utiful, for a boy,
as Helen was for a girl, and was the best runner, and hunter, and archer
among the country people. He was loved by the beautiful OEnone, a
nymph--that is, a kind of fairy--who dwelt in a cave among the woods of
Ida. The Greeks and Trojans believed in these days that such fair nymphs
haunted all beautiful woodland places, and the mountains, and wells, and
had crystal palaces, like mermaids, beneath the waves of the sea. These
fairies were not mischievous, but gentle and kind. Sometimes they
married mortal men, and OEnone was the bride of Paris, and hoped to keep
him for her own all the days of his life.

It was believed that she had the magical power of healing wounded men,
however sorely they were hurt. Paris and OEnone lived most happily
together in the forest; but one day, when the servants of Priam had
driven off a beautiful bull that was in the herd of Paris, he left the
hills to seek it, and came into the town of Troy. His mother, Hecuba,
saw him, and looking at him closely, perceived that he wore a ring which
she had tied round her baby's neck when he was taken away from her soon
after his birth. Then Hecuba, beholding him so beautiful, and knowing
him to be her son, wept for joy, and they all forgot the prophecy that he
would be a burning torch of fire, and Priam gave him a house like those
of his brothers, the Trojan princes.

The fame of beautiful Helen reached Troy, and Paris quite forgot unhappy
OEnone, and must needs go to see Helen for himself. Perhaps he meant to
try to win her for his wife, before her marriage. But sailing was little
understood in these times, and the water was wide, and men were often
driven for years out of their course, to Egypt, and Africa, and far away
into the unknown seas, where fairies lived in enchanted islands, and
cannibals dwelt in caves of the hills.

Paris came much too late to have a chance of marrying Helen; however, he
was determined to see her, and he made his way to her palace beneath the
mountain Taygetus, beside the clear swift river Eurotas. The servants
came out of the hall when they heard the sound of wheels and horses'
feet, and some of them took the horses to the stables, and tilted the
chariots against the gateway, while others led Paris into the hall, which
shone like the sun with gold and silver. Then Paris and his companions
were led to the baths, where they were bathed, and clad in new clothes,
mantles of white, and robes of p