宙斯与善良的老夫妇

 《鲍西丝和费莱蒙》

故事里善良的鲍西丝和费莱蒙老夫妇，热情款待了奥林波斯山的神——宙斯和海尔墨斯。天神为了惩罚邪恶的村民，就把整个村子淹没了，而鲍西丝和费莱蒙老夫妇的旧茅屋却完好无损，还变成一座金碧辉煌的神殿。出于二老的要求，他们被指派为宙斯所住宫殿的看护者。随着俩个凡人生活的结束，他们变成了两棵相伴相生的树，并肩站在神殿前。

      Zeus was the first god of heaven, Thunder, and a god of happiness forthe world. Zeus sometimes took his son Hermes, dressed as a poor pedestrian,dressed casually, and settled in the village. Once Zeus came to the earth andwanted to stay in a village for a night. He founded that the people in thatvillage were so selfish that none of them were willing to keep him. At lastZeus came to a hut. There is an old couple in the house.

     "Bang! Bang! Bang! "

Zeus knocked at the door and asked, "is there anyonehome?" Then an old man came out to open the door and asked, "Oh! Itis so late, why are you still standing there? Do you need some help?" Zeussaid, "My son and I wandered here, tired and hungry. Will you let us stayfor a night? "."It's cold outside," said the old gentleman,welcoming him at once. "come into the house quickly!".he old ladyalso said, "We still have some cheese and bread in our room. I'll get themfor you. Just come in! "

     Zeus and Hermes entered the house. The old couple were really poor, butthey offered the best for Zeus and his son. The old couple boiled hot water forthem to wash their faces, put out clean bedding for them to use, and chattedwith them. When Zeus and his son sat at the tidy table and ate, the old ladytook out a pot of wine and poured it into a cup. Unexpectedly, the wine pouredout into the cup ceaselessly. Only then did the old couple realize that the twopoor tramps were gods. So the old couple immediately knelt down to worship. Theold lady also wanted to kill the only goose in the house. Zeus said,"Don't kill the goose. I am really touched by your kindness, but the restof the people in this village are so ruthless. Now go with me to the top of thehill opposite, and I will punish the rest of the village. "

     Zeus took the oldcouple to the top of the mountain, and when the couple looked back, the villagewhere they lived had become a sea. The old man asked Zeus to forgive thevillagers, so Zeus uprooted a towering tree and made it fly. The old man usedthe tree to save the villagers trapped in the flood. Nearly all the villagersclimbed up the tree, but suddenly they found another man trapped in the water.Because he had no position, the cruel villagers pushed the old man into thewater. After seeing this, Zeus could no longer contain his anger. Therefore, hesank the tree to the bottom of the valley and saved the old man to the top ofthe mountain. After the flood retreated, the old couple went back to their hutand could hardly believe their eyes. The hut turned into a magnificent templewith marble floors, and all doors, windows and walls decorated with goldreliefs.

     At this time,  Zeus asked the oldcouple again: "My kind friends, do you have any wishes? Anything is okay,just tell me! " After a brief discussion, the old couplesaid humbly, "Please God appoint us as priests of this temple, and let usdie the same day of the same year!" Of course Zeus agreed. From then on,the old couple served as priests of the temple until the end of their lives. Assoon as they passed away they became a couple tree.