156 SPRING STORIES AND SONGS 



BAUCIS AND PHILEMON 



MERCURY went on many errands for the gods. 

 He became a great traveller, and visited every 

 part of the earth. 



Sometimes there was nothing to do. Some- 

 times he might just as well have stayed at home 

 in Olympus. But even then he often made 

 little trips of seven and eight thousand miles 

 for the fun of it. 



He thought no more of that than you would 

 think of taking a ride on the trolly. 



Many strange things happened on these occa- 

 sions. But the story I am going to tell you 

 now is, perhaps, the strangest of all. 



This time Mercury begged his father to go 

 with him. 



Jupiter agreed to go, as it was vacation time 

 for him. 



" But/' said Jupiter, " let us dress ourselves 

 like men. We will not let the people know 

 that we are gods. I want to see how men 

 act when they think the gods are not look- 

 ing on." 



That very day, toward the close of the after- 



