Читать книгу Tales of Ancient Greece - Enid blyton - Страница 3

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Long, long ago, when the world was new, and no pain or sorrow was known, Epimetheus lived with his beautiful young wife Pandora. They dwelt in a house made of branches and leaves, for the sun shone always, and the wind was never cold.

Every one was happy. Merry voices came on the breeze, and laughter was heard everywhere. Epimetheus and Pandora were happiest of all, for they loved one another very dearly, and were never apart.

One day, as they were dancing beneath the trees, they saw the god Mercury coming towards them. He carried a wooden box on his shoulder, and looked tired and hot.

“Ask him what he has in that box,” said Pandora to Epimetheus. But Mercury would not tell them.

“That is not for you to know,” he answered. “Will you permit me to put my box in your dwelling and leave it there for a while? I have far to go, and the weight of it makes my steps slow. I will call for it on my way back.”

“We will take care of it for you,” said Epimetheus. “Put it in a corner of our house. It will be safe there.”

“Do not open it,” said Mercury warningly. “You will never cease to regret it, if you do.”

“We shall not even look at it,” said Epimetheus. “You need not fear, Mercury.”

So the god placed his box on the ground in a corner of Pandora’s dwelling. Then, bidding the two farewell, he set off again through the forest.

Pandora was filled with curiosity to know what was in the box. She left Epimetheus to dance with his companions, and stole into the house alone. She looked at the box for a long time, and then her eyes opened wide in astonishment.

The box was whispering! Little sighs and tiny sounds came from it. Pandora felt more curious than ever. There must be something alive inside to make that whispering noise.

She ran to the box and knelt down by it. It was very beautiful, made of finely-wrought dark wood, and on the top was a prettily carved head that seemed to smile at Pandora. Round the box was a strong golden cord, tied in a tight knot.

The whispering went on and on. Pandora listened, but she could not hear what was said. Her fingers trembled to undo the cord—but just then Epimetheus came in to beg her to come and play with him.

“Oh, Epimetheus, I wish I knew what was in this box,” said Pandora longingly. “Do you think I might just peep?”

Epimetheus was shocked.

“Mercury said that we were not to know,” he said. “Come away, Pandora. Come and play with me in the sunshine, where every one is happy.”

But Pandora would not go. Epimetheus looked at her in surprise, and then, thinking that she would surely come if he left her alone, he ran out to his comrades.

Pandora heard the laughter and shouts of her friends, but she thought of nothing but the whispering box. Would it matter if she just undid the golden cord? Surely she could do that without harm.

She looked round to see if Epimetheus was really gone, then she turned eagerly to the box. Her clever fingers worked at the golden cord, but it was so tight that she could not loosen it for a long time.

“Pandora, Pandora, come and dance!” cried her companions outside. But the maiden would not answer. She must undo the cord; she could not be happy until she had.

She pulled it and shook it. The knot was tight and difficult to untie. Pandora almost gave it up. Then suddenly it loosened, and swiftly she undid it. The golden cord slid on to the floor—and there lay the box, ready to open at a touch.

“Now that I have undone the cord, it is stupid not to open the box,” thought the maiden. “Shall I just lift up the lid, peep inside, and then let it drop? What harm could that do to any one? I really must find out what makes the whispering noise.”

She put her ear to the lid, and listened. Then, quite clearly, she heard tiny voices.

“Pandora, sweet Pandora!” they said. “Let us out, we pray you! Our prison is so dark and gloomy, will you not free us?”

The maiden was astonished. Should she free whatever was inside? As she was trying to make up her mind, she heard Epimetheus coming again. She knew he would not let her peep, but would tie up the box, so she hurriedly lifted up the lid to look inside before he came.

Alas! Within the box were crammed all the sorrows, pains, and evils of the world! As soon as Pandora lifted the lid, out they all flew, tiny brown-winged creatures like moths. They flew to Pandora and the surprised Epimetheus, and stung them. At once the two felt pain and anger for the first time. Then the brown-winged creatures flew out into the forest, and fastening themselves on to the merrymakers there, changed their cries of happiness to pain and dismay.

Epimetheus and Pandora began to quarrel. Pandora wept bitterly, and Epimetheus scolded her angrily for opening the box. In the midst of their quarrel, they suddenly heard a sweet voice calling to them. They stopped their angry words to listen.

The voice came from the box, which Pandora had hurriedly shut as soon as the brown-winged creatures had flown out. It was a high voice, sweet and loving.

“Let me out, let me out!” it cried. “I will heal your sorrows, and bring you peace! Only let me out!”

“Shall I open the box again?” said Pandora.

“Since you cannot do much worse mischief than you have done already, you may as well see what is left,” said Epimetheus gloomily.

So for the second time Pandora opened the box, and this time out flew, not a brown-winged creature, but a little snowy-winged spirit. She was called Hope, and had been crammed in at the bottom of all the evil creatures. It was her duty to heal the wounds made by them, and to cheer those whom they had visited.

She flew at once to Pandora and Epimetheus, and brushing the wounds on their skin with her snowy wings, she healed them. Then off she flew to do the same for their unhappy companions outside.

And thus, because of Pandora’s foolish curiosity, sorrow, pain, and evil entered the world, and have been with us ever since. But Hope stayed too, and whilst we have her, we are content.