He lifted the stone in his great talons, and was soon flying away with the cap to the fairy glen. The giants saw him, and knew at once what he was doing. They began a fierce attack upon him. The air was filled with flying arrows and sharp rocks. Drops of blood fell on the mountain side, and many feathers fluttered down, but the brave eagle was soon out of their reach. He did not stop until the cap was safe in the fairy queen’s lap. There was great rejoicing among the fairies that day. They had a feast in the eagle’s honor, and healed his wounds with fairy magic. On the mountain side, wherever the blood and [Pg 70] feathers fell, there sprang up trees with featherlike leaves and blood-red berries. [Pg 70] All the giants, fairies, plants and animals knew why they grew. The unselfish love in the eagle’s blood could not die, but lived again in the beautiful trees. But people who did not know how they came there, called them mountain ash trees. [Pg 71] [Pg 71] PHILEMON AND BAUCIS. N a high hill in Greece, long ago, lived Philemon and Baucis. They had always been poor but never unhappy. At the time of this story the people in the valley below them were very busy. Zeus, their king, had sent word that he was about to visit them. Hermes, his messenger, was to come with him. The people were getting ready great feasts, and making everything beautiful for their coming. For miles out of the city, men were watching for the golden chariot and white horses of the king.
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