guarded the cattle of a man whose name was Garganus, the same as the
Mountain. But there, I would fain learn, old man, how you were made a
Saint."

"Listen," replied the goat-foot, "and your curiosity shall be satisfied.

"When men coming from the East proclaimed in the fair vale of Arno how
that the Galilean had dethroned Jupiter, they hewed down the oaks
whereon the country folk were used to hang up little goddesses of clay
and votive tablets; they planted crosses over against the holy
fountains, and forbade the shepherds any more to carry to the grottos of
the Nymphs offerings of wine and milk and cakes. Naturally enough this
angered all the tribe of Fauns and Pans and Sylvan Genii, and in their
wrath these attacked the apostles of the new God. When the holy men
were asleep of nights, on their bed of dry leaves, the Nymphs would
steal up and pull their beards, while the young Fauns, slipping into
their stable, would pluck out hairs from their she-ass's tail. In vain I
sought to disarm their simple malice and exhort them to submission. 'My
children,' I would warn them, 'the days of easy gaiety and light
laughter are gone by.' But they were reckless, and would not hearken;
and a sore price they paid for their heedlessness.

"But for myself, had I not seen the reign of Saturn come to an end? and
I deemed it natural and just that Jupiter should perish in his turn. I
was prepared to acquiesce in the downfall of the great old gods, and
offered no resistance to the emissaries of the Galilean. Nay! I did them
sundry little services. Better acquainted than they with the forest
paths, I would gather mulberries and sloes, and lay them on leaves at
the threshold of their grotto, and make them little presents of plovers'
eggs. Then, if they were building a cabin, I would carry the timber and