Classic Myths Part 10

Thor and Tiu went, in the olden time, to the house of a giant to secure a large kettle which was in the giant's house.

Thor's goats drew with magic swiftness the chariot in which the two rode, and Thor and Tiu arrived at the house in a few moments.

The giant's wife hid the two huge visitors under one of the many caldrons she had in her kitchen. When her husband came he broke all the kettles but one by just glancing at them. He welcomed his visitors in a very grim way and ordered them to be seated at the table with him. Thor ate so much that the giant grew angry, but Thor told him he would repay all by bringing him fish from the sea the next day.

Thor caught two whales and carried them to the giant's house, as he had promised. The giant laughingly said that he would give him one of the kettles if he could carry it. Tin tried twice and failed, but Thor, putting on his magic belt, lifted the kettle and set it on his head like a cap.

Then the goats took the two sons of Woden back to their home in Asgard.

If anyone should tell you that the giant was winter, and his kettles the strangely shaped icebergs of the arctic North, would you believe it?

Thor was the G.o.d of thunder riding in the clouds with his brother, the G.o.d of bravery and of the strong winds.

Tiu's name has been given to the day before Woden's day, and when Tuesday comes, try to be as true, brave, and swift as Tiu, the son of Woden.

NEPTUNE, KING OF THE SEAS

_Greek_

"Mother, when papa came back from South America, he told us a queer story about the sailors dressing up in masks. What holiday was it? And what did they do it for?"

"That must have been, Charlie, when the s.h.i.+p crossed the line, or the equator, as you call it in the geography cla.s.s. I remember his telling about King Neptune and his trident."

[Ill.u.s.tration: NEPTUNE]

"What did the sailors do, mother?"

"Why, one dressed to represent Neptune, a famous ocean G.o.d, and the rest masked as his followers. They were given presents by the pa.s.sengers on the s.h.i.+p, and it was a grand holiday."

"But who is King Neptune, and where does this ocean G.o.d live, mother?"

"People used to believe that Neptune was really king of all the waters on the earth, Charlie. Doesn't that seem strange? I'll tell you a story that I heard about Neptune and some of the other G.o.ds whom the Greeks used to wors.h.i.+p. Perhaps you will find more stories about him sometime."

"Wait a minute, mother, till I get that easy chair for you. Now we are ready to begin."

"Once on a time, Juno, the wife of Jupiter, while watching from the sky, saw some s.h.i.+ps on the sea beneath her.

"After looking closely, she found they were the seven s.h.i.+ps of Aeneas, who was trying to reach the land of Italy and was now only a few miles from its sh.o.r.e.

"Juno, for reasons of her own, did not want Aeneas to reach the land.

Knowing something must be done in the shortest possible time she went to King Aeolus and asked his help. She promised him all manner of beautiful gifts if he would only send his winds against the s.h.i.+ps of Aeneas.

"King Aeolus knew he was doing wrong, but he would not refuse Juno. He went to the mountain cave where he kept the storm winds, and, taking his heavy war spear, burst open the ma.s.sive door of the cavern and let all the mad crew out at once.

"The storm they made was terrible. Great waves like mountains came sweeping over the land, carrying trees and everything away.

"The s.h.i.+ps of Aeneas were only playthings in such a hurricane, and the winds seemed to know for what they had been let loose.

"The great cables that fastened heavy anchors to the s.h.i.+ps were snapped like stalks of corn. The winds roared like wild animals. The sky was as black as night, and great waterspouts went whirling by like huge tops set spinning by the blasts.

"One fierce wind blew against the s.h.i.+p of Aeneas and overturned it.

"A whirlwind caught three other s.h.i.+ps and tossed them lightly on the great rocks, on the sh.o.r.e. Another whirlwind sent three more s.h.i.+ps into the terrible quicksands and they were swallowed up.

"Aeneas, swimming in the water, saw around him his trusty sailors clinging, like himself, to broken planks and pieces of timber. All about them floated concave s.h.i.+elds, outspread mantles, and overturned helmets.

Treasures, too, in the shape of precious home gifts, and robes covered with jewels, drifted past them.

"But the only thing anyone wanted then was life, and it seemed as if the winds and waters were ready and able to destroy every man of them.

"Aeneas called to Neptune, king of the seas, and Neptune heard him and came riding up out of the bottom of the ocean.

"He held his golden-maned horses firmly in check, while his voice roared over the waters, asking:

"'What is this, you winds, that you dare to trouble earth and sky without leave from me? Who let you free from your rock prison?'

"The waves were afraid and quieted down. The clouds scattered like naughty children caught in mischief. The winds flew home and, hurrying back into their cave, blew the door tight-shut with a bang. Then everybody waited to see what King Neptune would do.

"He ordered some of his ocean train to pry the three s.h.i.+ps off the rocks, but they could not, and he had to help them with his trident, or three-pointed spear. Then King Neptune opened the quicksands and the other three s.h.i.+ps sailed out on the water again.

"Neptune knew Aeneas was a brave man and always quick to answer a call for help, so the boat of Aeneas had been taken care of first, and he and his men were put back safely into it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A GREEK COIN. Made about 510 B.C. representing Neptune, or Poseidon, as the Greeks called him]

"King Neptune, seeing everything was quiet again, showed Aeneas a beautiful harbor where he and his sailors could rest. The brazen-hoofed steeds that drew Neptune's chariot were tossing their heads and growing restive. So Neptune called his followers, and in a flash they all disappeared into the depths of the sea.

"Jupiter, ruler of the sky, praised Neptune for his skill in checking the furious winds and maddened waves, and Pluto, ruler of the center of the earth, said he was proud to call him brother."

"Well, that must have made King Aeolus ashamed of himself. Don't you think so, mother?"

WHY RIVERS HAVE GOLDEN SANDS

_Greek_

Once a poor peasant named Gordius thought he would give himself and his family a holiday in the city. He had no horses, but his yoke of oxen could draw the heavy wagon very well. He fastened them to his cart and, putting in his wife and boy, climbed in himself.

When near the city, the capital of Phrygia, he thought it would look better for him to walk and drive his oxen. This he did. As he approached the city he heard a great noise in the marketplace. He hurried his oxen to find out what it was all about. He had to jump into his wagon to avoid the crowd that was following him, and so drove to a great oak in the public square.

Such a welcome as this poor countryman had!

"Here comes our king!" was the cry from everyone. "We were told he should come this day in a wagon drawn by oxen, and here he is!"