
the eagle's honor, and healed his wounds with fairy magic.

1270
01:33:32,399 --> 01:33:36,000
On the mountain side, wherever the blood and feathers fell,

1271
01:33:36,479 --> 01:33:41,000
there sprang up trees with featherlike leaves and blood red berries.

1272
01:33:41,880 --> 01:33:45,439
All the Giant's fairies, plants, and animals knew why they

1273
01:33:45,479 --> 01:33:50,520
grew the unselfish love of the eagle's blood. Could not die,

1274
01:33:51,239 --> 01:33:54,840
but lived again in the beautiful trees. But people who

1275
01:33:54,840 --> 01:33:57,720
did not know how they came there called them mountain

1276
01:33:57,880 --> 01:34:06,840
ash trees. The end Philimon and Bosses. On a high

1277
01:34:06,920 --> 01:34:12,319
hill in Greece. Long ago lived Phillymon and Bosses. They

1278
01:34:12,319 --> 01:34:16,720
had always been poor, but never unhappy. At the time

1279
01:34:16,720 --> 01:34:19,560
of this story, the people in the valley below them

1280
01:34:19,880 --> 01:34:24,680
were very busy. Zeus, their king, had sent word that

1281
01:34:24,800 --> 01:34:29,520
he was about to visit them. Hermes, his messenger, was

1282
01:34:29,600 --> 01:34:33,479
to come with him. The people were getting ready great

1283
01:34:33,600 --> 01:34:39,000
feasts and making everything beautiful for their coming. For miles

1284
01:34:39,039 --> 01:34:42,119
out of the city, men were watching for the golden

1285
01:34:42,239 --> 01:34:46,880
chariot and white horses of the king. One night, just

1286
01:34:46,960 --> 01:34:51,239
at dark, two beggars came to the valley. They stopped

1287
01:34:51,239 --> 01:34:54,359
at every house and asked for food and a place

1288
01:34:54,439 --> 01:34:57,760
to sleep, but the people were too busy or too

1289
01:34:57,840 --> 01:35:02,119
tired to attend to their needs. Foot sore and weary,

1290
01:35:02,680 --> 01:35:05,439
at last they climbed the hill to the hut of

1291
01:35:05,840 --> 01:35:11,640
Philemon and Bosses. These good people had eaten scarcely anything

1292
01:35:11,800 --> 01:35:15,159
for several days that they might have food to offer

1293
01:35:15,199 --> 01:35:19,760
the king. When they saw the strangers, Philamon said, surely

1294
01:35:19,840 --> 01:35:23,920
these men need food more than the king. Bossus spread

1295
01:35:23,920 --> 01:35:27,840
her one white tablecloth. Upon the table she brought out

1296
01:35:28,039 --> 01:35:33,239
bacon and herbs, wild honey, and milk. She set these

1297
01:35:33,279 --> 01:35:36,720
before the strangers with all the good dishes that she had.

1298
01:35:37,800 --> 01:35:43,119
Then a wonderful thing happened. The dishes which the strangers

1299
01:35:43,199 --> 01:35:49,000
touched turned to gold. The milk in the pitcher became

1300
01:35:49,199 --> 01:35:54,960
rich nectar. Philaemon and Bosses dropped upon their knees. They

1301
01:35:55,079 --> 01:35:59,520
knew that their guests could be no other than Zeus.

1302
01:35:59,720 --> 01:36:04,680
Ands Zeus raised his hand and said, arise, good people,

1303
01:36:05,279 --> 01:36:09,520
Ask what you will, and it shall be yours. Philammond

1304
01:36:09,520 --> 01:36:14,199
and Bossus cried in one voice, grant o Zeus that

1305
01:36:14,319 --> 01:36:17,640
one of us may not outlive the other, but that

1306
01:36:17,840 --> 01:36:22,359
both may die in the same instant. This had long

1307
01:36:22,439 --> 01:36:25,319
been the wish in each heart, and the fear of

1308
01:36:25,399 --> 01:36:28,640
being left alone in the world was the one trouble

1309
01:36:28,760 --> 01:36:34,000
of their old age. Zeus smiled and changed their rude

1310
01:36:34,119 --> 01:36:38,720
hut into a beautiful castle, and granted them many years

1311
01:36:38,760 --> 01:36:42,680
of happy life. One morning, the people in the valley

1312
01:36:42,920 --> 01:36:48,000
noticed that the castle had disappeared. They hurried to the

1313
01:36:48,039 --> 01:36:52,359
spot and found growing in its place two beautiful trees,

1314
01:36:53,000 --> 01:36:57,000
an oak and a linden. No trace of the good

1315
01:36:57,000 --> 01:37:01,560
couple could be found. Many years after, however, a traveler

1316
01:37:02,000 --> 01:37:05,520
lying under the trees heard them whispering to each other.

