178 THE MIRACULOUS PITCHER.

‘They exist no longer as men and women,” said the
elder traveller, in his grand and deep voice, while a roll
of thunder seemed to echo it at a distance. “There was
neither use nor beauty in such a life as theirs; for they:
never softened or sweetened the hard lot of mortality by |
the exercise of kindly affections between man and man.
They retained no image of the better life in their bosoms ;
therefore, the lake, that was of old, has spread itself forth

, again, to reflect the sky!” ,

‘And as for those foolish people,” said Quicksilver,
with his mischievous smile, “ they are all transformed to
fishes. There needed but little change, for they were
already a scaly set of rascals, and the coldest-blooded
beings in existence. So, kind Mother Baucis, whenever
you or your husband have an appetite for a dish of
broiled trout, he can throw in a line, and pull out half a
dozen of your old neighbors ! ”

“ Ah,” eried Baucis, shuddering, “I would not, for the
world, put one of them on the gridiron ! ”

“No,” added Philemon, making a wry face, “ we could
never relish them !” :

“As for you, good Philemon,” continued the elder
traveller, — “‘and you, kind Baucis, — you, with your
scanty means, have mingled so much heartfelt hospital-
ity with your entertamment of the homeless stranger,
that the milk became an inexhaustible fount of nec-
tar, and the brown loaf and the honey were ambrosia.
Thus, the divinities have feasted, at your board, off
the same viands that supply their banquets on Olympus.
You have done well, my dear old friends. Wherefore,

3