THE MUSICIAN WHO LOOKED BACK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 14 April 1928, Page 10

THE MUSICIAN WHO LOOKED BACK

Orpheus—so the legend tells. us.— ..,,,,. ,i wonderful young Urcck musician So sweet was the music, that he plaved upon Ins lyre that he charui- ,.,] no't only .ill human beings, but even the wild animals, the rocks, and the flowing river.-. Nothing could resist I lie sweetness of his music. Orpheus married a beautiful young »irl called Kurydicc. whom he loved much nunc than his music, lint alas! soon after the marriage ;i snake l>it Euiydiee <>ri the heel as she was pickill" (lowers in the grass, and she died ami went flowii to the kingdom of Pint... The grief of Orpheus was so terrible that lie determined to go to Hades, and lie- the kin-: of the underworld to li!luw Kurydiee to return. Taking his lyre, lie walked to the river (if death, but Cliaroil, the bpil tmaii, refused to row him over because hi- was a li>ing man. Then Orpheus played upon hi.- lyre. and Charon's heart was lunched, and he took hliu across in the pates of Hades. Here lived a horribl- dog with three heads whom Orpheus; also charmed with, his music, and. running through that, dim 'lark kingdom which «:is inhabited by shadow-., he threw- himself before Pluto and begged him to allow Kurydiee to return to earth. "(io hack, and Kurydiee shall follow you." -aid Pluto gently. "You lni\e braved much in coming here. Hut beware of one thing—do not look hack till you have left my kingdom." Kill I of joy. Orpheus turned hack, but as he reached the gate he looked

over his shoulder ... see if Lur dice were indeed following, and la-ton, ac could speak to her he saw her fade iiwav into Hades. s,; ion" as he lived, Uiphuus could never cuter Hades again, so lie wailed in the mountains till it was nine toi him to rejoin his beloved Eurydiee.