Pagina 270 di 274

When the Woman heard his cries, she came and said, "Why, are you

weeping still?" To which he replied, "Yes, and I mean it this

time."

PROMETHEUS AND THE MAKING OF MAN

At the bidding of Jupiter, Prometheus set about the creation of

Man and the other animals. Jupiter, seeing that Mankind, the only

rational creatures, were far outnumbered by the irrational

beasts, bade him redress the balance by turning some of the

latter into men. Prometheus did as he was bidden, and this is the

reason why some people have the forms of men but the souls of

beasts.

THE SWALLOW AND THE CROW

A Swallow was once boasting to a Crow about her birth. "I was

once a princess," said she, "the daughter of a King of Athens,

but my husband used me cruelly, and cut out my tongue for a

slight fault. Then, to protect me from further injury, I was

turned by Juno into a bird." "You chatter quite enough as it is,"

said the Crow. "What you would have been like if you hadn't lost

your tongue, I can't think."