they saw the creature stand quietly by the side of Neptune,
they lost their fear and came closer to see and admire its beauty.

"This is my gift," said Neptune. "This animal will carry your burdens
for you; he will draw your chariots; he will pull your wagons and your
plows; he will let you sit on his back and will run with you faster than
the wind."

[Illustration: "OUT OF THE YAWNING CREVICE THERE SPRANG A WONDERFUL
CREATURE"]

"What is his name?" asked the king.

"His name is Horse," answered Neptune.

Then Athena came forward. She stood a moment on a green grassy plot
where the children of the town liked to play in the evening. Then she
drove the point of her spear deep down in the soil. At once the air was
filled with music, and out of the earth there sprang a tree with slender
branches and dark green leaves and white flowers and violet green fruit.

"This is my gift," said Athena. "This tree will give you food when you
are hungry; it will shelter you from the sun when you are faint; it will
beautify your city; and the oil from its fruit will be sought by all the
world."

"What is it called?" asked the king.

"It is called Olive," answered Athena.

Then the king and his wise men began to talk about the two gifts.

"I do not see that Horse will be of much use to us," said the old man
who had spoken before. "For, as to the chariots and wagons and plows, we
have none of them, and indeed do not know what they are; and who among
us will ever want to sit on this creature's back and be borne faster
than the wind? But Olive will be a thing of beauty and a joy for us and
our children forever."

"Which shall we choose?" asked the king, turning to the people.

"Athena has given us the best gift," they all cried, "and we choose
Athena and wisdom!"

"Be it so," said the king, "and the name of our city shall be Athens."

From that day the town grew and spread, and soon there was not room on
the hilltop for all the people. Then houses were built in the plain
around the foot of the hill, and a great road was built to the sea,
three miles away; and in all the world there was no city more fair than
Athens.

In the old market place on the top of the hill the people built a temple
to Athena, the ruins of which may still be seen. The olive tree grew and
nourished; and, when you visit Athens, people will show you the very
spot where it stood. Many other trees sprang from it, and in time became
a blessing both to Greec