So without further delay they made him chief shepherd of the
royal flocks.
Every day thereafter, he drove his sheep to the banks of the river
Amphrysus, and there he sat to watch them browse. The country-folk that
passed drew near to wonder at him, without daring to ask questions. He
seemed to have a knowledge of leech-craft, and knew how to cure the
ills of any wayfarer with any weed that grew near by; and he would pipe
for hours in the sun. A simple-spoken man he was, yet he seemed to know
much more than he would say, and he smiled with a kindly mirth when the
people wished him sunny weather.
Indeed, as days went by, it seemed as if summer had come to stay, and,
like the shepherd, found the place friendly. Nowhere else were the
flocks so white and fair to see, like clouds loitering along a bright
sky; and sometimes, when he chose, their keeper sang to them. Then the
grasshoppers drew near and the swans sailed close to the river banks,
and the country-men gathered about to hear wonderful tales of the
slaying of the monster Python, and of a king with ass's ears, and of a
lovely maiden, Daphne, who grew into a laurel-tree. In time the rumor
of these things drew the king himself to listen; and Admetus, who had
been to see the world in the ship Argo, knew at once that this was no
earthly shepherd, but a god. From that day, like a true king, he
treated his guest with reverence and friendliness, asking no questions;
and the god was well pleased.
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