Stories of Old Greece

s cradle songs.. The cave was filled with sweet scents from flowery fields, and no passer-by disturbed the little sleeper, Hermes. Hermes was the son of Zeus ; and being the child of so great a father, was of course quite different from other children. Indeed, he was a very wonderful baby ; for when he was but four days old, he crept out of the cave, then stood up, and after a few trials began walking along the soft sand, and by and by he began to talk. He talked to the birds, insects, and flowers, and they talked to him, although in a different language. Everything was new and beautiful, and Hermes was very happy. He clapped his dimpled hands when he saw a tortoise creeping slowly toward the water. " Stop," said he. " Where are you going, little tortoise? I will go too." But the tortoise did not wish to talk, nor did he care for company; but he stopped and blinked his small bright eyes at the blue-eyed little boy. "Ah, you are silent now," cried Hermes; "but by and by you shall sing more sweetly than the birds." But the tortoise had no time to think about the matter, for Hermes killed it, and taking its shell, stretched skin across it, then stretched strings across the skin. So the poor, silent little tortoise lost its life that its shell might be used in making a musical instrument. Hermes made each string give a different tone ; and, much pleased with his work, he began to sing and to play. Everything else was silent as the sound of the lyre trem...