When Byblis found herself alone upon the little bed of green leaves upon which she had slept by her brother’s side every night, she had in vain tried to sleep; but that evening dreams came not to her. She went out into the warm night. A gentle breath of air swayed the darkness of the forest. She sat down and watched the flowing stream. “Why,” she thought, “has not Caunos come back. What has called him away and kept him from me. Who is it, father, that is separating us?” As this last idea came to her she leant over the spring. “Father!” she repeated, “father! where is Caunos? Reveal the secret to me?” A murmur of the water answered-- “Far away.” Byblis in affright quickly continued-- “When will he return? When will he come back to me?” “Never,” the spring replied. “Dead! Is he dead?” “No.” “Where shall I see him again?” The spring spake no more. Its gentle ripple resumed its monotonous sound. No divine presence seemed to live in its clear waters. Byblis got up and fled. She knew the path by which Caunos had started with his mother. It was a narrow track which wound from tree to tree as it buried itself in the forest. She had not traversed it often, for it ran through a valley infested with serpents and dangerous beasts. This time her desire overcame her fear, and she tremblingly followed the path with all the speed of which her little bare feet were capable. The night was not very dark; but the shadows thrown by the moon are black, and behind the mighty trees Byblis had to feel her way. She reached a spot where the pathway split in two. Which direction was she to take, which path was she to follow? On her knees she for a long time sought for a footstep to guide her. But the earth was dry. Byblis could see nothing. As she lifted her head she perceived that, hidden in the foliage of an oak, a tree-nymph with green breasts was watching her with a smile. “Oh!” Byblis cried, “which way did they go? Tell me if you saw them.” The tree-nymph extended one of her long branch-like arms to the right, and Byblis thanked her with a grateful glance. She walked on that night for a long way. The pathway seemed never-ending, and, besides, it was hardly visible beneath a covering of dead leaves; it ceaselessly wound its way, determined in its direction by the chance of the soil, and the position of the trees; it seemed to climb up and descend into the shadows for ever. At last worn out with fatigue Byblis fell to the ground and went to sleep. She awakened in the morning when the sun was high in the heavens with a soft, warm sensation upon her outstretched hand. She opened her eyes to see a white hind gently licking her. But at Byblis’ first movement the graceful animal jumped up, pricked its ears, and fixed its lovely dark eyes, which glittered like a mountain stream, upon a distant point.