98 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



shield, and forthwith there sprang out two tiny- 

 green leaves ; and to these two other leaves were 

 added, and then others and others, until a slender 

 twig appeared. Then the twig grew into a 

 spreading tree, with clusters of flowers and rich, 

 oil-producing fruit; and birds built their nests 

 among the branches, and children gamboled in 

 the shade beneath. 



" Behold the olive tree ! " said Athena. " It is 

 my gift to you, and the emblem of the blessings 

 that I will confer upon your city." 



The king and his councilors sat for a long 

 time in silence, looking now upon the beautiful 

 but terrible animal, and now upon the tree with 

 its fruit and flowers and inviting shade. The 

 horse was by far the most attractive object that 

 they had ever seen, and the longer they looked 

 upon him the more their wonder grew. 



" What will we do with him now that we have 

 him? " asked one. 



" Will he feed the hungry? " asked another. 



" Truly, he will be but an expensive luxury to 

 us," said a third, " and not nearly so great a bless- 

 ing to our people as the olive tree." 



And so they rendered their decision. Posei- 

 don's gift, they said, was a noble one, a wonderful 



