The evening world., 1921-03-23
The Worlds
Oldest
Love Stories
By MGubeTt Sc. Georges !.
Jotgrighti 1921. by The Press Publishing o.
the New York Erthiur Worldly
PYoMALIoN AND oALATEA.

DfGMALION inhabited the Island
OF Cyprus. Like many Of the
Greek youths OF thosa days .ho
had Inherited his profession from his
father and had become a sculptor.
He had pursued this art until he had
become so proficient at it that none
on the island could equal him. m
deed, very few in the then known
world could compete with aim in the
modelling OF wax, wood, ivory. stonn.
metal or marble.
In the practice Of his profession it
was necessary for PygmaliOn to use
models. now the Standard Of moral
lty among the Greeks was very low.
Inc btnaViOr of the women who came
10 pose Tor him gave PyginalIon such
poor opinion OIL the female sex that
nnally he became a confirmed woman
mater and refused to nave any fur
ther dealing with them oven for the
purpose of assisting hun in the pur-
suit OF his art.
Pygmalion's misogyny of course soon
became well known among his friends,
ana being 80 contrary to the usual
behavior OF young men they chaffed
him merctlessly about II without, how
ever, bringing any change in his at
utude. They were coarse, ugly mon
sters, he claimed, incapable OF any OF
the finer feelings, unfit for the respect
OF men. At last, amused at these dis
paraging remarks, one of his friends
asked him to model a statue which
would depict a woman which would
not be coarse, ugly or misShapen, and
which, being dumb and motionless,
could do nothing TO dishonor her sex.
Iygmaton took his friend at his
word and set to work. lie sent to
Egypt for some of the finest ivory, the
substance in which he preferred to
work, and when it came began n statue
which he decided would be the crown
ing achievement Of his life. For
months he worked increasingly and
from the shapeless mass of ivory
which he had faced at the beginning
there sprang work too beautiful 10
describe.
When it was finished and he called
in his friends to look at his work
they all exclaimed in astonishment.
The statue was marvellous. IL stood
naked, revealing the perfection of its
limbs. But in its nakedness there
was none of that brazenness that had
so angered Pygmalion in his models.
The face, the figure, the pose, were
so beautiful that all said that IL
seemed the sculptor had caught
Venus and transformed her into a
statue.
They went, and Pygmalion was left
alone with his statue. And soon a
Sstrange thing happened to him. In
the making of the statue he had put
into the work all his hopes for the
perfect beautiful woman whom he
might desire for his wife, and now
this dream seemed realized before
him SO he fell in love with his
inanimate statue. He stained the
ivory flesh color, clothed the staue,
wound flowers about its hair he
kissed its cold lips and finally seemed
about to perish because his love was
not returned by the ivory.
About that time the celebration OF
the worship of Venus was taking
place. Pygmalion, who was a very
devout worshipper, came and duti-
fully placed a garland on her altar.
AS he did so he prayed, though with
out hope, that his statue, which he
called Galatea, might be given the
breath of life by the goddess.
Returning home, Pygmalion, who
had forgotten his prayer, turned to
kiss Galatea, as had lately become
his custom. To his establishment he
found that the ivory yielded as he
grasped IL in his arms! The lips he
kissed were warm! Under the burn
ing ardor Of his love the eyes finally
opened and he realized at last that
Venus had heard his prayer and had
deigned to fulfil 1t. Both sank to
their knees and returned thanks to
her. Then they were married and
never again was Pygmalion heard to
complain about women.