THE WILD BO Y OF PINDUS 317 



But one of them ran away from the person with 

 whom he was left, and has lived in this part of the 

 forest for four years. He lives, even as you saw 

 him, without clothes. In summer he lives well, and 

 drinks our buttermilk daily. In winter he lies in 

 the caves, and lives on roots and nuts. He has 

 learnt no form of speech, neither has he a name." 

 The forest warden determined not to leave him to 

 endure another winter on the mountain ; so he bade 

 the shepherds to catch and bind the boy, and fastened 

 a rope to him, and took him back to Trikalae, where 

 he clothed him, and has done what he can to civilise 

 him. He always keeps him with himself, or under 

 the care of someone who can talk, because he seems 

 unable to learn to speak any word, though he imitates 

 the voices of many wild creatures. Nor does he 

 learn to understand the names of things. But animal 

 sounds he mimics well, and he has learnt to ride. 

 As his real name is not known, his guardian has called 

 him Sciron.' 



The reference in the name to the legend of Theseus 

 is very characteristic of modern Greek sentiment, which 

 preserves unbroken the traditions which cling to the 

 mountains and glens of old Hellas. But apart from 

 its old-world setting, the story affords additional and 

 corroborative evidence of the habits of the very curious 

 and rare animal which, for want of a better name, 



