14 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



all men shall know that I am the son and heir of 

 Helios." 



At length Aurora, in her yellow morning 

 robes, knocked at the door, and Helios knew that 

 no more time could be spent in vain entreaties. 



" Ah, my son ! " he said, " you know not what 

 you have asked. Yet since I have made the vow 

 I will not refuse you. May the immortals have 

 you in their keeping, and ward all danger from 

 you!" 



Then the four horses were led out and har- 

 nessed to the car, and Helios sadly gave the reins 

 into Phaethon's hands. 



" Thy folly will doubtless bring its own pun- 

 ishment, my son," he said; and, hiding his face 

 in his long cloak," he wept. 



But the young man leaped quickly into the car, 

 and cried out, as his father had been wont to 

 cry: "On, Eos! On, ^thon, Bronte, Sterope! 

 On, ye children of the morning! Awaken the 

 world with your brightness, and carry beauty 

 and gladness into every corner of the earth. 

 Sterope, Bronte, ^Ethon, Eos, on with you ! " 



Up sprang the steeds, swift as the thunder- 

 clouds that rise from the sea. Quickly they 

 vaulted upward to the blue dome of heaven. 



