in anger, struck the little creature and wounded it. Away
flew the bee and Rhoecus, looking after it, saw the red sun setting
over the trees of the thousand-year-old forest. He was too late!

Through the city and out of its gates he rushed. He sped across the
plain and entered the wood. At the tree no fair dryad awaited him. But
he heard a voice saying sadly, "Ah, Rhoecus, you forgot your promise
to me. You drove away with a cruel blow my little messenger who sought
to remind you of me. Because you have been harsh to the little bee,
your punishment is this: You shall never see me again."

"Ah, no! sweet spirit," cried Rhoecus. "Forgive me this once. I will
never sin again."

"Alas! it cannot be. Farewell," sighed the dryad. And Rhoecus saw
her no more.

In that hour he changed from a happy youth to a sad and lonely man.
All his life he longed to see the dryad whom he had lost for ever.

_King Solomon and the Ants_

FLORA J. COOKE

One morning the Queen of Sheba started back to her home in the South.
King Solomon and all his court went with her to the gates of the city.

It was a glorious sight. The King and Queen rode upon white horses.
The purple and scarlet coverings of their followers glittered with
silver and gold.

The King looked down and saw an ant hill in the path before them.

"See yonder little people," he said; "do you hear what they are saying
as they run about so wildly?

"They say, 'Here comes the King men call wise, and good, and great. He
will trample us under his cruel feet.'"

"They should be proud to die under the feet of such a King," said the
Queen. "How dare they complain!"

"Not so, great Queen," replied the King.

He turned his horse aside and all his followers did the same.

When the great company had passed, there was the ant hill unharmed in
the path.

The Queen said, "Happy, indeed, must be your people, wise King. I
shall remember the lesson. He only is noble and great who cares for
the helpless and weak."

_The Story of Pegasus_

FANNY E. COE

Long ago in Greece there lived a young man named Bellerophon.
Bellerophon was brave; he was handsome; he was kind-hearted.

Nearly everyone loved Bellerophon; but there was one man who did not
like him. This was the King of the country in which Bellerophon lived.
The King was jealous. He saw how everyone, rich and poor, high and
low, loved Bellerophon. He feared that they might want to have
Bellerophon for the