Myths and Legendary Heroes | Page 9

pain and fear.
An ugly little monster had settled on her forehead, and would have
stung her badly had not Epimetheus run forward and brushed it away.
Now I must tell you that these ugly creatures with stings, which had
escaped from the box, were the whole family of earthly troubles. There
were evil tempers, and a great many kinds of cares: and there were
more than a hundred and fifty sorrows, and there were diseases in many
painful shapes. In fact all the sorrows and worries that hurt people in
the world to-day had been shut up in the magic-box, and given to
Epimetheus and Pandora to keep safely, in order that the happy
children in the world might never be troubled by them. If only these
two had obeyed Mercury and had left the box alone as he told them, all
would have gone well.
But you see what mischief they had done. The winged troubles flew out

at the window and went all over the world: and they made people so
unhappy that no one smiled for a great many days. It was very strange,
too, that from this day flowers began to fade, and after a short time they
died, whereas in the old times, before Pandora opened the box, they had
been always fresh and beautiful.
Meanwhile Pandora and Epimetheus remained in the cottage: they were
very miserable and in great pain, which made them both exceedingly
cross. Epimetheus sat down sullenly in a corner with his back to
Pandora, while Pandora flung herself on the floor and cried bitterly,
resting her head on the lid of the fatal box.
Suddenly, she heard a gentle tap-tap inside. "What can that be?" said
Pandora, raising her head; and again came the tap, tap. It sounded like
the knuckles of a tiny hand knocking lightly on the inside of the box.
"Who are you?" asked Pandora.
A sweet little voice came from inside: "Only lift the lid and you will
see."
But Pandora was afraid to lift the lid again. She looked across to
Epimetheus, but he was so cross that he took no notice. Pandora sobbed:
"No, no, I am afraid; there are so many troubles with stings flying
about that we do not want any more?"
"Ah, but I am not one of these," the sweet voice said, "they are no
relations of mine. Come, come, dear Pandora, I am sure you will let me
out."
The voice sounded so kind and cheery that it made Pandora feel better
even to listen to it. Epimetheus too had heard the voice. He stopped
crying. Then he came forward, and said: "Let me help you, Pandora, as
the lid is very heavy."
So this time both the children opened the box, and out flew a bright,
smiling little fairy, who brought light and sunshine with her. She flew
to Epimetheus and with her finger touched his brow where the trouble
had stung him, and immediately the pain was gone.
Then she kissed Pandora, and her hurt was better at once.
[Illustration: OUT FLEW A BRIGHT SMILING LITTLE FAIRY.]
"Pray who are you, kind fairy?" Pandora asked.
"I am called Hope," answered the sunshiny figure. "I was shut up in the
box so that I might be ready to comfort people when the family of
troubles got loose in the world."

"What lovely wings you have! They are just like a rainbow. And will
you stay with us," asked Epimetheus, "for ever and ever?"
"Yes," said Hope, "I shall stay with you as long as you live. Sometimes
you will not be able to see me, and you may think I am dead, but you
will find that I come back again and again when you have given up
expecting me, and you must always trust my promise that I will never
really leave you."
"Yes, we do trust you," cried both children. And all the rest of their
lives when the troubles came back and buzzed about their heads and
left bitter stings of pain, Pandora and Epimetheus would remember
whose fault it was that the troubles had ever come into the world at all,
and they would then wait patiently till the fairy with the rainbow wings
came back to heal and comfort them.

MIDAS
ADAPTED BY C.E. SMITH
Once upon a time there lived a very rich King whose name was Midas,
and he had a little daughter whom he loved very dearly. This King was
fonder of gold than of anything else in the whole world: or if he did
love anything better, it was the one little daughter who played so
merrily beside her father's footstool.
But the more Midas loved his daughter, the more he wished to be rich
for her sake. He