spring reading with fun activities baucis and...

Spring Reading with Fun Activities

Baucis and PhilemonRetold by Marie SwistonIllustrated by Gary Tuttle

Copyright © Houston Chronicle, 2010

Chapter 1 of 3 Many thousands of years ago, in ancient Greece, there lived the twelve great Olympians, the immortal gods who had seized power from the Titans. They dwelt in Olympus, far above the clouds that surrounded Mt. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. In Olympus, there were no harsh winds or rain or snow to disturb the gods. It was never too hot or too cold, and glorious sunshine filled every corner. Zeus, the mightiest of all the gods, ruled, along with his brothers and sisters. Zeus was known as the Lord of the Sky because he, and he alone, wielded the awful thunderbolt, the weapons of thunder and light-ning. While all of the gods and goddesses possessed superhuman strength and unimaginable powers, Zeus alone was more powerful than all of the others put together. Zeus had many sources of joy and entertainment in Olympus. Sometimes he would watch his brother Apollo, the Sun god, drive his golden chariot across the sky from east to west, bringing warmth and light to the Earth. His lame and misshapen son Hephaestus, also known as Vulcan, the god of Fire, created incred-ibly beautiful objects in his forge, which was located under a volcano. Zeus was fascinated by the elegantly beautiful jewelry, armor, and other objects that Hephaestus forged out of gold. Athena, daughter of Zeus and goddess of Wisdom, could keep Zeus and the other gods entertained with her displays of knowledge and great intelligence. Another daughter of Zeus, Aphrodite, the goddess of Love and Beauty, would bring joy and loveliness to all who saw her. One day, Zeus sat back against a fluffy cloud that he had shaped to provide comfort and ease. He was listening to the music of Apollo’s silver lyre, a melody unmatched by any other musician. To add to his enjoyment, the three Graces danced enchantingly to Apollo’s music. Zeus lay back against the cloud, eat-ing ambrosia and drinking nectar, listening to the lyre and watching the Graces. He should have been totally content, but Zeus found himself a bit bored by the sameness of Olympus and its inhabitants. He was rest-less and dissatisfied. Suddenly, Hermes, also known as Mercury, approached Zeus. Hermes was a son of Zeus and served as his father’s messenger. He was graceful and could move very swiftly because on his feet he wore winged sandals. Hermes was very clever and shrewd, and he had come to warn Zeus of trouble that was coming his way. “Father,” he whispered, “Hera is looking for you and will soon find you here. She is very angry, I fear.” Hera was Zeus’s wife, beautiful and powerful, but jealous and quick to anger. Although he was the most powerful of the gods, Zeus could suffer miserably when Hera began to nag him. Zeus rose quickly and signaled to Apollo and the Graces that their music and dancing should come to an end. He then turned to Hermes and admitted that he would not mind disappearing for a while. “I have been thinking of visiting Earth,” Zeus suggested. “It has been some time since we have seen whether my people are following my rules.” “That is a fine plan,” agreed Hermes. “Since you are the god of strangers and travelers, perhaps we should disguise ourselves as wanderers to see whether we are welcomed by the people of Phrygia. We should check to see whether they are hospitable to wayfarers, as you have demanded.”

chron.com/cieCopyright © Houston Chronicle, 2010 1


Copyright © Houston Chronicle, 2010 2

Baucis and Philemon Since travelers had no restaurants in which to eat, or hotels in which to rest, they had to depend upon the generosity of the townspeople of the villages as they crossed the country. Zeus, known for his stern justice, had warned the Greeks that those who turned away a hungry stranger would be severely punished. Hermes covered his winged sandals with plain shoes, and Zeus stored his thunderbolt under a simple garment. The two gods made sure that they would look like ordinary wayfarers to anyone whose house they reached. Zeus turned around in time to see Hera storming after him, anger boiling over. He didn’t know what he had done or not done to cause that fit of temper, but he wasn’t going to stay to find out. Grasping Hermes’ arm, Zeus commanded, “Let’s go right now. Our disguises are sufficient.” With that, Zeus and Hermes stepped off the cloud and landed in a valley of rich farmland in Phrygia. They adjusted their cloaks and began to walk toward a very prosperous-looking home, where they expected to find food and drink and a gracious welcome.

Next: Chapter 2

Chapter 1

1. The ancient Greeks had a variety of gods and goddesses, each of whom had very special powers. Chapter one describes some of those powers. Look through the Houston Chronicle Comics pages for descriptions of superheroes who have powers or abilities far beyond those of the average person. Choose one Greek god and one superhero and write a paragraph in which you compare (show similarities) and contrast (show differences between) them.

