y soil; and after this was passed, there remained no
marks at all. But an old man saw him driving them on the road to
Pylos. There he shut up the cattle at his leisure, and, going to his
mother's cave, lay down in his cradle like a spark in a mass of
cinders, which an eagle could scarcely spy out. When I taxed him with
the theft he boldly denied it, and told me that he had not seen the
cows or heard naught of them, and could not get the reward if one were
offered for restoring them."

So the words of Phoebus were ended, and the child Hermes made
obeisance to Zeus, the lord of all the gods, and said, "Father Zeus, I
shall tell thee the truth, for I am a very truthful being, and I know
not how to tell a lie. This morning, when the sun was but newly risen,
Phoebus came to my mother's cave, looking for cows. He brought no
witnesses; but urged me by force to confess; he threatened to hurl me
into the abyss of Tartaros. Yet he has all the strength of early
manhood, while I, as he knows, was born but yesterday, and am not in
the least like a cattle-reiver. Believe me (by thy love for me, thy
child) that I have not brought these cows home, or passed beyond my
mother's threshold. This is strict truth. Nay, by Helios and the other
gods, I swear that I love thee and have respect for Phoebus. Thou
knowest that I am guiltless, and, if thou wilt, I will also swear it.
But, spite of all his strength, I will avenge myself some day on
Phoebus for his unkindness; and then help thou the weaker."

So spake Hermes, winking his eyes and holding the clothes to his
shoulders; and Zeus laughed aloud at the wiliness of the babe, and
bade Phoebus and the child be friends. Then he bowed his head and
charged Hermes to show the spot where he had hidden the cattle, and
the child obeyed, for none may despise that sign and live. To Pylos
they hastened and to the broad stream of Alpheios, and from the fold
Hermes drove forth the cattle. But as he stood apart, Apollo beheld
the hides flung on the rock, and he asked Hermes, "How wast thou able,
cunning rogue, to flay two cows, thou a child but one day old? I fear
thy might in time to come, and I can not let thee live." Again he
seized the child, and bound him fast with willow bands; but the child
tore them from his body like flax, so that Phoebus marveled greatly.
In vain Hermes sought a place wherein to hide himself, and great fear
came upon him till he thought of his tortoise-lyre. With his bow he
tou