iful earth home.

Fear gave her wings, and faster and faster she flew.

Her hair streamed behind her like a cloud of golden light.

Apollo followed more swiftly than the wind.

"Stop and listen," he cried; "I am not a foe, foolish girl. It is Apollo
who follows you. I shall carry you to a home more beautiful than
anything you have ever seen."

She felt his breath upon her hair, and saw his hand as he stretched it
forth to seize her.

"Father, save me from Apollo," she cried. "Let the earth enclose me."

Peneus heard her voice and instantly her feet became fastened in the
soil like roots. A soft bark covered her body and her beautiful hair
became the leaves of the laurel tree.

Apollo sadly gathered some of the leaves and wove them into a wreath. He
laid his hand upon the tree and said, "I would have made you happy, but
you would not listen to me.

"At least you shall be my tree. Your leaves shall be ever green, and
heroes shall be crowned with them in sign of victory."

[Illustration]

AN INDIAN STORY OF THE MOLE.

An Indian once saw a squirrel sunning himself in a tree top.

The squirrel saw the hunter and leaped upon a passing cloud.

He had escaped into Cloudland before an arrow could reach him.

The Indian set a trap for him hoping that he would soon return to the
tree for food.

The sun happened to be coming that way and was caught in the trap.

Suddenly, in the middle of the day, it became dark.

The Indian was frightened and said, "Ah me, what have I done, I have
surely caught the sun in my trap."

He sent many animals up to set it free, but all were instantly burned to
ashes.

At last the mole said, "Let me try, I shall bore through the ground of
the sky and gnaw off the cords which hold the trap."

He did this, but just as he loosened the last cord the sun sprang forth
and the bright light shone full in his eyes.

The poor mole dropped to the earth and though his friends were able to
save his life, he was blind.

"You need not pity me," he said, "I prefer to live underground, where
really there is no use for eyes."

All the moles were so proud of this hero mole that they tried to be like
him in every way.

They, too, went to live in a dark hole in the earth.

Their eyes, which they did not need to use, became so small that they
were entirely hidden by their fur. Indeed it is now so hard to find them
that many people think the entire mole family is blind.

[Illustration