98 Nature Myths and Stories

Zeus was Hermes’ father and his mother was
the beautiful Queen Maia: She was often called
“Star of Spring,’ because people thought that
_wherever she. stepped flowers sprang from under
the snow.

AZolus loved Hermes dearly. He taught him
many secrets which only the winds know.

-Hermes was a wise baby and understood all that
: ol lus told him.

When he was ae two days old he could run
and whistle as well as North Wind.

.. One day while he was very young he climbed
‘out of his cradle and ran down to the seashore.

There he found an old tortoise shell. He picked
“it up and put a row of holes one each edge of the
shell.

Through these holes he wove some reeds which
~he found upon the seashore. Then he ae softly
- upon the reeds.

‘The birds heard such wonderful music that they
stopped to listen. The leaves on the trees began
to dance, and nodded to the flowers to keep still.

The waves on the shore caught the tune and have
‘been singing it ever since.

_-. Hermes had invented the lyreand brought a new
‘kind of music into the world. He soon tired of his
‘dyre and went back to his cradle in the cave.

- As he lay there he could see a beautiful blue
meadow with many white cows upon it.

cd