She was so troubled by her dream that she could no longer sleep. She arose and dressed, and, as the gray light of morning broke, she hastened down to the shore, to visit again the spot where she and her husband had exchanged their last farewell. She had been standing there some time, when she saw, far out at sea, something white tossed about by the waves. Nearer and nearer to the shore it came, and with beating heart, scarcely knowing why, Halcyone watched its approach. - At length a large wave came inland, and cast at her feet the body of Ceyx, dead and cold, the hair dripping and covered with weeds and shells, just as she had seen it in her dream the night before. She fell on her knees beside the body, and weeping, cried, "O my beloved, my dream was but too true!" She could not bear to think of her lonely life without Ceyx, and she felt that she would rather be with him, even in dark Hades, than live in the bright world without him. So she mounted a little rising knoll near the shore, and sprang into the sea. But she was not drowned. The gods so pitied the loving couple that they changed them into white halcyon birds, or kingfishers, as they are sometimes called, which live forever on the sea. The sailors say that, even in the stormiest seas, there are every year seven calm days, during which the water is smooth as glass and only the gentlest breezes blow. Then the halcyon birds may be seen floating on the quiet waters. And because of the name of the birds that are supposed to bring them, these seven days are known as the halcyon days. IN ABSENCE 135 IN ABSENCE WATCH her kindly, stars! From the sweet, protecting skies Look so lovingly that she Cannot choose but think of me: Soothe her sweetly, night! On her eyes, o'erwearied, press Wake her gently, morn! Let the notes of early birds Seem like love's melodious words; Every pleasant sound my dear, When she stirs from sleep, should hear: Kiss her softly, winds! Softly, that she may not miss Kiss and kiss her, winds! PHOEBE CARY. THE STORY OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE I. THE FLIGHT ON THE RAM'S BACK ONCE upon a time there lived in Greece a king who had a beautiful wife named Nephele. Nephele means cloud, and there was something about the fair young queen that made one think of soft, pink and gold-edged clouds on a summer's evening. The king and queen had two children, Phryxus a boy, and Helle a girl, and they were all as happy as the day is long. Only one thing marred their joy. In the hot summer days, when the sky was cloudless and staring, Nephele would grow thin and pale, and then she would leave her home for a long time, and come back only when the soft rain clouds were again in the air. Indeed, some people said that the clouds were her sisters, and that when they left the sky she had to travel far away with them. However that was, there came a time when the king began to weary of his wife's long absences. Besides, there lived in the town a beautiful, dark-eyed girl, Ino, who was very much in love with the king. Ino was a witch, who made the king forget all about his wife Nephele, and before long he married the dark-eyed girl. Now Ino hated Phryxus and Helle because they were not her own children, and because they were beautiful and good. Soon she began to ill-treat them. They had to lay aside their rich clothes and wear old rags and live with the shepherds' children; and all day long they guarded the flocks on the hillsides. THE GOLDEN FLEECE 137 Still I do not think that Phryxus and Helle were very unhappy. They loved to frolic in the green fields all day long, and healthy young people do not care much about what they eat or wear. Their only grief was at the loss of their lovely young mother Nephele. Nephele had now been gone a long, long while. The sky was cloudless day after day. Not a drop of rain fell, the fields became parched and dry, and all the crops withered away. There was not enough food for the people, and everywhere they were dying of hunger. The king at last sent messengers to an oracle in a distant city, asking what he must do to bring back food and health to his people. The wicked queen Ino saw her chance, and secretly bribed the messengers to pretend that the oracle had said that Phryxus and Helle must be killed. I am afraid the messengers were not very good men, since they were willing to help in killing the children for the sake of a little gold. In due time, they came back to the king with their false report, that the oracle had said that only when Phryxus and Helle were dead would plenty and comfort come back to the land. The king was so bewitched by Ino that he felt no grief at this answer, but ordered that the oracle should be obeyed. Everything was prepared, and the children were led out, decked with flowers, as the ancients used to deck the young lambs they offered in sacrifice to the gods. As they neared the spot where they were to be put to death, suddenly there came flying from the heavens a goldenfleeced ram, which the gods had sent, in answer to Nephele's earnest prayer, to save the children; for, although Nephele seemed to be far away, she was really watching over her children in sorrow and love. Quick as a flash, Phryxus sprang upon the ram's back with Helle behind him, and the next minute they were far beyond the reach of the astonished people below. Over land and sea flew the golden ram faster and faster every moment, until Helle became so weary of the dizzy flight, that she dropped from the ram's back, fell into a narrow sea over which they were passing, and was drowned. Since that day this narrow sea has been called the Hellespont. Phryxus, however, clung to the ram's back, and at last they alighted together in the land of Colchis, far away from the boy's old home. Here Phryxus married the king's daughter. The golden ram, worn out with the long, hard journey over land and sea, soon died; and Phryxus hung its fleece on a tree in a wood, and set a fierce dragon to guard it. In time Phryxus died and a new king ruled in Colchis; and the greatest treasure in all the land was the Golden Fleece, which hung in the woods, guarded night and day by the terrible dragon. THE CLOUD I BRING fresh showers for the thirsting flowers I bear light shade for the leaves when laid |