2. Zeus becomes bored with life on Olympus, despite the fact that he can take advantage of all the joys available there. Pretend that you have invited Zeus to visit Houston, and you must choose several events that he will find interesting and exciting. Look through the Houston Chronicle for ads or descriptions of events that you think would appeal to him. Choose three or four; then, explain why you have chosen each one.



Baucis and Philemon




Chapter 2 of 3 The story: Zeus and Hermes, two gods from Olympus, decide to visit Earth in disguise to learn whether people are treating strangers generously as commanded by Zeus.

“This is truly a land of plenty,” smiled Hermes, as he paused to admire the rich, fertile fields that surround-ed them. “We have been very generous to this region,” agreed Zeus. “I have provided enough rain for their crops, while Apollo has given them just the right amount of sunshine. Demeter, the goddess of the Corn, has watched carefully to make sure that they plow, sow the seed, and harvest the grain at exactly the right time. Dionysus, the god of Wine, has made these vineyards some of the finest in all of Greece. Yes, all of the gods have been very generous to these people.” “Then let us see whether they appreciate their good fortune and are willing to share what they have received,” suggested Hermes. Zeus and Hermes approached a fine-looking house and knocked at the door. The house was well made, of generous proportions, and built from the finest materials. It was located amidst fields that were bursting with crops that were nearly ready to be harvested. It was late afternoon, and the sun was low in the sky. The family within would be gathering for their evening meal and would surely find room for two more at their plentiful table. The door was opened by a stout, well-dressed, prosperous-looking man, who was very likely the master of this home. “Good evening, fine gentleman,” said Hermes, bowing gracefully and humbly as would a poor wanderer seeking assistance. “We are strangers in this land and are in need of food, drink, and shelter.” The man’s face became sullen, and he reached behind the door for a large stick. “You have no right to interrupt my dinner,” he complained. He lifted the stick threateningly and began to close the door. “Leave my property immediately,” he demanded, “or you’ll get a taste of this.” As the door slammed, and they heard the noise of a bar being placed across it, Zeus and Hermes looked at each other. Hermes’ face showed surprise and disappointment, but Zeus’ expression was one of building anger. “This is only one of many homes,” said Hermes soothingly, trying to calm the angry Zeus. “We are certain to find better hospitality in one of the others.” The two gods checked their disguises and proceeded from house to house, seeking food and a place to rest. They knocked at the doors of dozens of homes, but they were treated with the same abuse at every stop. Some of the townspeople threatened them; others pretended not to hear their knock at the door; all of the inhabitants refused to admit them. “Not a drop of water, not a crust of bread,” muttered Zeus. “Is this how they repay the kindness of the gods? Is this how they treat those who are under my special protection?”




Baucis and Philemon There was but one home they had not yet approached, and it certainly seemed the least likely or able to extend a welcome to strangers. The home, if it could be called a home, was a tiny hovel, poorer by far than any of its neighbors. It stood alone, high above the others on a rocky ledge, surrounded by land so filled with stones that nothing would grow there. The roof of the house was made of twigs, small branches, and the poorest reeds. The door, tilted and low, needed to be replaced. The only farm animal visible to the gods was a goose that picked its way over the stones as it honked at the strangers. Several poor cabbages grew in the tiny garden. In this land of plenty, this one house stood out as lacking all the riches that were found in such abundance around it. Zeus and Hermes had very low expectations as they climbed the narrow path that led to the tiny cottage. “At least,” whispered Hermes, “we could forgive these people for not offering food to strangers. It is clear that they have little enough for themselves.” They were surprised, therefore, when the little door was thrown open, and a very old man, poorly dressed, smiled in greeting. Although the man’s face was wrinkled and worn, Zeus and Hermes noticed that his eyes were sparkling in a friendly and welcoming manner. “We are poor travelers, in need of food and rest,” announced Zeus, pausing a few feet away from the cot-tage. “You are most welcome,” responded the old man, gesturing for them to enter. “We are delighted to have your company and hope you will share our humble meal in comfort.” “At last!” exclaimed Zeus. “Let us enter this cottage and see what they have to offer.” So Hermes and Zeus followed the old man into his home.

Next: Chapter 3

Chapter 2

1. Taking total strangers into one’s home is something that almost no one would do today, yet it was common thousands of years ago when this story takes place. That is one way the setting (the time and place in which the story occurs) affects the action of a story. Look through the Houston Chronicle for pictures or descriptions that would be typical of Houston in 2010 if you were writing a story that took place today. What are some of the main differences between ancient Greece and modern-day Houston?

