Types of Children's Literature: A Collection of the World's Best Literature for Children, For Use in Colleges, Normal Schools and Library Schools
General
Types of Children's Literature: A Collection of the World's Best Literature for Children, For Use in Colleges, Normal Schools and Library Schools
Children's literature
And when he woke he heard a whispering, and saw the nymphs
peeping at him across the fountain from the dark mouth of a cave,
where they sat on green cushions of moss. And one said, "Surely
he is not Periphetes;" and another, "He looks like no robber, but
a fair and gentle youth."
Then Theseus smiled and called them: "Fair nymphs, I am not
Periphetes. He sleeps among the kites and crows: but I have
brought away his bearskin and his club."
Then they leapt across the pool, and came to him, and called the
shepherds back. And he told them how he had slain the club-bearer:
and the shepherds kissed his feet, and sang, "Now we shall
feed our flocks in peace, and not be afraid to have music when we
dance; for the cruel club-bearer has met his match, and he will
listen for our pipes no more."
Then they brought him kid's flesh and wine, and the nymphs
brought him honey from the rocks; and he ate, and drank, and slept
again, while the nymphs and shepherds danced and sang. And when
he woke, they begged him to stay; but he would not. "I have a
great work to do," he said; "I must be away toward the Isthmus,
that I may go to Athens."
But the shepherds said, "Will you go alone toward Athens?
None travel that way now, except in armed troops."
"As for arms, I have enough, as you see. And as for troops, an
honest man is good enough company for himself. Why should I not
go alone toward Athens?"
"If you do, you must look warily about you on the Isthmus,
lest you meet Sinis the robber, whom men call Pituocamptes the
pine-bender; for he bends down two pine trees, and binds all travelers
hand and foot between them; and when he lets the trees go
again, their bodies are torn in sunder."
"And after that," said another, "you must go inland, and not
dare to pass over the cliffs of Sciron; for on the left hand are the
mountains, and on the right the sea, so that you have no escape
but must needs meet Sciron the robber, who will make you wash
his feet; and while you are washing them he will kick you over
the cliff, to the tortoise who lives below, and feeds upon the bodies
of the dead."
And before Theseus could answer, another cried, "And after
that is a worse danger still, unless you go inland always, and leave
Eleusis far on your right. For in Eleusis rules Kerkuon the cruel
king, the terror of all mortals, who killed his own daughter Alope in
prison. But she was changed into a fair fountain; and her child
he cast out upon the mountains; but the wild mares gave it milk.
And now he challenges all comers to wrestle with him; for he is
the best wrestler in all Attica, and overthrows all who come; and
those whom he overthrows he murders miserably, and his palace-court
is full of their bones."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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