1317
01:37:06,399 --> 01:37:10,359
He lay very still, and soon learned that in them

1318
01:37:10,680 --> 01:37:16,840
Philammon and Bosses still lived, happy and contented, and protected

1319
01:37:17,000 --> 01:37:25,840
by Zeus from all harm. The end the poplar tree.

1320
01:37:26,279 --> 01:37:29,800
One night, just at sunset, an old man found the

1321
01:37:29,840 --> 01:37:32,800
pot of gold which lies under the end of the rainbow.

1322
01:37:33,840 --> 01:37:37,439
His home was far beyond the dark forest through which

1323
01:37:37,479 --> 01:37:41,399
he was passing. The pot of gold was heavy, and

1324
01:37:41,479 --> 01:37:44,079
he soon began to look for a safe place in

1325
01:37:44,119 --> 01:37:47,760
which to hide it. Until morning. A poplar tree stood

1326
01:37:47,840 --> 01:37:52,199
near the path, stretching its branches straight out from the trunk.

1327
01:37:53,439 --> 01:37:58,319
That was the way the poplar trees grew in those days, Ah,

1328
01:37:58,359 --> 01:38:01,439
said the man, This tree is the very place in

1329
01:38:01,439 --> 01:38:05,680
which to conceal my treasure. The trees are all asleep,

1330
01:38:05,720 --> 01:38:10,239
I see, and these leaves are large and thick. He

1331
01:38:10,359 --> 01:38:13,079
carefully placed the pot of gold in the tree and

1332
01:38:13,199 --> 01:38:16,960
hurried home to tell of his good fortune. Very early

1333
01:38:17,000 --> 01:38:21,640
the next morning, Iris, the rainbow messenger, missed the precious

1334
01:38:21,680 --> 01:38:25,680
pot of gold. She hastened to Zeus and told him

1335
01:38:25,760 --> 01:38:30,279
of the loss. Zeus immediately sent Hermes in search of it.

1336
01:38:30,840 --> 01:38:33,439
Hermes soon came to the forest where it was hidden.

1337
01:38:34,159 --> 01:38:37,159
He awakened the trees and asked them if they had

1338
01:38:37,239 --> 01:38:40,960
seen the pot of gold. They shook their heads sleepily

1339
01:38:41,479 --> 01:38:46,359
and murmured something which Hermes could not understand. Then Zeus

1340
01:38:46,439 --> 01:38:51,239
himself spoke to them, hold your arms high above your heads.

1341
01:38:51,319 --> 01:38:55,239
He said that I may see that all are awake.

1342
01:38:56,399 --> 01:39:01,279
Up went the arms, but alas to the ground came

1343
01:39:01,319 --> 01:39:04,960
the pot of gold. The poplar tree was more surprised

1344
01:39:04,960 --> 01:39:08,720
than any one else. He was a very honest tree,

1345
01:39:09,239 --> 01:39:12,680
and for a moment hung his head in grief and shame.

1346
01:39:13,760 --> 01:39:16,720
Then again he stretched his arms high above his head

1347
01:39:16,720 --> 01:39:21,640
and said, forgive me, Great Father. Hereafter I shall stand

1348
01:39:21,680 --> 01:39:24,520
in this way that you may know that I hide

1349
01:39:24,640 --> 01:39:28,920
nothing from the sun, my king. At first, the poplar

1350
01:39:28,960 --> 01:39:32,479
tree was much laughed at. He was often told that

1351
01:39:32,560 --> 01:39:35,880
he looked like a great umbrella which a storm had

1352
01:39:35,920 --> 01:39:40,359
turned inside out. But as years went by, every small

1353
01:39:40,399 --> 01:39:44,760
poplar was taught to grow as fearless, straight and open

1354
01:39:44,880 --> 01:39:49,640
hearted as himself, and the whole poplar family became respected

1355
01:39:49,680 --> 01:39:58,680
and loved for its uprightness and strength. The end the

1356
01:39:58,720 --> 01:40:03,039
Secret of Fire. One summer night, a great army of

1357
01:40:03,119 --> 01:40:06,399
pine trees settled down in a quiet valley to rest.

