Apollo did not care to live much of the time with his mighty kinsfolk on
the mountain top. He liked better to go about from place to place and
from land to land, seeing people at their work and making their lives
happy. When men first saw his fair boyish face and his soft white hands,
they sneered and said he was only an idle, good-for-nothing fellow. But
when they heard him speak, they were so charmed that they stood,
spellbound, to listen; and ever after that they made his words their
law. They wondered how it was that he was so wise; for it seemed to them
that he did nothing but stroll about, playing on his wonderful lyre and
looking at the trees and blossoms and birds and bees. But when any of
them were sick they came to him, and he told them what to find in plants
or stones or brooks that would heal them and make them strong again.
They noticed that he did not grow old, as others did, but that he was
always young and fair; and, even after he had gone away,--they knew not
how, nor whither,--it seemed as though the earth were a brighter and
sweeter place to live in than it had been before his coming.
In a mountain village beyond the Vale of Tempe, there lived a beautiful
lady named Coronis. When Apollo saw her, he loved her and made her his
wife; and for a long time the two lived together, and were happy. By and
by a babe was born to them,--a boy with the most wonderful eyes that
anybody ever saw,--and they named him AEsculapius. Then the mountains and
the woods were filled with the music of Apollo's lyre, and even the
Mighty Folk on the mountain top were glad.
One day Apollo left Coronis and her child, and went on a journey to
visit his favorite home on Mount Parnassus.
"I shall hear from you every day," he said at parting. "The crow will
fly swiftly every morning to Parnassus, and tell me whether you and the
child are well, and what you are doing while I am away."
For Apollo had a pet crow which was very wise, and could talk. The bird
was not black, like the crows which you have seen, but as white as snow.
Men say that all crows were white until that time, but I doubt whether
anybody knows.
Apollo's crow was a great tattler, and did not always tell the truth. It
would see the beginning of something, and then, without waiting to know
anything more about it, would hurry off and make up a great story about
it. But there was no one else to carry news from Coronis to Apollo; for,
as you know, there were no postmen in those days, and there was not a
telegraph wire in the whole world.
All went well for several days. Every morning the white bird would wing
its way over hills and plains and rivers and forests until it found
Apollo, either in the groves on the top of Parnassus or in his own house
at Delphi. Then it would alight upon his shoulder and say, "Coronis is
well! Coronis is well!"
One day, however, it had a different story. It came much earlier than
ever before, and seemed to be in great haste.
"Cor--Cor--Cor!" it cried; but it was so out of breath that it could not
speak her whole name.
"What is the matter?" cried Apollo, in alarm. "Has anything happened to
Coronis? Speak! Tell me the truth!"
"She does not love you! she does not love you!" cried the crow. "I saw a
man--I saw a man,--" and then, without stopping to take breath, or to
finish the story, it flew up into the air, and hurried homeward again.
Apollo, who had always been so wise, was now almost as foolish as his
crow. He fancied that Coronis had really deserted him for another man,
and his mind was filled with grief and rage. With his silver bow in his
hands he started at once for his home. He did not stop to speak with
any one; he had made up his mind to learn the truth for himself. His
swan-team and his golden chariot were not at hand--for, now that he was
living with men, he must travel like men. The journey had to be made on
foot, and it was no short journey in those days when there were no
roads. But after a time, he came to the village where he had lived
happily for so many years, and soon he saw his own house half-hidden
among the dark-leaved olive trees. In another minute he would know
whether the crow had told him the truth.
He heard the footsteps of some one running in the grove. He caught a
glimpse of a white robe among the trees. He felt sure that this was the
man whom the crow had seen, and that he was trying to run away. He
fitted an arrow to his bow quickly. He drew the string. Twang! And the
arrow which never missed sped like a flash of light through the air.
Apollo heard a sharp, wild cry of pain; and he bounded forward through
the grove. There, stretched dying on the grass, he saw his dear Coronis.
She had seen him coming, and was running gladly to greet him, when the
cruel arrow pierced her heart. Apollo was overcome with grief. He took
her form in his arms, and tried to call her back to life again. But it
was all in vain. She could only whisper his name, and then she was dead.
A moment afterwards the crow alighted on one of the trees near by.
"Cor--Cor--Cor," it began; for it wanted now to finish its story. But
Apollo bade it begone.
"Cursed bird," he cried, "you shall never say a word but
'Cor--Cor--Cor!' all your life; and the feathers of which you are so
proud shall no longer be white, but black as midnight."
And from that time to this, as you very well know, all crows have been
black; and they fly from one dead tree to another, always crying,
"Cor--cor--cor!"