mother, Queen Telephassa, under a flowery sod; so that now he
was quite alone, both friendless and homeless. He mentioned,
likewise, that the oracle had bidden him be guided by a cow,
and inquired of the strangers whether they supposed that this
brindled animal could be the one.

"Why, 'tis a very wonderful affair," answered one of his new
companions. "I am pretty well acquainted with the ways of
cattle, and I never knew a cow, of her own accord, to go so far
without stopping. If my legs will let me, I'll never leave
following the beast till she lies down."

"Nor I!" said a second.

"Nor I!" cried a third. "If she goes a hundred miles farther, I
am determined to see the end of it."

The secret of it was, you must know, that the cow was an
enchanted cow, and that, without their being conscious of it,
she threw some of her enchantment over everybody that took so
much as half a dozen steps behind her. They could not possibly
help following her, though all the time they fancied themselves
doing it of their own accord. The cow was by no means very nice
in choosing her path; so that sometimes they had to scramble
over rocks, or wade through mud and mire, and all in a terribly
bedraggled condition, and tired to death, and very hungry, into
the bargain. What a weary business it was!

But still they kept trudging stoutly forward, and talking as
they went. The strangers grew very fond of Cadmus, and resolved