Through these holes he wove some reeds which he found upon the seashore. Then he blew softly upon the reeds.
The birds heard such wonderful music that they stopped to listen. The leaves on the trees began to dance, and nodded to the flowers to keep still.
The waves on the shore caught the tune and have been singing it ever since.
Hermes had invented the lyre and brought a new kind of music into the world. He soon tired of his lyre and went back to his cradle in the cave.
As he lay there he could see a beautiful blue meadow with many white cows upon it.
Hermes knew that the cows belonged to his brother, King Apollo.
“What fun,” thought he, “I will go and make the cows run.”
Off he ran after them until he was tired and out of breath.
Then he drove them all backward into a cave, and fastened them in.
King Apollo soon missed the cows and searched all the meadow for them.