The smaller winds scattered the seeds and sprinkled the flowers, and did many other things which you may find out for yourselves.
Indeed, they were so busy that Æolus was often left alone in his dark home for several days at a time.
He was glad when one summer morning a baby came to the cave.
The baby’s name was Hermes, but Æolus called him “Little Mischief,” because he was so little and so full of tricks.
Zeus was Hermes’ father and his mother was the beautiful Queen Maia. She was often called “Star of Spring,” because people thought that wherever she stepped flowers sprang from under the snow.
Æolus loved Hermes dearly. He taught him many secrets which only the winds know.
Hermes was a wise baby and understood all that Æolus told him.
When he was only two days old he could run and whistle as well as North Wind.
One day while he was very young he climbed out of his cradle and ran down to the seashore.
There he found an old tortoise shell. He picked it up and put a row of holes along each edge of the shell.