1358
01:40:07,279 --> 01:40:11,600
They were a tall, dark, grave looking company. They held

1359
01:40:11,600 --> 01:40:14,039
their heads high in the air, for they were the

1360
01:40:14,079 --> 01:40:17,159
only trees in the world who knew the wonderful secret

1361
01:40:17,199 --> 01:40:21,479
of fire. High above this valley, on the hill side,

1362
01:40:21,920 --> 01:40:26,119
lived a little company of oaks. They were young, brave,

1363
01:40:26,520 --> 01:40:30,239
and strong hearted. When they saw the great band of

1364
01:40:30,319 --> 01:40:34,399
pines marching into the valley, the tallest one said, let

1365
01:40:34,520 --> 01:40:38,079
us make them divide the gift of fire with us. No,

1366
01:40:38,840 --> 01:40:43,479
said the oldest, wisest oak. We must not risk foolishly

1367
01:40:43,600 --> 01:40:47,199
the lives of our acorns. We could do nothing against

1368
01:40:47,279 --> 01:40:51,239
so many. All the acorns had been listening to what

1369
01:40:51,279 --> 01:40:55,279
the trees said each one longed to help in finding

1370
01:40:55,319 --> 01:40:59,600
out the great secret. One of them became so excited

1371
01:40:59,760 --> 01:41:03,199
that he fell from the limb down upon the hard ground.

1372
01:41:04,159 --> 01:41:06,319
He did not stop at the foot of the tree,

1373
01:41:06,520 --> 01:41:10,600
but rolled over and over far down into the valley.

1374
01:41:11,600 --> 01:41:15,359
Here a brook picked him up and hurried him away,

1375
01:41:16,239 --> 01:41:19,359
But as he stopped to rest by a stone, he

1376
01:41:19,560 --> 01:41:23,199
hurt his good friend. The wind talking to a pine tree,

1377
01:41:23,920 --> 01:41:27,920
what is the secret of fire which the pine trees know?

1378
01:41:28,640 --> 01:41:32,479
Asked the wind. Don't you think it is selfish to

1379
01:41:32,600 --> 01:41:37,039
keep it all to yourselves? The pine tree loved the

1380
01:41:37,119 --> 01:41:41,960
wind and answered, great Wind, it is indeed a wonderful secret.

1381
01:41:42,479 --> 01:41:46,399
You must never tell it. Then she whispered it to

1382
01:41:46,439 --> 01:41:51,159
the wind. The little acorn went on and on down

1383
01:41:51,199 --> 01:41:55,000
the stream. He came to an old log which was

1384
01:41:55,039 --> 01:41:58,479
the home of a large family of squirrels. The mother

1385
01:41:58,600 --> 01:42:02,720
squirrel was very sad. The last flood had brought her

1386
01:42:02,760 --> 01:42:06,359
and her children far away from their old forest home.

1387
01:42:07,399 --> 01:42:11,279
Her family had all been saved, but food was scarce

1388
01:42:11,840 --> 01:42:16,399
and winter was near. The acorn felt very sorry for her,

1389
01:42:16,399 --> 01:42:19,439
and said, I am too small to do you much

1390
01:42:19,479 --> 01:42:22,840
good alone. If you will carry me back to my home,

1391
01:42:23,319 --> 01:42:26,560
I will show you a forest with plenty of nuts.

1392
01:42:27,199 --> 01:42:30,520
You can take your family there in the fall. This

1393
01:42:31,039 --> 01:42:35,399
the squirrel was very glad to do. As they went along,

1394
01:42:35,920 --> 01:42:40,439
the acorn called to all the elms, naples, willows, and

1395
01:42:40,520 --> 01:42:45,640
hickorys to meet that night on the hilltop. Come to

1396
01:42:45,720 --> 01:42:48,840
the hill across from the great blue mountains. He said,

1397
01:42:49,520 --> 01:42:54,039
there you will learn the secret of fire. By the evening,

1398
01:42:54,399 --> 01:42:58,079
they were all there in great companies, ready for war

1399
01:42:58,199 --> 01:43:02,079
on the pines. When the squirrel came to the forest

1400
01:43:02,119 --> 01:43:06,039
and saw all the nuts, she was much pleased. She

1401
01:43:06,159 --> 01:43:09,239
offered to carry the acorn to the very top of

1402
01:43:09,279 --> 01:43:13,039
the tallest tree. The trees were all glad for this,

1403
01:43:13,560 --> 01:43:17,359
for everyone wanted to hear what he said. When the

1404
01:43:17,439 --> 01:43:23,920
acorn began to speak, even the wind stopped whispering and listened. Friends,

1405
01:43:23,960 --> 01:43:28,079
He said, there must be no battle. The pine trees

1406
01:43:28,159 --> 01:43:30,640
have only the same gift of fire that you have.

