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One morning, very early, before the sun was up, I rose and found the shining dew on every but

tercup;

But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepyhead,

Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

CADMUS AND THE A B C'S

A GREEK MYTH

I

Yes, the A B C's have a story. It is an old, old story, for the A B C's are very, very old. This is it.

In a green meadow near the sea four children were playing. Europa was the little girl and the three boys were her brothers. Cadmus was the oldest.

The boys were picking lovely flowers in the meadow. Europa made the flowers into a garland as she sat on the grass.

"You shall be our queen," cried Cadmus.

Just then a great butterfly flew past. It was blue and gold. How its wings shone in the sun! The boys ran after it.

were almost out of sight.

They ran until they

come back," thought Europa.

"I wish they would

She

As she said this, a great white bull came up to her. At first Europa was frightened. But the bull only looked at her with his kind eyes. Then Europa was no longer frightened. went up to the bull and patted him. All at once he lay down. Europa put her garland on his horns. This pleased him very much.

At last Europa said, "I shall take a ride.” She got on the bull's back. This was just what the bull wished. He ran away with her. He almost flew, he was so light on his feet. Soon they passed the boys running for the butterfly. Good-by," called Europa. "We shall be back soon." Then what do you think the bull did? He ran right into the sea.

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The three brothers ran down to the sea-shore. "Europa! Europa! come back, come back!" they cried.

But Europa did not come back. The bull swam on and on. Cadmus and his brothers ran home to tell the sad news.

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"I shall go to find my lost Europa," said the mother, weeping.

"I shall go with you, dear mother," said Cad

mus.

"I, too," said the other brothers.

So that very night the mother and her three sons began to hunt.

"Have you seen a little girl riding on a white bull?" they asked every one.

"We shall find her some day," said Cadmus. and on they went. "Have you seen a little girl?" they kept on asking. After many years one brother grew tired, so they stopped and built him a house. A few years later the other brother grew tired also. They built him a house, too.

And what of the poor tired mother? She went on a few years longer. Then she said to Cadmus, "I shall never see my little Europa again. I am going to die.”

Cadmus was sad and lonely, but he did not give up. The rest of the story is happy.

III

Europa never came back. The bull swam away across the sea to a country that we call Europe. How do you suppose it came to have that name?

He

The great white bull wasn't a bull at all. was really the great King over this land. It was a lovely land, with trees and gardens.

When Europa became a woman the King made her his Queen. Europa had three sons, all brave soldiers.

And how about Cadmus? A voice came to him one day and said:

"Follow Old Brindle!

Build a city where she lies down." Now Old Brindle was the cow walking down the road.

Cadmus ran after her. Old Brindle ran. When Cadmus could run no longer, he walked. Then Brindle walked. They kept this up for days and days. Other people began to follow, too. Sometimes they ran, sometimes they walked. When they ran, Brindle ran! When they walked, Brindle walked!

At last, to their great surprise, Old Brindle lay down right in the middle of a green meadow. "Here we can build our city," said Cadmus.

And they did.

In the night a great white castle rose. This

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