La Junta tribune., 1917-05-03
STORY OF MAY
BY Margaret p. Boyle


is, images or statues in the form of
women, that they worshiped for
gods. So when this month came 1t
seemed time that some honor should
be paid to one of them.
"On the first day of the fifth
month they were accustomed to Of
fer sacrifices to Maia, So when they
were wondering what TO call this
month it was natural TO choose the
name OF the goddess, change II a
little, and make the prettiest name
OF all, May. Maia's father was
named Atlas. and | know you will
feel sorry for him when | tell you
that the Romans thought he held all
of this big round world on his shoul-
ders. But that was long, long
time ago, before people knew that
the earth turns round the sun ev-
cry year,
'IIe must have been very busy
god, for he had seven daughters to
care for, In addition to watching the
world and keeping 1t straight. They
We're all born on mountain. so
sometimes they are called mountain
goddesses' Maia was the oldest of
the seven.
She had wonderfri son. You
must have heard of him and seen his
pictures, too. His name was Mer-
curry, and he could run very fast.
indeed. | am afraid the best runner
you know would have been badly
beaten by Mercury.
The gods were thought to live
on Mount Olympus-just look at
the map OF Greece in your geogra-
ply and you will find It. That re-
minds me, | forgot to tell you that
the reason book of maps is always
called an atlas Is because they often
have a picture OF Atlas holding up
the world on the cover OF such books
"Of course gods and goddesses
couldn'tbe expected to keep going up
and down that high mountain all
the time, or whenever they wanted
to send word to the people down be-
low. And OF course they had good
many messages to send and some
times these messages needed to come
very quickly.
so they chose Mercury for their
messenger and used to keep him run
ming back and forth all the time. In
his pictures he has wings on his feet
10 show that he could 20 very fast
And he always called the messen-
ger OF the gods He always seen.
too, with a wand in his hand. and
two serpents twned about II You
know In fairy stories wonderful
things happen when the fairy waves
her wand. But Mercury's wand was
more wonderful even than theirs. for
whenever he waved II people would
stop quarreling. no matter how an
cry they might be.
II think Mala Is remembered more
because OF her wonderful son than
for anything she did herself. Now.
how would you like to see Maia and
her six sisters? am quite sure you
will say you would. even though
you look as II you do not UNDER
stand how Il is possible.
But you really can. though they
are many. miles away from you.
Jupiter--that was the father OF the
gods-took Maia and her six sisters
and placed them as a group OF stars
In the sky.
Some clear night. ask some one
to show you the Pleiades. and. then
you can see Maia and tell how May
got Its name. But perhaps you will
count the stars and say, oh. there
are only six. ! am sorry. for
thought my calendar always told the
truth
80 II does. aud IL is telling the
truth now. or at least the way the
story has been told many times You
can count only six stars, because.
though there really are seven there.
one IL hidden,
THE gods and roddesses were
not allowed to loy. any one on earth.
but on. OF the Pleiadea fell In love
with man named siayphus. And
though she married him she was
never very happy. Indeed. he was a
very bad man, 40 the gods punished
him by giving him very large rock
To roll to the top OF a high noun
tain. I suppose siHyphua thought.
That viii b. hard work, but ! am
strong and ! guess can soon get
the stone to the top. SO he pushed
and tugg.d and nj last he had tho
large stone almoa, TO tho top. Then
suddenly Il rolled away down TO tho