1407
01:43:31,640 --> 01:43:35,600
To every tree that stretches out its arms. The glorious

1408
01:43:35,720 --> 01:43:39,720
Sun gives this gift. But it was in this way

1409
01:43:39,960 --> 01:43:42,399
that the pine trees learned the secret of getting the

1410
01:43:42,439 --> 01:43:46,199
fire from the wood. They saw an old Indian chief

1411
01:43:46,439 --> 01:43:50,920
with two curious pieces of wood, one was round and smooth.

1412
01:43:51,520 --> 01:43:55,840
The other was sharp pointed. With all his strength, he

1413
01:43:55,960 --> 01:43:59,960
was rubbing them together. Soon he had worn a groom

1414
01:44:00,359 --> 01:44:05,359
in the round stick. He rubbed faster and faster, and

1415
01:44:05,439 --> 01:44:09,039
there in the groove was a tiny spark of fire.

1416
01:44:10,239 --> 01:44:14,079
Then the Indian blew his breath upon the spark, and

1417
01:44:14,199 --> 01:44:18,760
a little yellow flame leaped up. All the pine trees

1418
01:44:18,800 --> 01:44:23,439
saw it. See it is fire, they said. When the

1419
01:44:23,479 --> 01:44:27,000
great company of trees had heard the acorns story, they

1420
01:44:27,039 --> 01:44:31,039
shook their heads in doubt. Then the acorn said, this

1421
01:44:31,279 --> 01:44:33,840
is the true secret of fire. If you do not

1422
01:44:34,039 --> 01:44:37,560
believe it, why do you not try it for yourselves.

1423
01:44:39,079 --> 01:44:43,199
They took his advice, and all the trees learned that

1424
01:44:43,239 --> 01:44:47,479
what he had said was true. They were so happy

1425
01:44:47,760 --> 01:44:50,560
that they spent the whole night in singing and dancing.

1426
01:44:51,560 --> 01:44:54,319
In the morning, when they saw the great blue mountains

1427
01:44:54,439 --> 01:44:58,119
in the beautiful valley, many of them settled down upon

1428
01:44:58,159 --> 01:45:01,880
the hillside for life. The pines looked up and saw

1429
01:45:02,039 --> 01:45:06,000
hundreds of trees with their shining arms. They were so

1430
01:45:06,119 --> 01:45:09,279
frightened that they climbed high up on the mountain side.

1431
01:45:09,880 --> 01:45:14,399
There they stayed a long long time. They grew sad

1432
01:45:14,439 --> 01:45:18,359
and lonely, and often sighed and wished for their old

1433
01:45:18,479 --> 01:45:22,359
home and comforts. But they were brave and strong hearted

1434
01:45:22,760 --> 01:45:26,680
and helped each other. At last, some of them came

1435
01:45:26,720 --> 01:45:30,159
down into the valley again. Through suffering, they had grown

1436
01:45:30,279 --> 01:45:34,439
strong and unselfish. They gave their best trees to the people,

1437
01:45:35,079 --> 01:45:39,479
and their fairest to the children at Christmas time. Indeed,

1438
01:45:39,880 --> 01:45:42,000
there is not a tree in the world to day

1439
01:45:42,159 --> 01:45:45,880
more loved than the pine tree, who first had the

1440
01:45:45,960 --> 01:45:58,439
secret of fire. The end end of Tree Stories, Nature

1441
01:45:58,479 --> 01:46:01,399
Myths and Stories for Little Children by Flora J. Cook.

1442
01:46:01,960 --> 01:46:06,640
The Slibrivox recording is in the public Domain Miscellaneous Stories.

1443
01:46:07,640 --> 01:46:13,000
Hermes Yellows was the father of all the winds, great

1444
01:46:13,119 --> 01:46:17,119
and small. Long ago, they all lived happily together in

1445
01:46:17,159 --> 01:46:21,279
a dark cave near the sea. On holidays, north wind,

1446
01:46:21,720 --> 01:46:26,039
south wind, east wind, and west wind, and their faithful

1447
01:46:26,079 --> 01:46:31,800
sisters came home and told of their travels. The whirlwinds

1448
01:46:31,840 --> 01:46:36,079
performed their most wonderful feats, and the zephyrs sang their

1449
01:46:36,119 --> 01:46:41,520
sweetest songs. These holidays, however, did not come often. There

1450
01:46:41,520 --> 01:46:45,520
were no idle children in the family of Yellows. They

