lack
tails, and curveting with every one of their hoofs off the ground at
once, close by the spot where Proserpina stood. In the chariot sat the
figure of a man, richly dressed, with a crown on his head, all flaming
with diamonds. He was of a noble aspect, and rather handsome, but looked
sullen and discontented; and he kept rubbing his eyes and shading them
with his hand, as if he did not live enough in the sunshine to be very
fond of its light.

As soon as this personage saw the affrighted Proserpina, he beckoned her
to come a little nearer.

"Do not be afraid," said he, with as cheerful a smile as he knew how to
put on. "Come! Will not you like to ride a little way with me, in my
beautiful chariot?"

But Proserpina was so alarmed that she wished for nothing but to get out
of his reach. And no wonder. The stranger did not look remarkably
good-natured, in spite of his smile; and as for his voice, its tones
were deep and stern, and sounded as much like the rumbling of an
earthquake under ground as anything else. As is always the case with
children in trouble, Proserpina's first thought was to call for her
mother.

"Mother, Mother Ceres!" cried she, all in a tremble. "Come quickly and
save me."

But her voice was too faint for her mother to hear. Indeed, it is most
probable that Ceres was then a thousand miles off, making the corn grow
in some far-distant country. Nor could it have availed her poor
daughter, even had she been within hearing; for no sooner did Proserpina
begin to cry out than the stranger leaped to the ground, caught the
child in his arms, and again mounting the chariot, shook the reins, and
shouted to the four black horses to set off. They immediately broke into
so swift a gallop that it seemed rather like flying through the air
than running along the earth. In a moment, Proserpina lost sight of the
pleasant vale of Enna, in which she had always dwelt. Another instant,
and even the summit of Mount AEtna had become so blue in the distance
that she could scarcely distinguish it from the smoke that gushed out of
its crater. But still the poor child screamed and scattered her apron
full of flowers along the way, and left a long cry trailing behind
the chariot; and many mothers, to whose ears it came, ran quickly to see
if any mischief had befallen their children. But Mother Ceres was a
great way off, and could not hear the cry.

As they rode on, the stranger did his best to soothe her.

"Why should