118 WINTER STORIES AND POEMS 



CHRONOS 



OLD Father Time used to be called King 

 Chronos. 



With his wife, the beautiful Earth Mother, 

 Rhea, he ruled over his people for many years. 



He would have been very happy but for one 

 thing. 



He was afraid that some day his son would be 

 king in his place. 



This troubled him so much that he tried to 

 think of a way to prevent it. 



You could never guess what a strange way he 

 chose ! 



When the little new-born baby was put in his 

 arms, he wrapped it up and swallowed it ! 



In this way he swallowed eleven of his sons 

 and daughters. 



Rhea, their mother, was very sad at losing her 

 children in this way. 



So when the twelfth baby was born, she hid 

 him, and gave a stone wrapped up instead of a 

 child to Chronos. 



He quickly swallowed it. 



Then she took the little baby to an island far 

 away. 



