He placed the pot of gold in the thick branches, and then ran quickly
away.

The gold belonged to Iris, the beautiful maiden who had a rainbow bridge
to the earth. The next morning she missed her precious pot. It always
lay at the foot of the rainbow, but it was not there now.

Iris hurried away to tell her father, the great Zeus, of her loss. He
said that he would find the pot of gold for her.

He called a messenger, the swift-footed Mercury, and said, "Go quickly,
and do not return until you have found the treasure."

Mercury went as fast as the wind down to the earth. He soon came to the
forest and awakened the trees.

"Iris has lost her precious pot of gold that lies at the foot of the
rainbow. Have any of you seen it?" he asked.

The trees were very sleepy, but all shook their heads.

"We have not seen it," they said.

"Hold up your branches," said Mercury. "I must see that the pot of gold
is not hidden among them."

All of the trees held up their branches. The poplar that stood by the
path was the first to hold up his. He was an honest tree and knew he had
nothing to hide.