PANDORA

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 50, 21 May 1927, Page 26 (Supplement)

PANDORA

The following- fairy story or ’egeiu comes from ancient times. It tells us that in those days among all the peopl< who lived on the earth, none weri happier than Epimethus and Pandora Indeed, there was every reason whi they should be happy for the work was a very beautiful place to live in The air was calm and pleasant, nevei too hot, never too cold and best o all there was no sickness or evil o any kind. Ho one knew what pain felt like Nobody ever got in a temper, or was untruthful, or disobedient. Nobods was ever 4 punished! No one ever cried Epimethus and Pandora played together all day long, and were contented and happy. One evening, they noticed a travellei coming swiftly in the direction of theii home. This was Mercury, the messenger of Jupiter, the king, who lived on a mountain called Olympus. Mercury was tired, although he wore winged sandals, and could travel very quickly. He was carrying a heavy box, and when he came to the house where Epimethus and Pandora lived, he put it down inside the door, and said: ‘‘l can’t carry it any further Let it stay there till I come back, will you ?’* "What is inside of it?’* cried Pandora eagerly. But Mercury hurried off without answering. Pandora was so excited that she could not leave the box alone. It was beautifully carved, and fastened with a golden cord, which was tied in a queer-looking knot. On the lid was carved a pretty and mischievous little face. "Whatever can it be?” said Pandora. "Let us open it and find out! Mercury will never know. We can fasten it again by the time he comes back.” "I wouldn’t do such a thing,” cried Epimethus indignantly. "Come outside and play, Pandora, and leave the box alone.” But Pandora would not. She stayed beside the box so long, admiring the face on the lid, and fingering the cord, that at last Epimethus grew impatient and left her. So soon as she found herself alone, Pandora began to try to undo the knot. "It’s a puzzling sort of knot,” she said. "I wonder how it is tied! Of course, I wouldn’t look inside, even if I could manage to undo it. Bvit I’d like to make sure I could; 1 hate to be beaten . . . Now just look at that!” Pandora was looking, with her eyes widely open. For suddenly the knot ■'lime apart in her fingers, and the box was left without a fastening. Pandora was just a little bit afraid, ‘specially as the face on the lid seemed o be laughing at her. She was half nclined to turn away, but just then he heard a chorus of tiny voices from nside the box, crying: "Dear Pandora, ►lease let us out.” This was too much for Pandora’s uriosity. She stooped eagerly, and if ted the lid. ... Just then the room

grew very dark, and Epimethus came running in, saying that an ugly black thunder-cloud had gathered, and hid--1 den the sun. At the same moment, as „ Pandora raised the lid higher, a swarm s of strange creatures swept out of the s box. The room was filled with a whir- ? ring sound, from thousands of pairs of wings, and suddenly Epimethus cried aloud, as though he was hurt. "Oh, Pandora, what have you done?” But now it was Pandora’s turn to • cry loudly also, as one of the little r creatures alighted upon her forehead, f stinging her badly. It was the first time that either of them had ever felt pain. "Open the windows—open the door, • and chase them out,” moaned Epimei thus. Pandora made all the haste she r c °uld, and soon the whole swarm of flying things were roaming the earth, making trouble wherever they went. , For all the evil things that exist in the world to-day were locked away in that box—or so the oldest story- . books tell us! It was curious Pandora who let all the Troubles loose upon the . earth. Before that day, the flowers never withered, but when the Troubles [ alighted upori them, they drooped and ; died in a day or two. Sickness, Sorrow, Deceitfulness. , Bad Temper—all these, and hundreds of others, came into the world that ’ day, and have stayed here ever since. After the Troubles had flown away, Pandora and Epimethus remained indoors. crying with pain and bathing their stings, when they heard a little ’ tap on the lid of the box, which Pandora had closed so soon as the mischief was done. Presently a little voice was heard. “Let me out. I will not harm you.” “Let you out!” echoed Pandora. “Not I! There are too many of yo.ur kind out as it is. You shall stay where you are.” “Ah! I am not like the rest,” came the sweet little voice. “I am anxious to comfort you, and ease your pain. Only trust me!” At this Pandora and Epimethus ran together, and raised the lid once more; and out flew a beautiful little fairy. Her hair hung in a yellow cloud to her dainty little feet, and her face was sweet and smiling. The dark room was filled with sunshine as she flew here and there, and placing her fairy . fingers on the inflamed spots where \ Epimethus and Pandora had been stung, healed the minstantly. “Who are you?” they cried together. , "I am Hope,” answered the little j creature. “Wherever the Troubles go, { [ go too: and I am really stronger than j all of them put together. Cheer up, , my little friends. The mischief is done, but it is not so bad as it might f be while Hope is in the world, to help , and encourage all who are worried or unhappy. If people will only keep on hoping they will generally be able to 3 laugh at Trouble.” c She laughed, herself so merrily, that Pandora and Epimethus could not help r joining in. t “We are quite sure of it.” they said, v and all sensible people who lived in t the world ever since have agreed that t: Hope was right. * j a

Mrs. Oswald O. Pigg had gathered her family about her and was giving them their orders for the day. The I‘iggs were not like the ordinary creatures who spell their names with only one G, for they, came of an old established stock and were very proud of their ancestry. What Mrs. Pigg did not know about rearing children was not worth knowing, and the young Piggs were famed far and near for their gentle voices and good manners. They had fine names, too — Percy, Peter, Pink-ears, Curly-tail, Saidie and Spot.

i “Now my dears,” said Mrs. Pigg, adr dressing them in her sweetest “good- „ morning” voice, “I shall find it necessary to leave you for a while to-day, as I have promised to visit Mrs. i Hamm in the third sty to the right. I Wo are going to discuss the rearing l of children and endeavour to form a. ; Welfare League. You may now go t to the bathroom, wash your trotters ; and come to breakfast.” “We shall do as you say, Mamma,” ■ said the well-behaved Piggs, and - marched off in orderly file to make , their toilets. (To be continued.)