2. Draw a picture of the house in which the old man lives. Then find an advertisement in the Houston Chronicle that describes a house that is for sale. Using that ad as a model, write an ad to sell the old man’s house. Don’t forget that you are trying to convince someone to buy the house. At the same time, you want to tell the truth about the condition of the house.



Baucis and Philemon




Chapter 3 of 3 The story: Zeus, the protector of strangers, and his son Hermes have tried unsuccessfully to find hospitality in Phrygia, a rich and fertile land. At last, they are invited by a poor man to enter his humble home.

When Zeus and Hermes entered, they saw a room that was bare and simple, but spotlessly clean and neat. “My name is Philemon”, the old man told them, “and this is my wife Baucis.” Baucis was very old, too, but her soft eyes shone in pleasure as she received her guests. “We are very poor,” she admitted, as she watched the strangers’ eyes sweep over her lowly cottage, “but we are quite con-tent and have everything we truly need.” The fire in the hearth was low and gave little warmth, but Baucis bustled about, pulling dried reeds and twigs from her roof to bring the flames to life. Philemon moved an old wooden bench closer to the fire and invited his guests to rest while the meal was prepared. Baucis stripped a threadbare blanket from the bed and placed it over the bench to add to her guests’ comfort. Baucis placed a small kettle of water over the fire while Philemon went out to the small garden to pick the cabbages that remained there. Baucis took the small piece of meat that hung from one of the beams and placed it and the cabbages into the kettle. Every bit of food Baucis and Philemon had went into that kettle in the hopes that their guests would have enough to eat. While the food was cooking, Baucis set the table, all the while talking in a friendly manner to the strang-ers. “We never see our neighbors,” she said, replying to Zeus’ question about the other villagers. “We are too poor for them to waste time with us.” When they sat down to eat, Philemon brought a small jug of wine and two wooden cups to the table and poured the wine for Zeus and Hermes. Very little was left in the jug. When Zeus asked for more wine, Baucis sat, nervously wringing her hands, embarrassed that none was left. She looked in shock and wonder as Hermes reached over and filled both cups to the brim. She glanced at Philemon, who was every bit as surprised as she. The old people leaned forward and looked into the jug. It was filled to the very top with wine! As Baucis and Philemon began to realize that these were no ordinary strangers, they were filled with ter-ror. Zeus, who could be as kindly as he could be stern, hastened to put them at ease. “You have been gra-cious hosts to the gods,” he smiled. With that, both Zeus and Hermes threw off their disguises and stood before Baucis and Philemon in all their splendor. “You alone, of all this village, have welcomed us into your home. The others will be severely punished, but you will be rewarded for your generosity.” Zeus led Hermes and the old couple out of the cottage. Waving his thunderbolt over the valley below, he spoke softly and a bright flash of light appeared. Baucis and Philemon were horrified to see that Zeus had turned the entire area into a large lake. “Each of your neighbors is now a fish,” he announced sternly. “You, however, have proven that you deserve to be human, and you may have one wish that I will gladly grant you.”




Baucis and Philemon As they turned toward their home, the old couple saw that it had been transformed into a marble and gold temple. Baucis and Philemon whispered together for a few moments, discussing their wish. “We would like to guard this temple for you,” requested Philemon, “to honor you and the other gods. Baucis and I hope that neither of us will ever be without the other. Our wish is that our lives may end at the same moment, so that we may die as we have so long lived – together.” Zeus and Hermes were pleased with the old couple’s wish, and they promised that the man and woman would never be parted. For many more long years, Baucis and Philemon lived in the temple, praising the gods to any who visited them. One day, as they sat outside the entrance, Philemon noticed that Baucis’ arms had begun to sprout leaves. When he glanced at his legs, he realized that he also had begun to turn into a tree. Within moments, a linden tree and an oak tree, growing from one trunk, stood where the old couple had been. It is said that people came from miles around for many years to see this wonder: two different trees growing from a single trunk. Some say that when the wind blew through the leaves, you could hear voices that said, “I am Baucis,” and “I am Philemon.”

Chapter 3

1. Zeus decides the punishment that the old couple’s neighbors should receive for not following the rules he has established. What is the punishment? Do you think that it is fair? If not, what would you consider a fair punishment for the villagers? Find an article in the Houston Chronicle that describes a trial and the punishment the person receives. What can that person do if he/she does not think the punishment is fair?

2. The last section of the story tells us that the linden tree and the oak tree growing from one trunk became a wonder that many people came to see. Find a picture in the Houston Chronicle of a tourist attraction that many people travel to see. Compare the two “wonders.” Which is more spectacular and unusual? Which one would you like to travel to see? Why?



Baucis and Philemon

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