Now, if there was anything in the world that Atalanta admired, it was a bright stone or a pretty piece of yellow gold.  As the apple fell to the ground she saw how beautiful it was, and she stopped to pick it up; and while she was doing this, Meilanion gained a good many paces.  But what of that?  In a minute she was as close behind him as ever.  And yet, she really did pity him.

Just then Meilanion threw the second apple over his shoulder.  It was handsomer and larger than the first, and Atalanta could not bear the thought of allowing some one else to get it.  So she stopped to pick it up from among the long grass, where it had fallen.  It took somewhat longer to find it than she had expected, and when she looked up again Meilanion was a hundred feet ahead of her.  But that was no matter.  She could easily overtake him.  And yet, how she did pity the foolish young man!

Meilanion heard her speeding like the wind behind him.  He took the third apple and threw it over to one side of the path where the ground sloped towards the river.  Atalanta’s quick eye saw that it was far more beautiful than either of the others.  If it were not picked up at once it would roll down into the deep water and be lost, and that would never do.  She turned aside from her course and ran after it.  It was easy enough to overtake the apple, but while she was doing so Meilanion gained upon her again.  He was almost to the goal.  How she strained every muscle now to overtake him!  But, after all, she felt that she did not care very much.  He was the handsomest young man that she had ever seen, and he had given her three golden apples.  It would be a great pity if he should have to die.  And so she let him reach the goal first.

After that, of course, Atalanta became Meilanion’s wife.  And he took her with him to his distant home, and there they lived happily together for many, many years.

[Illustration:]

THE HORSE AND THE OLIVE

I. Finding a King.

On a steep stony hill in Greece there lived in early times a few very poor people who had not yet learned to build houses.  They made their homes in little caves which they dug in the earth or hollowed out among the rocks; and their food was the flesh of wild animals, which they hunted in the woods, with now and then a few berries or nuts.  They did not even know how to make bows and arrows, but used slings and clubs and sharp sticks for weapons; and the little clothing which they had was made of skins.  They lived on the top of the hill, because they were safe there from the savage beasts of the great forest around them, and safe also from the wild men who sometimes roamed through the land.  The hill was so steep on every side that there was no way of climbing it save by a single narrow footpath which was always guarded by some one at the top.