1451
01:46:45,560 --> 01:46:49,560
swept and dusted the whole world. They carried water over

1452
01:46:49,600 --> 01:46:53,159
all the earth. They helped push the great ships across

1453
01:46:53,199 --> 01:46:58,359
the ocean. The smaller winds scattered the seas and sprinkled

1454
01:46:58,399 --> 01:47:02,039
the flowers and the other things which you may find

1455
01:47:02,079 --> 01:47:07,159
out for yourselves. Indeed, they were so busy that Eyellos

1456
01:47:07,760 --> 01:47:10,960
was often left alone in his dark home for several

1457
01:47:11,039 --> 01:47:14,359
days at a time. He was glad when one summer

1458
01:47:14,399 --> 01:47:17,800
morning a baby came to the cave. The baby's name

1459
01:47:17,840 --> 01:47:23,640
was Hermes, but ILOs called him Little Mischief because he

1460
01:47:23,800 --> 01:47:28,239
was so little and so full of trucks. Zeus was

1461
01:47:28,239 --> 01:47:33,000
Hermes's father, and his mother was the beautiful Queen Maya.

1462
01:47:34,000 --> 01:47:37,560
She was often called Star of Spring because people thought

1463
01:47:37,640 --> 01:47:41,640
that wherever she stepped, flowers sprang from under the snow.

1464
01:47:43,079 --> 01:47:47,319
Yellos loved Hermes dearly. He taught him many secrets which

1465
01:47:47,399 --> 01:47:52,079
only the winds know. Ermes was a wise baby and

1466
01:47:52,239 --> 01:47:57,119
understood all that Yellos told him. When he was only

1467
01:47:57,159 --> 01:48:00,800
two days old, he could run and whistle as well

1468
01:48:00,840 --> 01:48:04,840
as north wind. One day, while he was very young,

1469
01:48:05,239 --> 01:48:07,920
he climbed out of his cradle and ran down to

1470
01:48:08,000 --> 01:48:11,680
the sea shore. There he found an old tortoise shell.

1471
01:48:12,399 --> 01:48:15,079
He picked it up and put a row of holes

1472
01:48:15,159 --> 01:48:18,960
along each edge of the shell. Through these holes he

1473
01:48:19,039 --> 01:48:22,319
wove some reeds, which he found upon the sea shore.

1474
01:48:22,960 --> 01:48:27,760
Then he blew softly upon the reeds. The birds heard

1475
01:48:27,920 --> 01:48:32,000
such wonderful music that they stopped to listen. The leaves

1476
01:48:32,000 --> 01:48:35,159
on the trees began to dance, and nodded to the

1477
01:48:35,199 --> 01:48:39,119
flowers to keep still. The waves on the shore caught

1478
01:48:39,119 --> 01:48:43,880
the tune and have been singing it ever since. Hermes

1479
01:48:43,920 --> 01:48:46,880
had invented the lyre and brought a new kind of

1480
01:48:46,960 --> 01:48:50,439
music into the world. He soon tired of his lyre

1481
01:48:50,720 --> 01:48:53,800
and went back to his cradle in the cave. As

1482
01:48:53,800 --> 01:48:56,720
he lay there, he could see a beautiful blue meadow

1483
01:48:57,119 --> 01:49:01,399
with many white cows upon it. Hermes knew that the

1484
01:49:01,439 --> 01:49:06,000
cows belonged to his brother, King Apollo. What fun, he thought,

1485
01:49:06,439 --> 01:49:10,159
I will go and make the cows run off. He

1486
01:49:10,319 --> 01:49:13,479
ran after them until he was tired and out of breath.

1487
01:49:14,439 --> 01:49:17,920
Then he drove them all backward into a cave and

1488
01:49:18,079 --> 01:49:22,600
fastened them in. King Apollo soon missed the cows and

1489
01:49:22,680 --> 01:49:26,079
searched all the meadows for them. He traced them to

1490
01:49:26,159 --> 01:49:29,199
the cave, but when he came closer to it, he

1491
01:49:29,279 --> 01:49:33,039
found that all the tracks led from the opening, not

1492
01:49:33,359 --> 01:49:37,680
into it. Near the cave, he saw an old man

1493
01:49:38,039 --> 01:49:41,640
who told him that he had seen the cows. He

1494
01:49:41,760 --> 01:49:44,439
said that with them he had seen a baby with

1495
01:49:44,600 --> 01:49:49,199
wings on his cap and heels. Apollo knew at once

1496
01:49:49,319 --> 01:49:52,840
that the baby was his brother, Ermeys. He went straight

1497
01:49:52,880 --> 01:49:56,760
to the cave of e Elos. There was Hermes in

1498
01:49:56,840 --> 01:49:59,960
his cradle, playing with the shell, just like any other baby.

