To the children of America, wherever they may be, this book is dedicated. It is sure to bring enjoyment, because its stories have stood the test of time.
THE LABORS OF HERCULES 11 _From the German of Gustav Schwab._
DEUCALION AND PYRRHA 29 _From the German of Gustav Schwab._
THESEUS AND THE CENTAUR 33 _From the German of Gustav Schwab._
NIOBE 37 _From the German of Gustav Schwab._
THE GORGON'S HEAD 41 _From Hawthorne's "Wonder Book."_
THE GOLDEN FLEECE 67 _From Hawthorne's "Tanglewood Tales."_
THE CYCLOPS 106 _From Church's "Stories from Homer."_
OEDIPUS AND THE SPHINX 116 _Adapted from Church's "Stories from Greek Tragedians."_
ANTIGONE, A FAITHFUL DAUGHTER AND SISTER 118 _Adapted from Church's "Stories from Greek Tragedians."_
THE STORY OF IPHIGENIA 131 _From Church's "Stories from Greek Tragedians."_
THE SACK OF TROY 153 _From Church's "Stories from Virgil."_
BEOWULF AND GRENDEL 164 _From Joyce Pollard's "Stories from Old English Romance."_
LOHENGRIN AND ELSA THE BEAUTIFUL 221 _From the German of Robert Hertwig._
FRITHIOF THE BOLD 226 _From the German of Robert Hertwig._
WAYLAND THE SMITH 231 _From the German of Robert Hertwig._
COUNT ROLAND OF FRANCE 250 _From Church's "Stories of Charlemagne and the Peers of France."_
Many, many centuries ago there lived two brothers, Prometheus or Forethought, and Epimetheus or Afterthought. They were the sons of those Titans who had fought against Jupiter and been sent in chains to the great prison-house of the lower world, but for some reason had escaped punishment.
Prometheus, however, did not care for idle life among the gods on Mount Olympus. Instead he preferred to spend his time on the earth, helping men to find easier and better ways of living. For the children of earth were not happy as they had been in the golden days when Saturn ruled. Indeed, they were very poor and wretched and cold, without fire, without food, and with no shelter but miserable caves.
"With fire they could at least warm their bodies and cook their food," Prometheus thought, "and later they could make tools and build houses for themselves and enjoy some of the comforts of the gods."
So Prometheus went to Jupiter and asked that he might be permitted to carry fire to the earth. But Jupiter shook his head in wrath.