*300
You hear lovely music coming from the
next room, but when you enter you are
blinded by a dazzling light.
*301
The music stops, and you hear a kind
voice say, "Welcome, [name]. I am
Apollo, god of the sun and of music.
Take this smoky crystal and hold it in
front of your eyes. Then you will be
able to look at me."
*302
The smoky crystal is like a pair of
sunglasses. Although the light is still
bright, you can see golden-haired Apollo
holding the lyre on which he made the
lovely music.
*303
Behind him, you see a fiery golden
chariot harnessed to a team of winged
horses. "This chariot of fire is the
sun," Apollo explains. "Each day I drive
it across the sky, from east to west."
*304
You start toward the fiery chariot, but
before you get close, its heat blasts
you backwards. You land on your back,
with tiny flames burning your shirt. You
roll over to put out the flames. You
don't seem to be burned. Your tape
player is scorched, but the tape is
still running.
*305
Apollo shakes his head. "[name]," he
says, "I am disappointed in you. You
should never take something of mine
without my leave. You have but to ask.
Go now, and return when you have learned
some manners."<
You bow your head and slip out of the
room.
*306
"May I drive your chariot?" you ask
politely.<
<
Apollo shakes his head and gets a
faraway look. "No, [name]," he says.
"Only I may drive that fiery chariot.
Let me explain. Long ago, my son
Phaeton, came to me."
*307
"He wanted proof of my fatherly love.
To prove my love, I promised that he
could have whatever he wished."
*308
"What did he wish for?" you ask.<
<
"The same thing you asked just now,"
Apollo says. "He wished to drive my
chariot. I tried my best to persuade
him to wish for something else."
*309
"But he insisted, and I had to keep my
promise. Phaeton climbed onto the fiery
chariot and took the reins of my
horses."
*310
"What happened?" you ask breathlessly.<
<
"Phaeton was young, so the chariot was
much lighter than usual," Apollo says.
"Then, too, the horses sensed new hands
on the reins."
*311
"They flew straight up, so fast that
Phaeton panicked. He dropped the reins.
The horses flew too close to the stars
and burned the constellations of the big
and little bears. Then they veered too
close to earth, burning up cities and
creating deserts."
*312
"The earth and sky were about to
perish," Apollo says. "All the gods
agreed that Zeus must stop the fiery
chariot. Zeus threw a mighty lightning
bolt. The chariot broke to pieces, and
Phaeton fell into the Po River, dead."
*313
You feel sorry for Apollo. You don't
know what to say.
*314
Apollo sees your sad look. He smiles at
you and says, "Now you see why I cannot
let you drive my chariot, [name]. But
let me amuse you with some music."
Apollo plays softly on his lyre. It
is the sweetest tune you have ever
heard.
*315
"I see that you like my lyre," Apollo
says. "Its music soothes any angry or
broken heart. Perhaps you could use such
an instrument. Please take it, if you
wish."
*316
"Good-bye and thank you, Apollo," you
say. "It was nice meeting you."<
<
"Go safely, with music in you heart,
[name]," Apollo replies.
*349
There is no more to read.
*1000