The Cows That Walked Backward

Part One · The First Lyre

Maia lived in a cave on a mountain in Greece. Her baby son was named Hermes. His father was Zeus, king of the gods.

Hermes was a very clever baby. On his first morning, he crawled out of his bed. He went to look at the world.

Outside the cave lay a shell, dry and hollow. "What a lovely shape," said Hermes. "I know just what you can be."

He fixed two arms to the shell. Then he stretched seven strings across it. He plucked each one, and it sang.

Hermes had made the first lyre ever. He sang a happy song. It was about his mother, his father and their cave.

Part Two · The Backward Cows

But Hermes had another idea. His brother Apollo kept fifty fine cows. They lived in a green meadow nearby.

At sunset, Hermes crept into the meadow. He drove the cows out, and off they went.

A clever trickster must hide his tracks. So Hermes turned the cows around, and they walked backward! Their prints seemed to lead the wrong way.

He wove sandals out of twigs. No one could read his own prints. He put the cows in a cave.

Then Hermes crept home to his cradle. He tucked the lyre beside him and shut his eyes.

Maia was awake. "You rascal," she said, "Apollo will be so angry!" Hermes only yawned.

Part Three · Owning Up

The next morning, Apollo came up the mountain. "Where are my cows?" he asked with hard eyes.

Hermes looked up at his big brother. He did not want to fool him now. "It was me," he said, "and I am sorry."

Zeus watched from above and laughed. He told the brothers to settle things fairly.

At the cave, Apollo found every cow safe and well. Then Hermes took up his lyre and played. Apollo had never heard such music.

Apollo forgot to be angry. "May I have it?" he asked. Hermes gave him the lyre.

Apollo gave Hermes a herding stick in return. The Greeks said that Apollo and Hermes were friends.