"That is a funny story," said Harry, enjoying the account of Mr. Bear.
"Are there any stories about the Great Dipper? I wonder why it is called
the 'Dipper'?"
[Illustration: THE GREAT DIPPER AND THE LITTLE DIPPER.]
"Because it is supposed to look like a dipper," replied Mary. "You can
see the four large stars representing the dipper and the three stars that
form the handle. It is known as the 'Saucepan' in the South of France,
and in other parts of France it is called the 'Chariot of David.' In
England it is called the 'Plow' and sometimes 'Charles's Wain.' That
means wagon. In Italy it is known as the 'Car of Bootes.' Bootes was
supposed to be an ox-driver and inventor of the plow--the Dipper. One
day the driver, oxen, and plow were suddenly lifted off the earth and
placed in the sky. You can see Bootes now, and in front of him are the
seven stars of the Great Dipper, which he must drive around the Pole
Star for all eternity.
"A pretty story is told of a peasant who met our Saviour near the shores
of Galilee and gave Him a ride in his wagon. As a reward he was offered
a home in heaven; but he preferred to drive his wagon from east to west
for all eternity, and his wish was granted. There stands his wagon in
the sky, and the brightest of the three stars is called 'The Rider.'
"In North Germany 'The Rider' is supposed to start out on his journey
before midnight, and to return twenty-four hours later, his wagon turning
round with a great noise. He urges on his horses with loud cries of 'hi!
he!' which it is said have sometimes been heard by lucky mortals."
"Hush, sister," said Harry softly; "let us see if we can hear him now."
"No, you could only hear him at midnight," replied his sister--"that
is, if the story were true."
"It is only like a fairy story, then?" asked Harry.
"All these stories are fairy stories," replied Mary; "and here is another.
"A Basque legend relates that a certain husbandman had two oxen stolen
from him by two wicked thieves. He sent his laborer after them, but he
did not return. Then he sent his housekeeper, and his dog, and finally
he decided to go after the thieves himself. He was so angry that he lost
his temper, and in punishment for the remarks he made he was condemned
to continue his search through the sky for all eternity. There you can
see him now. The two oxen are the first two stars, then follow the two
thieves, and lastly the two servants, the husbandman, and the little dog."
"Where is the little dog?" asked Harry.
"Look at the three stars in the handle of the Dipper," replied Mary.
"Now look at the middle star, and if you have good eyes you can see a
little star close beside it. Here, look through this opera-glass and
you can see it better."
"I see it now," said Harry, as he looked through the glasses. "So that
is the little dog?"
"Yes," replied his sister; "and the Arabians gave it the name of Alcor."
"Dear little Alcor," said Harry, as he continued looking at him, "I am
going to look for you every evening now, because I can see the Great
Dipper from my window."
"So you can," replied Mary; "I forgot that it faced north.
"The American Indians tell a quaint story about the Little Dipper. Would
you like to hear it?"
[Illustration: THE LITTLE BEAR.]
"If you are not tired, sister," said Harry.
"You will get tired first, for I enjoy telling you these stories, if
they amuse you, dear. Well, here is one that I came across some years
ago among a collection of Indian legends.
"Once upon a time a party of Indians went out hunting in a strange
country and lost their way. They wandered about for many moons."
"What does that mean?" asked Harry.
"I suppose they did not know anything about our months, so they counted
from full moon to full moon. This shows how much they observe the sky.
But, as I was saying, they wandered about for many moons, and at last the
chiefs decided to hold a council and pray to the gods to show them the
way home. During the dance that preceded the council, while the flames
of burnt offerings were ascending to the gods, a little child appeared
suddenly in their midst and said she had been sent as their guide.
"She said she was the Spirit of the Pole Star, and that if they followed
where it led them they would reach their home in the far North. The
hunters thanked the child, and following her advice they soon reached
home. Here they held another council, and decided to call the Pole Star,
'the star which never moves,' by which name it is known among these
Indians to this day.
"When the hunters died it is said they were taken up to the sky, and we
can see them still following the Pole Star. The hunters are supposed to
be the stars that form the Little Dipper."
"They are smaller than the stars of the Great Dipper," said Harry, "and
the dipper is smaller, but I can see it quite well. And what are the
stars between the two Dippers?"