WA Nature Myths and Stories.

When they saw the Strangers, Philemon said,
“Surely these men need food more than the king.”

Baucis spread her one white table cloth upon the
table. :

She brought out bacon and herbs, wild honey
and milk.

She set these before the strangers with all the
good dishes that she had.

Then a wonderful thing happened.

The dishes which the strangers touched turned
to gold.

The milk in the pitcher became rich nectar.

Philemon and Baucis dropped upon their knees.

They knew that their guests could be no other
than Zeus and Hermes.

Zeus raised his hand and said, “Arise, good people,
ask what you will and it shall be yours.”

Philemon and Baucis cried in one voice:

“Grant, oh Zeus, that one of us may not outlive
the other, but that both may die in the same
instant.” :

This had long been the wish in each heart, and
the fear of being left alone in the world was the
one trouble of their old age.

Zeus smiled and changed their rude hut into a
beautiful castle, and granted them many years of
happy life.

One morning the people inthe valley noticed that
the castle had disappeared