Once when they were little twin babies their mother was in great trouble. She had to wander around and around, and get food and drink wherever she could find them.
One day she went to a pond for water, for the people in the houses were cross and would not give her any.
And just think of it! These people, careless about soiling their green coats and white vests, ran down to the pond ahead of her, jumped in and stirred the water so that it was black with mud.
And they called out, "Come and drink, Latona! Come and drink water, pure and sweet, Latona!"
This the cruel people did until Latona and her babies were so tired and thirsty they could wait no longer.
"Why do you abuse us?" she said; "you have plenty of water in your wells. Can you not see how these poor babies reach out their hands to you?"
But the rude people were jealous of the beautiful woman and her lovely twins, and only stirred the water till it was blacker, and cried the more, until they were fairly hoarse:
"Come and drink! Come and drink!"
Latona put her two babies down on the warm grass. Then she looked straight into the blue sky, and raising her hands said: