34 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



four night-black steeds, to bring Persephone back 

 to Dame Demeter's door. And there the fair 

 maid Hves all through the spring and the warm 

 months of the year, till at last the chill days of 

 the late fall bring snow and ice and hoar frost. 

 Then comes Aidoneus on the wings of the storm- 

 cloud, with Eton, swift as birds, and Nonios, 

 quick as light, and Abatos, fleet as thought, and 

 Abastor, who outspeeds the stars. And they bear 

 the maid up Etna's slopes, and are lost to sight 

 in the smoke and blue flames. 



And now each year, when the leaves fall and 

 the days grow cold, dark clouds are sure to come. 

 They hide the sky and chill the air and drive joy 

 from the fields and woods. You may see them 

 as they sweep along, blown by wild gusts of wind, 

 with snow and hail and driving sleet in their 

 train. 



Do you know what these clouds are? Look 

 and you will see. 



They are, in truth, the four black steeds of Ai- 

 doneus, and the dark car, and the sad-faced King; 

 and they bear Persephone to the shades deep 

 down in the earth. But in four months there- 

 from the sun will call; the seeds in the ground 

 will sprout and grow; the buds will swell and 



