Obeying this generous impulse he slipped the enchanted bridle off the
head of Pegasus, and took the bit from his mouth.
"Leave me, Pegasus!" said he. "Either leave me, or love me."
In an instant, the winged horse shot almost out of sight, soaring upward
from the summit of Mount Helicon. Being long after sunset, it was now
twilight on the mountain-top, and dusky evening over all the country
round about. But Pegasus flew so high that he overtook the departed day,
and was bathed in the upper radiance of the sun. Ascending higher and
higher, he looked like a bright speck, and, at last, could no longer be
seen in the hollow waste of the sky. And Bellerophon was afraid that he
should never behold him more. But, while he was lamenting his own folly,
the bright speck reappeared, and drew nearer and nearer, until it
descended lower than the sunshine; and, behold, Pegasus had come back!
After this trial there was no more fear of the winged horse's making his
escape. He and Bellerophon were friends, and put loving faith in one
another.
That night they lay down and slept together, with Bellerophon's arm
about the neck of Pegasus, not as a caution, but for kindness. And they
awoke at peep of day, and bade one another good-morning, each in his own
language.
In this manner, Bellerophon and the wondrous steed spent several days,
and grew better acquainted and fonder of each other all the time.
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