THE CHIMERA. | 201.

sit idly poring over the bright waters of Pirene, as they
gushed out of the sparkling sand. And as Pegasus came
thither so seldom, in these latter years, and scarcely
alighted there more than once in a lifetime, Bellerophon
feared that he might grow an old man, and have no
strength left in his arms nor courage in his heart, before
the winged horse would appear. O, how heavily passes
the time, while an adventurous youth 1s yearning to do his
part in life, and to gather in the harvest of his renown!
How hard a lesson it is to wait! Our life is brief, and
how much of it is spent in teaching us only this!

Well was it for Bellerophon that the gentle child had
grown so fond of him, and was never weary of keeping
him company. Every morning, the child gave him a
uew hope to put in his bosom, instead of yesterday’s
withered one.

“Dear Bellerophon,” he would cry, looking up hope-
fully into his face, ‘‘ I think we shall see Pegasus to-day!”

And, at length, if it had not been for the little boy’s
unwavering faith, Bellerophon would have given up all
hope, and would have gone back to Lycia, and have -
done his best to slay the Chimera without the help of
the winged horse. And in that case poor Bellerophon
would at least have been terribly scorched by the crea-
ture’s breath, and would most probably have been killed
aud devoured. Nobody should ever try to fight an
earth-born Chimera, unless he can first get upon the
back of an aerial steed.

One morning the child spoke to Bellerophon even
more hopefully than usual.

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