em all backward into a cave, and fastened them in.

King Apollo soon missed the cows and searched all the meadow for them.

He traced them to the cave, but when he came closer to it, he found that
all the tracks led from the opening, not into it.

Near the cave he saw an old man who told him that he had seen the cows.

He said that with them he had seen a baby with wings on his cap and
heels.

Apollo knew at once that the baby was his brother, Hermes.

He went straight to the cave of AEolus. There was Hermes in his cradle
playing with the shell just like any other baby.

Apollo was angry and commanded him to stop laughing and crowing and tell
him where the white cows were.

Hermes only picked up the shell and breathed softly upon it.

Apollo forgot his anger and everything but the beautiful music. He took
Hermes in his arms and kissed him and begged him to teach him his
secret.

Hermes was glad to be so easily forgiven. He gave Apollo the lyre and
taught him many ways to play upon it. Apollo was soon able to make even
sweeter music than Hermes, and he afterwards became the god of music.

He was so thankful to Hermes for his gift that he gave him a wonderful
rod called the caduceus.

Whatever Hermes touched with the rod became wise, loving and unselfish.
One time he saw two hissing serpents about to spring at each other in
fury.

He touched them with the caduceus. Instantly they twined themselves
lovingly around the rod and never again left it.

Apollo also gave Hermes charge over all the cows in the blue meadow.
Hermes loved the cows and often took them with him on his journeys.

He was a wild youth and a great traveler, and so it happens that in
nearly all the countries of the world Hermes and his white cows have
been seen.

IRIS' BRIDGE.

In the sky where the amber tints are seen on the clouds, Iris was born.

She loved her home and all the beautiful things around her.

Perhaps she sailed in the moon's silver boat and knew why the stars kept
twinkling.

Perhaps she feasted on sunshine and dew, and slept on the soft white
clouds.

More than anything in her sky-home, Iris loved her grandfather, the
stern old ocean.

When he was merry, and drove his white horses over the water, she was
happy.

When he was troubled, and the sky grew dark and sad, she quietly slipped
her hand into his.

Instantly he smiled, and became gentle again.

He longed always to keep her with him, but the Sun