128 SPRING STORIES AND SONGS 



strange that I did not see it before ! It must 

 have just this minute opened ! " 



She stooped to pluck the beautiful flower. 



As she did so she heard a rumbling noise like 

 thunder. 



The flower came up, roots and all. 



Then the hole at her feet became larger and 

 larger. 



All at once, out of it came a chariot drawn by 

 four coal-black horses. 



In it sat King Pluto. 



His face was pale and sad. 



He shaded his eyes with his hand as if the 

 light hurt them. 



Before Proserpine could run away, Pluto 

 caught her in his arms. 



She screamed so loud that her mother, al- 

 though far off, heard her. 



Pluto's horses were swift as the wind. 



In spite of the little girl's cries, he held her 

 close. 



After he had gone some miles, he struck the 

 earth with his staff. It opened, and his horses 

 plunged down into the dark hole. 



On the way he tried to be kind to her, and 

 make her forget her trouble. 



