130 SPRING STORIES AND SONGS 



THE FINDING OF PROSERPINE 



ALL this time Ceres had been looking for her 

 little daughter. 



She had hurried home when she heard Proser- 

 pine scream. 



She had asked the sea-nymphs where their 

 little playmate was. 



But they could only tell her that she had 

 gone to gather flowers. 



Then she lighted a torch and searched in all 

 the dark corners of the world. 



She knocked at every door ; she asked every 

 one that she met. 



But no one had seen Proserpine. 



At last she thought of Apollo, who drives 

 the sun-ear every day through the heavens. 



"Surely," she thought, "he can see all that 

 happens in the world, and will tell me where 

 my daughter is." 



" Yes, Mother Ceres," said he when she asked 

 him, "your little girl was gathering flowers, 

 when King Pluto snatched her up. He has 

 carried her down to his kingdom." 



