4 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



that he always got back to his starting-point be- 

 fore the next morning was somewhat of a mys- 

 tery. Nobody had ever seen him making his 

 return trip, and hence all that men knew about it 

 was guesswork. It matters very little to us, how- 

 ever; for that question has nothing to do with 

 the story which I am going to tell. 



The old charioteer always slept soundly in the 

 morning, and seldom awoke until he heard his 

 young sister, the maiden whom men call Aurora, 

 rapping at the door of his bedroom, and making 

 her voice echo through the halls of the Dawn. 



" Up, up, brother Helios ! " she would cry. " It 

 is time for you to begin your journey again. Up, 

 and delight the world once more with your shin- 

 ing morning face and your life-giving presence ! " 



Then Helios would hasten to the meadows 

 where his steeds were feeding, and would call 

 them each by name : 



" Come hither, beautiful creatures ! Hasten, 

 for Aurora calleth. Eos, thou glowing one! 

 ^thon, thou of the burning name ! Bronte, thou 

 thunderer! Sterope, thou swifter than light- 

 ning ! Come quickly ! " 



The wing-footed steeds would obey. The ser- 

 vants would harness them to the golden car, and 



