Hercules was a fair-faced youth, and life was all before him, he
went out one morning to do an errand for his stepfather. But as he
walked his heart was full of bitter thoughts; and he murmured because
others no better than himself were living in ease and pleasure, while
for him there was naught but a life of labor and pain.

As he thought upon these things, he came to a place where two roads
met; and he stopped, not certain which one to take.

The road on his right was hilly and rough; there was no beauty in it or
about it: but he saw that it led straight toward the blue mountains in
the far distance.

The road on his left was broad and smooth, with shade trees on either
side, where sang an innumerable choir of birds; and it went winding
among green meadows, where bloomed countless flowers: but it ended in
fog and mist long before it reached the wonderful blue mountains in the
distance.

While the lad stood in doubt as to these roads, he saw two fair women
coming toward him, each on a different road. The one who came by the
flowery way reached him first, and Hercules saw that she was as
beautiful as a summer day.

Her cheeks were red, her eyes sparkled; she, spoke warm, persuasive
words. "O noble youth," she said, "be no longer bowed down with labor
and sore trials, but come and follow me, I will lead you into pleasant
paths, where there are no storms to disturb and no troubles to annoy.
You shall live in ease, with one unending round of music and mirth; and
you shall not want for anything that makes life joyous--sparkling wine,
or soft couches, or rich robes, or the loving eyes of beautiful
maidens. Come with me, and life shall be to you a day-dream of
gladness."

By this time the other fair woman had drawn near, and she now spoke to
the lad. "I have nothing to promise you," said she, "save that which
you shall win with your own strength. The road upon which I would lead
you is uneven and hard, and climbs many a hill, and descends into many
a valley and quagmire. The views which you will sometimes get from the
hilltops are grand and glorious, but the deep valleys are dark, and the
ascent from them is toilsome. Nevertheless, the road leads to the blue
mountains of endless fame, which you see far away on the horizon. They
cannot be reached without labor; in fact, there is nothing worth having
that must not be won by toil. If you would have fruits and flowers,
you must plant them and care for them; if y