1499
01:50:00,600 --> 01:50:03,600
Apollo was angry and commanded him to stop laughing and

1500
01:50:03,640 --> 01:50:08,600
crowing and tell him where the white cows were. Hermes

1501
01:50:08,640 --> 01:50:11,439
only picked up the shell and breathed softly upon it.

1502
01:50:12,319 --> 01:50:15,720
Apollo forgot his anger and everything but the beautiful music.

1503
01:50:16,319 --> 01:50:19,279
He took Ermes into his arms and kissed him, and

1504
01:50:19,399 --> 01:50:22,880
begged him to teach him his secret. Hermes was glad

1505
01:50:22,920 --> 01:50:26,319
to be so easily forgiven. He gave Apollo the lyre

1506
01:50:26,760 --> 01:50:30,119
and taught him many ways to play upon it. Apollo

1507
01:50:30,239 --> 01:50:33,439
was soon able to make even sweeter music than Hermes,

1508
01:50:33,880 --> 01:50:38,239
and he afterwards became the god of music. He was

1509
01:50:38,279 --> 01:50:41,640
so thankful to Hermes for his gift that he gave

1510
01:50:41,720 --> 01:50:47,520
him a wonderful rod called the Cadusius. Whatever Hermes touched

1511
01:50:47,520 --> 01:50:52,640
with the rod became wise, loving and unselfish. One time

1512
01:50:52,720 --> 01:50:55,680
he saw two hissing serpents about to spring at each

1513
01:50:55,680 --> 01:51:00,560
other in fury. He touched them with the cadusius in Distantly,

1514
01:51:00,600 --> 01:51:04,760
they twined themselves lovingly around the rod, and never again

1515
01:51:04,880 --> 01:51:09,359
left it. Apollo also gave Hermes charge over all the

1516
01:51:09,439 --> 01:51:12,640
cows in the Blue meadow. Ermes loved the cows and

1517
01:51:12,800 --> 01:51:16,479
often took them with him on his journeys. He was

1518
01:51:16,520 --> 01:51:20,079
a wild youth and a great traveler. And so it

1519
01:51:20,199 --> 01:51:23,000
happened that in nearly all the countries of the world,

1520
01:51:23,479 --> 01:51:27,640
armes and as white cows have been seen. The end

1521
01:51:31,079 --> 01:51:35,199
Iris's bridge in the sky, where the amber tents are

1522
01:51:35,279 --> 01:51:39,600
seen on the clouds, Iris was born. She loved her

1523
01:51:39,600 --> 01:51:43,359
home and all the beautiful things around her. Perhaps she

1524
01:51:43,520 --> 01:51:46,960
sailed in the moon's silver boat and knew why the

1525
01:51:47,000 --> 01:51:52,319
stars kept twinkling. Perhaps she feasted on sunshine and dew

1526
01:51:52,880 --> 01:51:57,279
and slept on the soft white clouds more than anything

1527
01:51:57,319 --> 01:52:01,800
in her sky home. Iris loved her grandfather the stern

1528
01:52:02,079 --> 01:52:06,880
old Ocean. When he was merry and drove his white

1529
01:52:06,920 --> 01:52:11,039
horses over the water, she was happy when he was

1530
01:52:11,199 --> 01:52:16,000
troubled and the sky grew dark. And sad. She quietly

1531
01:52:16,119 --> 01:52:20,960
slipped her hand into his. Instantly he smiled and became

1532
01:52:21,039 --> 01:52:25,199
gentle again. He longed always to keep her with him,

1533
01:52:25,680 --> 01:52:30,039
But the Sun said no. Iris belongs to both ocean

1534
01:52:30,119 --> 01:52:34,359
and sky. Let her be the messenger between heaven and Earth.

1535
01:52:35,439 --> 01:52:39,239
They placed golden wings upon her shoulders and made her

1536
01:52:39,359 --> 01:52:43,319
a bridge of beautiful colors. One end of the bridge

1537
01:52:43,359 --> 01:52:46,880
they rested in the sky. But the other Iris could

1538
01:52:46,920 --> 01:52:50,960
fasten to the earth with a pot of gold. This

1539
01:52:51,399 --> 01:52:55,520
was the way Iris's path was made. The earth gave

1540
01:52:55,560 --> 01:52:59,359
the tints of her fairest flowers, the sea brought great

1541
01:52:59,560 --> 01:53:04,399
ribbons of silvery mist. The wind was the shuttle, the

1542
01:53:04,439 --> 01:53:08,359
sky was the loom, and the Sun himself was the weaver.

