t, and, floating earthward, was picked up by the
child, who kept it as long as he lived, in memory of Pegasus and
Bellerophon.

But the latter (who, as you may judge, was as good a horseman as ever
galloped) had been watching his opportunity, and at last clapped the
golden bit of the enchanted bridle between the winged steed's jaws. No
sooner was this done, than Pegasus became as manageable as if he had
taken food, all his life, out of Bellerophon's hand. To speak what I
really feel, it was almost a sadness to see so wild a creature grow
suddenly so tame. And Pegasus seemed to feel it so, likewise. He
looked round to Bellerophon, with the tears in his beautiful eyes,
instead of the fire that so recently flashed from them. But when
Bellerophon patted his head, and spoke a few authoritative, yet kind
and soothing words, another look came into the eyes of Pegasus; for he
was glad at heart, after so many lonely centuries, to have found a
companion and a master.

Thus it always is with winged horses, and with all such wild and
solitary creatures. If you can catch and overcome them, it is the
surest way to win their love.

While Pegasus had been doing his utmost to shake Bellerophon off his
back, he had flown a very long distance; and they had come within
sight of a lofty mountain by the time the bit was in his mouth.
Bellerophon had seen this mountain before, and knew it to be Helicon,
on the summit of which was the winged horse's abode. Thither (after
looking gently into his rider's face, as if to ask leave) Pegasus now
flew, and, alighting, waited patiently until Bellerophon should please
to dismount. The young man, accordingly, leaped from his steed's back,
but still held him fast by the bridle. Meeting his eyes, however, he
was so affected by the gentleness of his aspect, and by the thought of
the free life which Pegasus had heretofore lived, that he could not
bear to keep him a prisoner, if he really desired his liberty.

Obeying this generous impulse he slipped the enchanted bridle off the
head of Pegasus, and took the bit from his mouth.

"Leave me, Pegasus!" said he. "Either leave me, or love me."

In an instant, the winged horse shot almost out of sight, soaring
straight upward from the summit of Mount Helicon. Being long after
sunset, it was now twilight on the mountain-top, and dusky evening
over all the country round about. But Pegasus flew so high that he
overtook the departed day, and was bathed in the u