For the Children.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2394, 8 January 1909, Page 12 (Supplement)

For the Children.

THE KING’S DAUGHTER IN THE MOUNTAIN.

THE STORY OF CUPID AND PSYCHE.

In the ancient days there lived in Greece a king who had three daughters. Psyche, the youngest daughter, was of remarkable beauty. When she passed through the streets -people threw down flowers for her to walk on. They worshipped her. But when the time came -for her to marry, the king was commanded by a mysterious voice to take nor tc» a wild mountain, and leave her thero. „ , -i “Alas!” cried the people. Our lovely Psycho is about to bo saci jficod! ” , And so, indeed, she was. The people had said that Psyche was more beautiful than Venus herself. Now, Venus was tlio, Spirit of Beauty, and, though what the people said was true, Venus was very angry. She bad a son named Cupid, who was the bpnit of Love, and she bade him marry Psyche to the ugliest creature on earth- , So when Psyche was placed on the mountain, a wind fairy came and carried her to a strange place. There the maiden was waited on by unseen spirits, who played sweet music ana served her with delicious food. But in the dark night someone came and spoke tenderly to her, and she fell in love with him, and consented to be his wife. Then he said: “Psyche, yon may do what you will in this palace which I have built for you. But one thing you must not do. You must not- try to see my face.” He was very sweet and kind ioher, but as lie came only in the nighttime, Psyche felt very lonely in the day-time. One day the wind fairy brought her sisters "to see her, and they made her very unhappy. They told her that, by command of Venus, Cupid had married her to a monster. “That’s what your husband is!” they said. “And that’s why he will not"let you see his face!” _ The next night Psyche lighted a lamp, and looked at her sleeping bedfellow. He was Cupid, the winged •and radiant Spirit of Love ! In her joy, Psyche tilted the lamp, and a drop of hot oil fell on his shoulder, and aroused him“Ah, Psyche!” he cried. “Wc* •must part. My mother will now know that I fell in love with you, and instead of mating you to a monster, married you myself in secret. Farewell 1”

And, spreading out- his wings, he flew away. In the morning Psyche bravely set out to follow him. and, after sadly wandering over the world, she came to the palace of Queen Venus. There she remained as a servant, in the hope of seeing Cupid. But Venus recognised her, and, being jinore angry with her than before, she set her on dangerous tasks in order to bring about her death. Psyche, however, was so gentle and lonely and sorrowful that everything on earth took her part and helped her. Then VenusTaid a plot against her. “Take the Golden Casket to the Queen of the Dead,' - ’ she said, “and ask her to fill it with the magic Ointment of Beauty.” Psyche knew that no mortal had ever returned from the Land of the Dead, and in her despair she climbed a tower to throw herself down and die. But the very stones took pity upon her, and said: “Do not despair. Yon will find a way to the Land of the Dead on Mount Tartarus. Go there, and take two copper coins in your mouth and two honey-cakes in your hands.” Psyche gladly did so. She came to the Land of t-lie Dead, wild a ghostly ferry-111 an ferried her over the Liver of Death, and took one of her copper coins. Then a horrible dog with three heads sprang at her, but she fed him with a honey-cake, and he let her pass. The Queen of the Dead filled tho Golden Casket, and by means of the last honey-cake and the last copper coin Psycho returned to the green, bright earth. She then opened the casket to see what was inside. Alas, this was just what Venus had expected she would do ! The casket was full of poisonous vapor. This vapor rushed up int-o Psyche’s face and overcame her, and she fell down on the grass. But Cupid had been watching her in all her trials, and he now flew to her aid, and wiped the vapor from her face. Then, taking her in his arms, lie spread out his wings, and carried her up to tho Land of Immortality. And there they still live together in unending ioy.