1543
01:53:09,399 --> 01:53:12,039
It is no wonder that the most beautiful thing in

1544
01:53:12,159 --> 01:53:22,239
all the world is Iris's bridge, the rainbow, the end Prometheus.

1545
01:53:23,359 --> 01:53:27,199
Greece is far away to the east, over a great ocean.

1546
01:53:27,920 --> 01:53:31,199
It is a very small country, with high mountains in

1547
01:53:31,359 --> 01:53:34,680
every part of it. The people who lived there long

1548
01:53:34,760 --> 01:53:38,239
ago could not easily go from one place to another.

1549
01:53:39,079 --> 01:53:42,199
Some of the mountains reached above the clouds and made

1550
01:53:42,319 --> 01:53:47,399
great walls around their homes. Men sometimes lived all their

1551
01:53:47,479 --> 01:53:51,800
lives near the sea and never saw it. These people

1552
01:53:51,920 --> 01:53:54,840
who were shut up in a little valley of Greece

1553
01:53:55,239 --> 01:53:59,359
did many wonderful things. As they could not go far

1554
01:53:59,399 --> 01:54:02,520
from their humes, they had time to see how beautiful

1555
01:54:02,560 --> 01:54:05,920
the things around them were. Perhaps they looked at the

1556
01:54:05,960 --> 01:54:09,319
sky so much that they wished to have everything on

1557
01:54:09,399 --> 01:54:13,720
earth just as beautiful. They gave their children work to do,

1558
01:54:14,119 --> 01:54:18,680
which made them strong and graceful. Some of the Greeks

1559
01:54:18,720 --> 01:54:22,880
carved statues from the marble in the mountains. Some built

1560
01:54:22,920 --> 01:54:27,159
great temples of it. Some painted pictures, while others made

1561
01:54:27,199 --> 01:54:32,119
gardens more beautiful than pictures. Others wrote books. Many of

1562
01:54:32,159 --> 01:54:35,000
the stories you like were written by the poets who

1563
01:54:35,039 --> 01:54:38,880
lived in Greece long ago. In all these ways, the

1564
01:54:38,920 --> 01:54:41,920
Greeks showed their love for their country and made it

1565
01:54:41,920 --> 01:54:45,359
a better place in which to live. Though they were

1566
01:54:45,399 --> 01:54:49,119
so wise, they had many thoughts which seemed strange to us.

1567
01:54:49,880 --> 01:54:52,720
They believed that long before they were born, a race

1568
01:54:52,800 --> 01:54:56,840
of giants had lived among the mountains. At one time,

1569
01:54:56,920 --> 01:55:00,640
the giants grew angry with Zeus, their king, and wished

1570
01:55:00,640 --> 01:55:03,960
to take his throne away from him. There was a

1571
01:55:04,079 --> 01:55:09,399
wise giant named Prometheus, who begged them not to attempt

1572
01:55:09,479 --> 01:55:13,119
to do this. He tried to show them how foolish

1573
01:55:13,159 --> 01:55:17,560
they were. They would not listen to him. Zeus lived

1574
01:55:17,600 --> 01:55:22,239
upon Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. The giants

1575
01:55:22,279 --> 01:55:25,079
brought great rocks to this mountain and piled them up

1576
01:55:25,199 --> 01:55:29,720
higher and higher until they reached the sky. Zeus waited

1577
01:55:29,800 --> 01:55:32,159
until the giants had finished their work and were ready

1578
01:55:32,199 --> 01:55:36,239
for battle. Then he put out his hand and touched

1579
01:55:36,279 --> 01:55:40,079
the great mound. Instantly, it fell over into the sea.

1580
01:55:41,079 --> 01:55:44,640
Promytheus and his brother were now the only people on earth.

1581
01:55:45,600 --> 01:55:49,199
They were so lonely that Zeus told them to model

1582
01:55:49,319 --> 01:55:54,560
some people from clay. Promytheus made animals and men, and

1583
01:55:54,680 --> 01:56:00,000
Epimytheus his brother gave them gifts of courage, swiftness, and strength.

1584
01:56:01,159 --> 01:56:04,960
To some he gave feathers and wings, to others fur

1585
01:56:05,079 --> 01:56:10,000
and claws, and to others a hard shelly covering. When

1586
01:56:10,000 --> 01:56:14,439
he came to man, he had no covering left. Zeus said,

1587
01:56:14,640 --> 01:56:17,720
I will clothe man, and that is the reason his

1588
01:56:17,840 --> 01:56:24,520
covering is so delicate and beautiful. Prometheus's people could not breathe.

