So, little by little, she brought her leaves out, All clustered about; And then her bright flowers began to unfold, Till Daffy stood robed in her spring green and gold. O Daffydowndilly, so brave and so true, I wish all were like you! So ready for duty in all sorts of weather, Selected APOLLO AND PHAETON Just think of all the good things the sun brings us. It gives us light and heat. It makes the plants and animals grow. It takes water from the ocean up to the sky that it may fall in rain. It makes everything in the world beautiful and glad. The Greeks said that Apollo, the god of the sun, did all this; and so they loved him best of all the gods. You remember how he let Iris ride in his chariot and how he helped Ceres find little Spring. Every morning Apollo set out to drive the chariot of the sun around the earth. The Dawn went ahead, as you see in the picture. She drew back the purple cloud-curtains and dropped flowers on the dark earth. The Hours harnessed the three horses to the chariot. They went with Apollo, carried along on the soft white clouds. Apollo took the reins. A very wise sure hand was needed to drive those fiery horses. Apollo had a son, a brave boy named Phaeton, who lived on the earth with his mother. Phaeton wanted more than anything else to drive his father's horses. Apollo could not bring the chariot near the earth. It would have burned everything up. So Phaeton made up his mind to go to the palace of the sun. He had never seen anything so beautiful as his father's throne. On one side stood the days, the months, and the old years. and the old years. On the other side were the seasons. Apollo saw Phaeton coming and took off his shining crown, for the bright light blinded the boy's eyes. 66 My son," he said, "ask any gift you will. It shall be yours." "O father!" Phaeton cried, 66 will you let me drive your chariot just one day?" you "Dear boy," Apollo answered, "I cannot let do this. You are not strong or wise enough." But Phaeton begged and Apollo had promised. So he had to let the boy go. "Do not drive too high," he said, "or you will burn heaven; nor too low, lest you set the world on fire." Phaeton was too happy to listen. He sprang into the golden chariot and the fiery horses started. But they missed Apollo's strong, sure hand. Up they went above the stars; then down so close to the earth that the highest mountain tops caught fire, and whole countries became deserts. The horses ran away. Phaeton fell down into a clear river where the water cooled his burns. At last the horses became quiet and went back into their old path. But to this day the deserts and the bare mountain tops tell how Phaeton tried to drive the chariot of the sun. THE SUN AND THE WIND 66 The bold North Wind went roaring up and down the earth. Oh, ho!" he cried; "how strong I am! See the branches of the great trees bend before me. No one is stronger than I." |