Classic Myths | Page 6

liked to hunt with his
golden bow and arrow, and his sister loved him so much that she was always with him.
He taught her how to use the bow and arrow as well as he could himself. Sometimes their
mother would set up a target for them, and she was just as proud of Diana's quick eyes as
of Apollo's strong hand, for no matter what they aimed at, Diana could shoot as well as
Apollo. By and by, when Apollo had grown too old for idle sport, he was given the sun to

rule over, and Diana begged for something just as grand to do. 'Such work is too hard for
my brave girl,' her mother would say, but at last Apollo said he would help her, and so
she was given the moon to rule over."
[Illustration: DIANA. From a statue in the Louvre, Paris]
"Why, Charlie, how queer that sounds, for you know the sun does help the moon to
shine," said Jack.
"Keep still, Jack; it is almost nine o'clock, and I can't stop to talk about the queer part;
you must just watch for that," and Charlie went on with the story.
"Diana was as grand and proud, driving the silver chariot of the moon, as Apollo in his
gold chariot of the sun. Sometimes, when her work was over, she left the moon and came
to earth again to hunt. She would call her friends, the maidens she used to play with, and
away they would go, each with a silver bow in hand and a quiver full of arrows fastened
at their backs.
"One day, while they were hunting, they heard strange dogs in the woods. Each one of
the girl hunters hid behind a tree and waited. Diana ran from her tree to a cave so that she
could not be found. At last a foolish hunter came in sight. He seemed to act as if he knew
he ought not to be there, and he wandered from left to right, as if he had never hunted
before. Then he started for the very cave where Diana was hiding, for he knew by the
willows a spring was there."
"Oh, my!" said Jack.
"Yes, he started for Diana's cave, but the minute he was near enough he felt a splash of
water that seemed to cover him from head to foot and he heard Diana say:
"'Now go and tell, if you can, that you have seen Diana.'
"Poor fellow! He could not move. As he stood there he found his arms were changing to
the straight fore legs of a deer. Horns came out of his head, his brown eyes grew bigger,
and so did his ears, and in a few minutes even his own dogs did not know him. He
bounded away, but his pet hounds sprang at him and caught him.
"Diana and her friends were miles away, and no one could save the poor fellow from the
fate of a hunted deer."
"Oh, I think Diana was cruel," said Jack.
"I thought it served him right, when I heard it," Charlie said. "He knew he had no right in
Diana's forest, and she can't hunt in the moon, for they say there are neither trees nor
animals there."

JACK AND JILL ON THE MOON MOUNTAINS

Norse
"Jack and Jill Went up the hill To get a pail of water; Jack fell down And broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after."
That is what your father and mother used to say when they were children. So did your
grandfather and grandmother when they were little, and for hundreds of years children
have laughed at poor Jack and Jill's mishaps. Now, I will tell you how the story first
began.
In Norway, people used to believe that the chariot of the moon was driven by a glorious
youth, Mani. He was lonely in heaven. One night a little boy on earth was sent by his
parents to a well to get a pail of water. This boy's name was Hjuki. He asked his sister Bil
to go with him. They had to carry with them the big bucket fastened to a long pole, for
there was no well-sweep. They thrust the pole, with the bucket at the end of it, into the
water, and, as they were both busy straining every muscle to raise the bucket, Mani stood
beside them and helped them.
To the children he looked like a friendly lad and they were glad of his help.
Bil balanced the pail on the pole and together they started to carry the water home.
The weight was so great on Hjuki's shoulder, for he tried to take the heavier end, that he
stumbled and down they both went.