the kind Phanes, whom your friend Gyges saved so nobly. I mean to be
like a mother to the little creatures, and when they have been good I
shall sing them a story of a prince, a brave hero, who took a simple
maiden to be his wife; and when I describe the prince I shall have you in
my mind, and though my little listeners will not guess it, I shall be
describing you from head to foot. My prince shall be tall like you,
shall have your golden curls and blue eyes, and your rich, royal dress
shall adorn his noble figure. Your generous heart, your love of truth,
and your beautiful reverence for the gods, your courage and heroism, in
short, every thing that I love and honor in you, I shall give to the hero
of my tale. How the children will listen! and when they cry, 'Oh, how we
love the prince, how good and beautiful he must be! if we could only see
him? then I shall press them close to my heart and kiss them as I kiss
you now, and so they will have gained their wish, for as you are
enthroned in my heart, you must be living within me and therefore
near to them, and when they embrace me they will embrace you too."

"And I shall go to my little sister Atossa and tell her all I have seen
on my journey, and when I speak of the Greeks, their grace, their
glorious works of art, and their beautiful women, I shall describe the
golden Aphrodite in your lovely likeness. I shall tell her of your
virtue, your beauty and modesty, of your singing, which is so sweet that
even the nightingale is silent in order to listen to it, of your love and
tenderness. But all this I shall tell her belongs to the divine Cypris,
and when she cries, 'O Aphrodite, could I but see thee!' I too shall kiss
my sister."

"Hark, what was that? Melitta surely clapped her hands. Farewell, we
must not stay! but we shall soon see each other again."