hear them asking of every passer by if he had
seen Europa, so long after the white bull had
carried her away. But, though the gray years
thrust themselves between, and made the child's
figure dim in their remembrance, neither of these
true-hearted three ever dreamed of giving up the
search.

One morning, however, poor Thasus found
that he had sprained his ankle, and could not
possibly go a step farther.

"After a few days, to be sure," said he, mourn-
fully, "I might make shift to hobble along with
a stick. But that would only delay you, and
perhaps hinder you from finding dear little Eu-
ropa, after all your pains and trouble. Do you
go forward, therefore, my beloved companions,
and leave me to follow as I may."

"Thou hast been a true friend, dear Thasus,"
said Queen Telephassa, kissing his forehead.
"Being neither my son, nor the brother of our
lost Europa, thou hast shown thyself truer to me
and her than Phoenix and Cilix did, whom we
have left behind us. Without thy loving help,
and that of my son Cadmus, ray limbs could
not have borne me half so far as this- Now,

[[128]]

p127 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p128w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p129

v?