Girdler of the Earth: there he found an old man grazing his ox, the stay
of his vineyard, on the roadside. {144} Him first bespoke the son of
renowned Leto.

"Old man, hedger of grassy Onchestus; hither am I come seeking cattle
from Pieria, all the crook-horned kine out of my herd: my black bull was
wont to graze apart from the rest, and my four bright-eyed hounds
followed, four of them, wise as men and all of one mind. These were
left, the hounds and the bull, a marvel; but the kine wandered away from
their soft meadow and sweet pasture, at the going down of the sun. Tell
me, thou old man of ancient days, if thou hast seen any man faring after
these cattle?"

Then to him the old man spake and answered:

"My friend, hard it were to tell all that a man may see: for many
wayfarers go by, some full of ill intent, and some of good: and it is
difficult to be certain regarding each. Nevertheless, the whole day long
till sunset I was digging about my vineyard plot, and methought I
marked--but I know not surely--a child that went after the horned kine;
right young he was, and held a staff, and kept going from side to side,
and backwards he drove the kine, their faces fronting him."

So spake the old man, but Apollo heard, and went fleeter on his path.
Then marked he a bird long of wing, and anon he knew that the thief had
been the son of Zeus Cronion. Swiftly sped the Prince, Apollo, son of
Zeus, to goodly Pylos, seeking the shambling kine, while his broad
shoulders were swathed in purple cloud. Then the Far-darter marked the
tracks, and spake: