28 AUTUMN STORIES AND POEMS 



The queen of night covered the starry heavens 

 with black clouds, in mourning for Aurora's son, 



But Aurora has never gotten over her loss. 

 Great teardrops gather in her eyes and fall one 

 by one, as she thinks of her brave Memnon. 



AURORA AND TITHONUS 



THERE was once a beautiful youth named 

 Tithonus who loved Aurora dearly. 



Lying in the green grass, he watched for her 

 every morning. 



And every morning Aurora smiled down on 

 him. 



One day Tithonus was sick and dying. 



He begged to be carried out into the green 

 meadow. He wanted one last look at Aurora. 



But when she saw him, she caught him up in 

 her chariot, and carried him to Jupiter. 



She begged the King of the gods to grant 

 that Tithonus should live forever, because she 

 loved him. 



Jupiter granted this, and Aurora was happy. 



But she forgot to ask Jupiter to grant that he 

 should be forever young. 



