THE CHILDREN
for their divine guests. The old man and the old woman slipped out of the house. Then Jupiter and Mercury, seated upon the couch of woven willows, laughed to themselves, for they knew what was about to happen.
Baucis would sacrifice the goose, their watcher, and the only thing in live stock that they had, to make a supper for the gods. She and Philemon came to where the goose stood. But the goose, when it saw them, shook out its wings and fled. After the goose went Baucis and Philemon. Here and there the goose ran, with neck and wings stretched out, and the old pair could not overtake it. They chased it up and down, and at last the goose ran into the house. When the couple came in they found the goose with its neck upon Jupiter's knees. Then the god held out his hands to Baucis and Philemon, and begged them to spare the creature that had come to him to crave protection.
Philemon and Baucis knelt before the gods. Jupiter raised them up, saying to them: "In
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