LONG AGO STORIES

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1935, Page 18 (Supplement)

LONG AGO STORIES

THE LEGEND OF THE PANSY. Cupid, the little god of love, was once wandering idly in the forest looking for something at which he could aim his arrows.' There were flowers in plenty, trees, little rippling brooks, butterflies, here and there a noble stag or a great lumbering bear. But none of these suited Cupid as a target. Cupid’s arrows were tipped with gold, and he shot straight into the hearts of men and maidens and caused them to love one another. Often they did not wish to be bothered, but this was Cupid s amusement. If he made mischief he was only the better pleased. , Now Cupid had power over heaven, the sea, the earth; and no person could resist him. Wandering in the wood, he suddenly spied Diana, the, goddess of hunting, who had always considered herself safe from Cupid; but the 1 naughty little god ran after her with his arrow

in the bow, and she fled like the wind. In and out of the trees they ran, Cupid laughing, Diana furious, for she had made a vow never to marry. And she knew that if Cupid shot her she would be obliged to wed the first man she saw in spite of all her vows. On and on went the lovely goddess, and she threatened Cupid with all sorts of terrible things. ‘But he took no notice whatever. At last, when Diana was crossing a little clearing, he took aim at her, but so breathless was he that he missed his mark, and the goddess escaped. The arrow, however, went right into the heart of a pansy, which v/as pure white in those days. So deeply was it wounded that it became purple. Cupid picked the pansy tenderly and declared that henceforth it should stand always for sweet thoughts.