"Cadmus. He killed this serpent, see. Knocked out its teeth,
sowed them like seed, and raised an . . . Oh, it doesn't matter!"
"The important thing is, five teeth remain. For all his
prowess, he didn't knock them out. My dentist says I must have
those. No substitutes. No plastic. The real McCoy. Dentists!"
"Anyway, they're right in your own back yard. T'other side of
the mountain from your home, actually. Easy day's trip. Just get
a gunny sack, go over and pick 'em up, and bring 'em back. Your
task, then - should you choose to accept it - is - get those
teeth."
Demo frowned. Somehow it seemed he had heard those words before.
Zeus smiled kindly, reached out and patted Demo's head.
"I do apologize. It's such a silly task! But necessary. So be
on your way."
Demo stood up, knowing he had been dismissed. The sudden
landing when dismissed from Olympus back to earthly surroundings
is best met standing and with flexed muscles.
As he departed he heard Zeus murmur, "Actually, this nectar
does have a certain bouquet, a body, an essence of its own."
He couldn't quite make out the last few words. " Hmmm, did I
tell the boy that the serpent isn't dead after all? Minor
detail."
"Mother, do you know aught of Cadmus?"
"Cadmus. Oh, yes, he lived down the valley a ways. Strange
fellow. Went around killing dragons and such. In fact, that was
his downfall. Poor soul. Why do you ask."
"Was he a dentist?"
"Oh, heavens no! Sorry, Zeus, no disrespect intended. Ah,
you're thinking of the dragon's teeth. Did I ever tell you about
that. It goes to show the ridiculous way some of the neighbors
behave. Let me see." She paused, a slight frown on her face.
"If you cross the mountain at lowpass and descend to where the
river forks, you'll see it."
Demo waited, but plainly she wanted him to ask.
"Yes, mother, what is it I will see?"
"The field, the very field where Cadmus sowed the dragon's
teeth. It grew him a dreadful crop, it did."
"Warriors! They sprang up from the ground! Fully armed, ready
for battle. Big, burly, rascals all. And he didn't even have to
water or fertilize. I wonder how big they might have been if he
had used fertilizer?"
"Vicious tempers, though. Hardly spoke a civil word to him or
each other before they were hard at it, fighting like children.
He just stood and watched openmouthed. Couldn't believe adults
would behave so abominably. Did I pronounce that right?"
"Yes, mother, I think you did."
"Thank you. I really need to review my English - eh, Greek. One
does forget, you know."
"Cadmus, mother, and the dragon's teeth?"
"They went bonkers, killed each other off, except for half a
dozen. They looked around, and one said 'Hey, you could get hurt
out here.' and they walked off the field over to Cadmus. He put
them to work building some kind of city, Planned to live there,
I think. Anyway, he got one of the God's peeved. Wasn't too
smart, Cadmus."
"Really, mother. What happened?"
"Turned him and his wife into serpents. Kind of poetic justice
I suppose. He comes slithering around this way every so often. I
don't mind, cause he kills the mice. It is a little
disconcerting when he starts talking about the good old days,
though. And I have to be extra careful I don't step on him. He
always was the one to be underfoot."
Demo bartered with the village smithy for some metal tongs and
a hammer, stowed them in his pouch, and headed for lowpass. A
beautiful day, with bright sun and cooling breeze.
"Five teeth. Zeus is right, this is a silly task."
At lowpass he gazed out over the wide valley. The river flowed
roughly through its center, and the fork in the river was less
than half a day's travel away. With a satisfied grunt he began
the descent.
At first the trail ran steeply down. He half walked, half slid.
But eventually the incline became less intense, and he made good
progress. The path widened as it reached the green meadow. From
there it led with little deviation directly to the dragon's
woods.
In due time he reached the field. It was immediately
recognizable.
Rusted armor and scattered bones brought tears to his eyes. So
many brave men had died, and for nothing!
Here and there a small helmet rose only partway above the
ground. "Ah, bad seed, I suppose. Never ripened."
Then he heard it.
The sound came from the forest adjoining the field. A moan,
almost ghostly in quality.
"Do the spirits of these dead warriors dwell in yonder copses?"
he whispered to himself. Slowly he approached the forest edge.
It rushed from among the trees, fire breathing from its mouth.
Its huge body threshed from side to side, knocking giant trees
to the ground.
