she sang to her babe as
they floated.

Now they are past the last blue headland and in the open sea. There is
nothing round them but waves, and the sky and the wind. But the waves
are gentle and the sky is clear, and the breeze is tender and low.

So a night passed and a day, and a long day it was to Danae, and
another night and day beside, till Danae was faint with hunger and
weeping, and yet no land appeared.

And all the while the babe slept quietly, and at last poor Danae
drooped her head and fell asleep likewise, with her cheek against her
babe's.

After a while she was awakened suddenly, for the chest was jarring and
grinding, and the air was full of sound. She looked up, and over her
head were mighty cliffs, and around her rocks and breakers and flying
flakes of foam.

She clasped her hands together and shrieked aloud for help. And when
she cried, help met her, for now there came over the rocks a tall and
stately man, and looked down wondering upon poor Danae, tossing about
in the chest among the waves.

He wore a rough cloak, and on his head a broad hat to shade his face,
and in his hand he carried a trident, which is a three-pronged fork
for spearing fish, and over his shoulder was a casting net.

[Illustration: SO DANAE WAS COMFORTED AND WENT HOME WITH DICTYS.]

But Danae could see that he was no common man by his height and his
walk, and his flowing golden hair and beard, and by the two servants
who came behind him carrying baskets for his fish.

She had hardly time to look at him, before he had laid aside his
trident and leapt down the rocks, and thrown his casting net so surely
over Danae and the chest, that he drew it and her and the babe safe
upon a ledge of rock.

Then the fisherman took Danae by the hand and lifted her out of the
chest and said, "O beautiful damsel, what strange chance has brought
you to this island in so frail a ship? Who are you, and whence? Surely
you are some king's daughter, and this boy belongs to the gods."
And as he spoke he pointed to the babe, for its face shone like the
morning star.

But Danae only held down her head and sobbed out, "Tell me to what land
I have come, and among what men I have fallen."

And he said, "Polydectes is King of this isle, and he is my brother.
Men call me Dictys the Netter, because I catch the fish of the shore."

Then Danae fell down at his feet and embraced his knees and cried, "O
Sir, have pity upon a stranger, whom cruel doom