"The winged arrow had taken its flight to Jupiter and the son's prayer
was answered.
[Illustration: THE GREAT BEAR AND THE LITTLE BEAR. From an old wood cut.]
"Jupiter's lightnings flashed and the six hunters saw their strong
leader change into the Great Bear, and gently guide his mother, the
Little Bear, to her home in the sky. He took his place near her, at
Jupiter's command, and now follows wherever she leads. He points forever
to her and to the North Star which she keeps. Those who watch this
unchanging beacon among the stars sometimes remember that the people of
long ago thought that it was placed there to tell them of the unchanging
love of mothers."
"Oh, I knew there was a story. It came out all right at last, and that
takes the sad part away."
Then Ralph whispered, "We know it was only a myth, don't we?"
CASTOR AND POLLUX, THE STARRY TWINS
_Greek_
Among the star pictures in the sky may be found one called Gemini, or
the Twins. The ancient Greeks used to believe that twin brothers named
Castor and Pollux had been really placed in the sky. They once lived in
Sparta; their mother was the lovely Leda, and one of their sisters was
the beautiful Helen, whose capture caused the famous Trojan war.
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