As it saw him it stopped, moaned again. "I see you have some
tongs there. Are you perchance a dentist. I've got this terrible
toothache." It had hardly finished speaking when it moaned once
more.
"No, I'm not a dentist. But, see here, maybe there is something
I can do. Do you know where I'll find a dead dragon. Killed by
Cadmus, if I rightly recall?"
"I am he, eh, it. Didn't kill me. Terrible dentist. Never,
never go to Cadmus for treatment. No anesthetic at all! just
yanked 'em out." The creature shuddered.
"The worst part is, he left five. He left the five I really had
wanted him to work on. Never, never, trust a dentist. Oh, boy,
do they ache."
Five, well that must be the five. Demo thought carefully.
"Well, hang in there. I think we can get you some help. Come
along now."
When they arrived at Olympus Zeus was out back.
"Just go through the gate right there," Hera smiled. "I'm sure
he'll be glad to see you. Shouldn't your pet be on a leash,
though? Keep him out of the flowers. And don't let him chase my
cat. She'll claw him good if he does."
She reached down and scratched her pet behind the ears. The
saber-toothed tiger purred softly, arched its back. With a
supercilious look it examined the dragon as though it were an
oversize mouse. Eventually it followed Hera out the door, merely
stopping once to glance disdainfully back.
Zeus was busy, feeding fuel to a small still. He opened a valve
at the base, filled his flask with the sparkling liquid.
"This is it. Just the right flavor. Just the right consistency.
Just the right strength." He slowly sipped, threw his head back
and took a larger swallow.
At that moment Demo and his companion entered the garden, and
the dragon groaned.
Zeus took the cup from his lips, stared wide-eyed at the
dragon, then looked at his drink. He closed his eyes, shook his
head, then looked at the dragon once more.
"Boy, do you notice something unusual behind you. I do believe
this nectar has muddled my senses."
"Oh, no sir. Nothing unusual. I've completed my task."
"Nothing unusual." He said the words sadly, emptied his flask
on the ground. "I was afraid you were going to say that." He
shook his head.
He looked once more at the dragon and frowned. "I'll drink no
more of that stuff."
"The teeth, boy, the gunny sack full of teeth. Where are they?"
"Right here, sir." Demo pointed to the dragon.
Zeus blinked, then smiled.
"Aaah! Yes! I understand. Well, now, that's all right. I had
some doubts there for a moment. Thank you, my boy." He refilled
his flagon.
"Yes, I see. Well, take them, then. The teeth, that is. Fight
him. Hit him a nasty blow and take the teeth. Get on with it."
"Oh, no sir. He's more than willing to part with them. They
hurt dreadfully, he tells me. I told him your dentist would
willingly remove them."
"Yes, of course." Somehow Zeus sounded disappointed.
Odd, he sounded disappointed at the completion of each task.
"Well," Zeus growled at the dragon. "Don't just stand there.
The phone's over yonder. Make an appointment and get them
pulled. I do hope the dentist isn't all booked up."
The palace had all the jewels, all the objects of art, all the
trappings a person could desire. But for a country girl raised
in a small hut it lacked a prime requisite.
It flat wasn't homey.
Such was Persephone's evaluation.
Even that could have, over time, been corrected.
A second problem concerned her even more.
Her husband.
He wasn't presentable.
His looks were atrocious, his bearing boorish, and he could
only be described as uncouth.
He had one slight redeeming grace.
In his own strange way, he loved her.
That fact, more than anything else, made her unhappy.
If he were but toying with her she could willingly have
despised, yes, even hated him!
His love was real.
He showed it in his every attempt to be kind, in his watchful
manner. If she seemed to only hunger, he sent for food. If she
were only tired, he prepared her bed. If she showed sorrow he
tried to bring joy.
How miserable to be married to a monster with a kind heart!
Her feelings vacillated.
At times she hated him for having abducted her, for keeping her
from her mother and the flowery garden where she had played.
At times she pitied him for the suffering he bore
uncomplainingly.
Only she knew the sadness in his soul as each new sinner moved
into his kingdom. Their pain he suffered too. Yet he was chained
forever to his duty, to be the Master of the Nether Regions.
In spite of her feelings she thought of different ploys,
plotted, to escape from this dark world.
In time that escape would occur.
As would regrets.