ut it."

"Why," replied the child, "I often come here to sail little boats in the
fountain, and to gather pretty pebbles out of its basin. And sometimes
when I look down into the water, I see the image of the winged horse, in
the picture of the sky that is there. I wish he would come down and
take me on his back, and let me ride him up to the moon! But, if I so
much as stir to look at him, he flies far away out of sight."

And Bellerophon put his faith in the child, who had seen the image of
Pegasus in the water, and in the maiden, who had heard him neigh so
melodiously, rather than in the middle-aged clown, who believed only in
cart-horses, or in the old man, who had forgotten the beautiful things
of his youth.

Therefore he haunted about the Fountain of Pirene for a great many days
afterwards. He kept continually on the watch, looking upward at the
sky, or else down into the water, hoping for ever that he should see
either the reflected image of the winged horse, or the marvellous
reality. He held the bridle, with its bright gems and golden bit,
always ready in his hand. The rustic people, who dwelt in the
neighbourhood, and drove their cattle to the fountain to drink, would
often laugh at poor Bellerophon, and sometimes take him pretty severely
to task. They told him that an able-bodied young man, like himself,
ought to have better business than to be wasting his time in such an
idle pursuit. They offered to sell him a horse, if he wanted one; and
when Bellerophon declined the purchase they tried to drive a bargain
with him for his fine bridle.

Even the country boys thought him so very foolish, that they used to
have a great deal of sport about him; and were rude enough not to care a
fig, although Bellerophon saw and heard it. One little urchin, for
example, would play Pegasus, and cut the oddest imaginable capers, by
way of flying, while one of his schoolfellows would scamper after him,
holding forth a twist of bulrushes, which was intended to represent
Bellerophon's ornamented bridle. But the gentle child, who had seen the
picture of Pegasus in the water, comforted the young stranger more than
all the naughty boys could torment him. The dear little fellow, in his
play-hours, often sat down beside him, and, without speaking a word,
would look down into the fountain and up towards the sky, with so
innocent a faith that Bellerophon could not help feeling encouraged.

Now you will, perhaps, wish to be