“In Europe there is a country called Greece, the people of which, two or three thousand years ago, believed in a deity whom they called Jove. The people fancied that he lived up in a tall mountain, called Olympus, and from this place issued forth his decrees. They believed that he ruled over the earth; that he made the clouds; and bade them go forth to water the earth; that he made the thunder and the lightning, and commanded them to display his power; that he made the sun, and required it to rise upon the world, giving light and heat to its inhabitants. Now I will tell you a sort of fancy story, founded upon these notions of the ancient Greeks. At the foot of mount Olympus, there was a little village, the people of which were always grumbling at the weather. It was always too wet or too dry, too hot or too cold. Even when the weather was appropriate to the season of the year, there were some persons in the village always finding fault with it. If Jove sent a shower of rain, it always produced dissatisfaction and disappointment to some of the people. Some wished to go a fishing, and the rain interfered. Some wished to proceed on a journey, and they were disappointed. Some wished to work in their fields--some to go on excursions of pleasure, and the rain prevented the execution of their several plans. “Now the murmurs of this people came to the ears of Jove, and he determined to show them their folly. Accordingly he sent them a messenger, called Mercury,--a lively little fellow, with wings at his shoulders and his heels, which enabled him to fly very swiftly, and execute his master’s commands with despatch. “Mercury flew to the village, and told the people that Jove, having heard their complaints, had concluded to resign his government over the weather, and give it up to them; that, accordingly, he had commanded the clouds and the rain, the thunder and the lightning, the sun and the wind, the heat and the cold to obey the inhabitants of the village. “This annunciation was received by the people of the village with the greatest demonstrations of joy. They assembled in the street of the place, and bade Mercury take back their thanks to Jove, their benignant master. Mercury promised to do this; ‘but,’ said he, ‘I have one thing more to communicate: that all may be satisfied, it is Jove’s decree that you must be unanimous in your proceedings. The sun will not rise while one individual opposes it: nor will it rain till every one is ready; and in fact, all the business of making the weather must stop, until all are prepared.’ The people, considering this as a new evidence of Jove’s justice and mercy, shouted aloud in their exultation, and Mercury departed to report the reception of his message to his master.