In their play they fashioned garlands, gave them beauty by
wearing them. The dolphins swam near and laughed and sported to
see the beauty of land and sea at play.
One other watched them too. From a distance and with brooding
eyes. Often, as they frolicked on that white and sandy shore, he
sat in the gloom of the forest in his golden chariot, his four
black steeds pawing at the leaf-covered ground.
Their beauty he coveted.
And above all he desired Persephone!
4. The First Quest
He lay in bed, awake. It was morning, but morning dark and
gloomy. He could hardly see the doorway. The rain fell steadily,
the wind gusting, falling, then gusting once again. The air was
damp, cold, and clothes and bedclothes were soaked with moisture
from the humidity. He shivered, curled up tightly against the
cold.
Still, Rough tugged at the blankets as day broke, eager for his
master's company. Reluctantly Demo shooed the dog away, tucked
the covers more closely around himself.
"Well, mother, I shall sleep in this morning. Even Zeus is
hardly up and about on a day like this."
It was the wrong thing to say.
The rain suddenly increased, the wind grew stronger, and the
door flew open. Rough began barking excitedly, moved cautiously
toward the open door. As the rain blew in he retreated nearer
his master. Demo rose quickly to shut the door, but not before
a dark object blew in, fell upon the floor. Quickly Rough seized
it between his teeth, shook it from side to side.
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