1589
01:56:24,840 --> 01:56:27,800
Zeus sent him to Yellows, the god of the winds

1590
01:56:27,840 --> 01:56:32,159
for help. Yellos sent his strong son north Wind back

1591
01:56:32,199 --> 01:56:35,880
with Prometheus. When north Wind saw the people of Clay,

1592
01:56:36,279 --> 01:56:40,159
he whistled with surprise. He blew his breath upon them.

1593
01:56:40,680 --> 01:56:45,600
They turned as white as snow and began to breathe.

1594
01:56:46,159 --> 01:56:48,960
They were a cold people, however, and Prometheus did not

1595
01:56:49,119 --> 01:56:53,479
love them. He went to ILOs again, and this time

1596
01:56:53,640 --> 01:56:57,279
south Wind and the zephyrs came with him. South Wind

1597
01:56:57,399 --> 01:57:01,520
brought the people green grass and flowers and birds. The

1598
01:57:01,640 --> 01:57:04,800
zephyrs showed them how to laugh and cry, and sing

1599
01:57:05,039 --> 01:57:10,000
and dance. But the people were stupid. They lived like

1600
01:57:10,239 --> 01:57:14,880
ants in dark caves. Promytheus saw that there was only

1601
01:57:14,960 --> 01:57:19,720
one thing which could help them. That was fire. Fire

1602
01:57:19,840 --> 01:57:23,199
was the most precious thing Zeus had, and he kept

1603
01:57:23,239 --> 01:57:27,960
it ever burning around his throne. When Prometheus asked for fire,

1604
01:57:28,399 --> 01:57:32,600
Zeus was angry. I have already given too much to

1605
01:57:32,640 --> 01:57:37,640
your people, he said, let them now help themselves. Promeytheus

1606
01:57:37,720 --> 01:57:40,880
was sad. Indeed, he loved his people more than he

1607
01:57:40,920 --> 01:57:45,079
did himself. At last, he said, they shall have the fire.

1608
01:57:45,680 --> 01:57:48,479
I will pay for it with my life. He went

1609
01:57:48,520 --> 01:57:52,039
straight to Zeus's throne and filled a farrow with it.

1610
01:57:52,399 --> 01:57:55,319
And carried it to his people. Then the people began

1611
01:57:55,399 --> 01:57:58,720
to be wise. He taught them to cook and to

1612
01:57:58,800 --> 01:58:02,520
build houses, and to sail their ships upon the ocean.

1613
01:58:03,479 --> 01:58:05,640
He showed them how to get rich oars from the

1614
01:58:05,720 --> 01:58:09,279
mountains and prepare them for use. They learned how to

1615
01:58:09,399 --> 01:58:12,520
plow and to reap, and to store up their food

1616
01:58:12,600 --> 01:58:17,560
for the winter. Zeus was angry with Prometheus. He chained

1617
01:58:17,600 --> 01:58:20,520
him to a rock on the top of a high mountain.

1618
01:58:21,319 --> 01:58:24,600
He sent a great bird each day to torment him.

1619
01:58:25,640 --> 01:58:28,359
Zeus said that he must stay there until he repented

1620
01:58:28,399 --> 01:58:33,000
and returned the fire to heaven. There Prometheus stayed and

1621
01:58:33,159 --> 01:58:39,199
suffered for many burning summers and long cold winters. Sometimes

1622
01:58:39,239 --> 01:58:43,159
he grew fainthearted, and wished to be free. Then he

1623
01:58:43,239 --> 01:58:46,319
looked down and saw how the fire was helping the people,

1624
01:58:46,439 --> 01:58:49,680
and how happy they were, and he grew strong again.

1625
01:58:50,439 --> 01:58:54,479
After many, many years, a Greek hero who was sailing

1626
01:58:54,520 --> 01:58:59,920
over the mountain in a golden cup, saw Prometheus. It

1627
01:59:00,199 --> 01:59:03,960
was Hercules. He shot the bird with a golden arrow,

1628
01:59:04,520 --> 01:59:09,119
unbound the chain, and set the wise Prometheus free. The

1629
01:59:09,319 --> 01:59:15,279
end end of Miscellaneous Stories, end of Nature Myths and

1630
01:59:15,399 --> 01:59:19,239
Stories for Little Children by Flora J. Cook Read to

1631
01:59:19,279 --> 01:59:20,960
You by Linnett Gaisel