The Dragon's Teeth., part 1 · page 21 2101I cannot tell you how long Queen Telephassa, and Cadmus, Phoenix, and Cilix, her three sons, and Thasus, their playfellow, went wandering along the highways and bypaths, or through the pathless wildernesses of the earth, in this manner.102But certain it is, that, before they reached any place of rest, their splendid garments were quite worn out.103They all looked very much travel-stained, and would have had the dust of many countries on their shoes, if the streams, through which they waded, had not washed it all away.104When they had been gone a year, Telephassa threw away her crown, because it chafed her forehead.105"It has given me many a headache," said the poor queen, "and it cannot cure my heartache."106As fast as their princely robes got torn and tattered, they exchanged them for such mean attire as ordinary people wore.107By and by, they come to have a wild and homeless aspect; so that you would much sooner have taken them for a gypsy family than a queen and three princes, and a young nobleman, who had once a palace for a home, and a train of servants to do their bidding.108The four boys grew up to be tall young men, with sunburnt faces.109Each of them girded on a sword, to defend themselves against the perils of the way.110When the husbandmen, at whose farmhouses they sought hospitality, needed their assistance in the harvest field, they gave it willingly; and Queen Telephassa (who had done no work in her palace, save to braid silk threads with golden ones) came behind them to bind the sheaves.111If payment was offered, they shook their heads, and only asked for tidings of Europa.1 2← previousThe Pygmies., part 3next →The Dragon's Teeth., part 2↑ back to Tanglewood TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/10/page/2/