Part 64

Cupid denied all. "Never received them from Ate. Never even saw Ate. Dastardly lie, that's all. Finger pointing! Would ruin my reputation! Ridiculous!"

Sitting quietly TGD listened, nodded. "Lovely place you have here. Would you show me the house?"

"Delighted," Cupid smiled. "I decorated it myself."

Demo found himself blushing at the many statues and pictures. They had plainly been developed with Cupid's tastes in mind.

TGD, however, had other things in mind.

"You've no mail slot in your front door."

"No, I'm a bit old fashioned. Mailbox is down by the road. Retains something of the old rural atmosphere, you know."

They wandered through the house, from one erotic treasure to another. Then they walked outside.

TGD admired the lawn, the trees, the white picket fence. He opened the gate, reached in the mailbox, and extracted a package. "Here, my boy. Your arrows."

Demo's eyes widened.

"Astounding, my dear TGD! But, how did you know? The mailbox? No mail is being delivered!"

"Elementary, friend Demo. Of course you knew no mail was being delivered. I know that. Cupid knows that. So Cupid doesn't bother to check his mail." TGD smiled.

"And Ate certainly knew that! And I know Ate!"

"Thank you, lad. Never has my kingdom been so peaceful!" Zeus was well pleased.

"Ah, sire, it is truly wonderful. Athena smiled at me! Oh, by the way, the earrings. TGD says not to worry. Hera is wearing them."

"Wearing them! No wonder she couldn't find them in her jewelry box! I really must pay more attention to my wife.

"Oh, as for the postal department! I abolished it. Mercury is now running the Celestial Parcel Service. Deliveries guaranteed to reach destination before being dispatched! How's that for a gimmick!"

15. Giver of Fire

Man weeps.

The beast of the fields ate of his flesh, and no where could he hide. By day the pterodactyls swooped from the skies to take their toll. By night the wolves, in vicious packs, invaded even man's caves and carried off their prey.

Man weeps.

The sound was low, smothered by the wind.

But one heard.

Prometheus.

He took a brand from the fires of Olympus, laid it at the mouth of the cave where man shivered in cold and fear. And the wolves grew wary, approached not. And man maintained as sacred the fire given to them by Prometheus. Priests and priestesses watched without cessation that the fire should be fed. Let the flames but flicker, and they stirred the ashes. Should the burning brands be too few they replenished them. And should the flames die they brought forth the bellows, blew life giving air on the coals below, and the fire burned bright. They never failed in their chores.

Except,

Once.

Then, the fire died!