Away he would go day
after day with his arrows at his back and his spear at his side. His
dogs were fierce and would attack any creature. His horse was as brave
as he. His friends begged him to wait till he was older and stronger
before he went into the deep forests, but he never waited. He had killed
bears, wolves, and lions. Why should he wait?
[Illustration: ADONIS AND APHRODITE (Aphrodite is the Greek name
of Venus.)]
"But the wild hog is fiercer than the tiger. One spring morning while
hunting in the forest, Adonis wounded two. Leaving his dogs to worry one
while he killed the other, he got off his horse, and, running, threw his
spear at the hog. Its thick hide was tough and the spear fell to the
ground. He drew out an arrow, but before he could place it in the bow,
the ugly beast had caught him with its horrid tusks.
"He tore away and, bleeding at every step, bounded down a hillside
toward a brook to bathe his wounds. But the savage beast reached it as
soon as he. A flock of white swans that had been drinking from the
brook, rose on their strong wings and, flying straight to their
mistress, Venus, told the story.
"Back they brought her in her silver chariot, sailing so steadily
that, from the silver cup of nectar she brought with her, not a drop
was spilled.
Pages:
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128