Myths and Legendary Heroes | Page 5

but spread its little wings and go hop-hop, flutter-flutter up the
steps; then it went tap-tap across the kitchen floor and did not stop till it
stood close behind Mercury's chair. No one noticed this, as Baucis and
her husband were too busy attending to their guests.
Baucis filled up two bowls of milk from the pitcher, while her husband
cut the loaf and the cheese. "What delightful milk, Mother Baucis,"
said Mercury, "may I have some more? This has been such a hot day
that I am very thirsty."
"Oh dear, I am so sorry and ashamed," answered Baucis, "but the truth
is there is hardly another drop of milk in the pitcher."
"Let me see," said Mercury, starting up and catching hold of the
handles, "why here is certainly more milk in the pitcher." He poured
out a bowlful for himself and another for his companion. Baucis could
scarcely believe her eyes. "I suppose I must have made a mistake," she
thought, "at any rate the pitcher must be empty now after filling both
bowls twice over."
"Excuse me, my kind hostess," said Mercury in a little while, "but your
milk is so good that I should very much like another bowlful."
Now Baucis was perfectly sure that the pitcher was empty, and in order
to show Mercury that there was not another drop in it, she held it
upside down over his bowl. What was her surprise when a stream of
fresh milk fell bubbling into the bowl and overflowed on to the table,
and the two snakes that were twisted round Mercury's staff stretched
out their heads and began to lap it up.

"And now, a slice of your brown loaf, pray Mother Baucis, and a little
honey," asked Mercury.
Baucis handed the loaf, and though it had been rather a hard and dry
loaf when she and her husband ate some at tea-time, it was now as soft
and new as if it had just come from the oven. As to the honey, it had
become the color of new gold and had the scent of a thousand flowers,
and the small grapes in the bunch had grown larger and richer, and each
one seemed bursting with ripe juice.
Although Baucis was a very simple old woman, she could not help
thinking that there was something rather strange going on. She sat
down beside Philemon and told him in a whisper what she had seen.
"Did you ever hear anything so wonderful?" she asked.
"No, I never did," answered Philemon, with a smile. "I fear you have
been in a dream, my dear old wife."
He knew Baucis could not say what was untrue, but he thought that she
had not noticed how much milk there had really been in the pitcher at
first. So when Mercury once more asked for a little milk, Philemon rose
and lifted the pitcher himself. He peeped in and saw that there was not
a drop in it; then all at once a little white fountain gushed up from the
bottom, and the pitcher was soon filled to the brim with delicious milk.
Philemon was so amazed that he nearly let the jug fall. "Who are ye,
wonder-working strangers?" he cried.
"Your guests, good Philemon, and your friends," answered the elder
traveler, "and may the pitcher never be empty for kind Baucis and
yourself any more than for the hungry traveler."
The old people did not like to ask any more questions; they gave the
guests their own sleeping-room, and then they lay down on the hard
floor in the kitchen. It was long before they fell asleep, not because
they thought how hard their bed was, but because there was so much to
whisper to each other about the wonderful strangers and what they had
done.
They all rose with the sun next morning. Philemon begged the visitors
to stay a little till Baucis should milk the cow and bake some bread for
breakfast. But the travelers seemed to be in a hurry and wished to start
at once, and they asked Baucis and Philemon to go with them a short
distance to show them the way.
So they all four set out together, and Mercury was so full of fun and

laughter, and made them feel so happy and bright, that they would have
been glad to keep him in their cottage every day and all day long.
"Ah me," said Philemon, "if only our neighbors knew what a pleasure it
was to be kind to strangers, they would tie up all their dogs and never
allow the children to fling another stone."
"It is a sin and shame for them to behave so," said Baucis, "and I mean
to go this very day and tell some of them