s, if thou hast seen any man faring after
these cattle?"

Then to him the old man spake and answered:

"My friend, hard it were to tell all that a man may see: for many
wayfarers go by, some full of ill intent, and some of good: and it is
difficult to be certain regarding each. Nevertheless, the whole day long
till sunset I was digging about my vineyard plot, and methought I
marked--but I know not surely--a child that went after the horned kine;
right young he was, and held a staff, and kept going from side to side,
and backwards he drove the kine, their faces fronting him."

So spake the old man, but Apollo heard, and went fleeter on his path.
Then marked he a bird long of wing, and anon he knew that the thief had
been the son of Zeus Cronion. Swiftly sped the Prince, Apollo, son of
Zeus, to goodly Pylos, seeking the shambling kine, while his broad
shoulders were swathed in purple cloud. Then the Far-darter marked the
tracks, and spake:

"Verily, a great marvel mine eyes behold! These be the tracks of high-
horned kine, but all are turned back to the meadow of asphodel. But
these are not the footsteps of a man, nay, nor of a woman, nor of grey
wolves, nor bears, nor lions, nor, methinks, of a shaggy-maned Centaur,
whosoever with fleet feet makes such mighty strides! Dread to see they
are that backwards go, more dread they that go forwards."

So speaking, the Prince sped on, Apollo, son of Zeus. To the Cyllenian
hill he came, that is clad in forests, to the deep shadow of the hollow
rock, where the deathless nymph brought forth the child of Zeus Cronion.
A fragrance sweet was spread about the goodly hill, and many tall sheep
were grazing the grass. Thence he went fleetly over the stone threshold
into the dusky cave, even Apollo, the Far-darter.

Now when the son of Zeus and Maia beheld Apollo thus in wrath for his
kine, he sank down within his fragrant swaddling bands, being covered as
piled embers of burnt tree-roots are covered by thick ashes, so Hermes
coiled himself up, when he saw the Far-darter; and curled himself, feet,
head, and hands, into small space [summoning sweet sleep], though of a
verity wide awake, and his tortoise-shell he kept beneath his armpit. But
the son of Zeus and Leto marked them well, the lovely mountain nymph and
her dear son, a little babe, all wrapped in cunning wiles. Gazing round
all the chamber of the vasty dwelling, Apollo opened three aumbries with
the shining key; full