100 THE PARADISE OF CHILDREN.

your playfellow Epimetheus would have said or believed.
And so perhaps she might, if the enchanted face on the
lid of the box had not looked so bewitchingly persuasive
at her, and if she had not seemed to hear, more distinctly
than before, the murmur of small voices within. She
could not tell whether it was fancy or no; but there was
quite a little tumult of whispers in her ear, — or else it
was her curiosity that whispered,

“Let us out, dear Pandora, — pray let us out! We
will be such nice pretty playfellows for you! Only let
us out!” |

“What can it be?” thought Pandora. “Is there
something alive in the box? Well! — yes!—TI am re-
solved to take just one peep! Only one peep; and then
‘the lid shall be shut down as safely as ever! There
cannot possibly be any harm in just one little peep ! ”

But it 1s now time for us to see what Epimetheus was
doing.

This was the first time, since his little playmate had
come to dwell with him, that he had attempted to
enjoy any pleasure in which she did not partake. But
nothing went right; nor was he nearly so happy as on
other days. He could not find a sweet grape or a ripe
fig Gf Hpimetheus had a fault, it was a little too much
fondness for figs); or, if ripe at all, they were over-ripe,
and so sweet as to be cloying. There was no mirth in
his heart, such as usually made his voice gush out, of its
own accord, and swell the merriment of his companions.
In short, he grew so uneasy and discontented, that the
other children couid not imagine what was the matter.