se with which he had traveled from Lycia to
Greece, and had brought the beautifully ornamented bridle in his hand.
It was an enchanted bridle. If he could only succeed in putting the
golden bit into the mouth of Pegasus, the winged horse would be
submissive, and would own Bellerophon for his master, and fly
whithersoever he might choose to turn therein.

But, indeed, it was a weary and anxious time, while Bellerophon waited
and waited for Pegasus, in hopes that he would come and drink at the
Fountain of Pirene. He was afraid lest King Iobates should imagine
that he had fled from the Chimaera. It pained him, too, to think how
much mischief the monster was doing, while he himself, instead of
fighting with it, was compelled to sit idly poring over the bright
waters of Pirene, as they gushed out of the sparkling sand. And as
Pegasus came thither so seldom in these latter years, and scarcely
alighted there more than once in a lifetime, Bellerophon feared that
he might grow an old man, and have no strength left in his arms nor
courage in his heart, before the winged horse would appear. Oh, how
heavily passes the time, while an adventurous youth is yearning to do
his part in life, and to gather in the harvest of his renown! How hard
a lesson it is to wait! Our life is brief, and how much of it is spent
in teaching us only this!

Well was it for Bellerophon that the gentle child had grown so fond of
him, and was never weary of keeping him company. Every morning the
child gave him a new hope to put in his bosom, instead of yesterday's
withered one.

"Dear Bellerophon," he would cry, looking up hopefully into his face,
"I think we shall see Pegasus to-day!"

And, at length, if it had not been for the little boy's unwavering
faith, Bellerophon would have given up all hope, and would have gone
back to Lycia, and have done his best to slay the Chimaera without the
help of the winged horse. And in that case poor Bellerophon would at
least have been terribly scorched by the creature's breath, and would
most probably have been killed and devoured. Nobody should ever try to
fight an earth-born Chimaera, unless he can first get upon the back of
an aerial steed.

One morning the child spoke to Bellerophon even more hopefully than
usual.

"Dear, dear Bellerophon," cried he, "I know not why it is, but I feel
as if we should certainly see Pegasus to-day!"

And all that day he would not stir a step from Bellerophon's side; so
they a