A HERDSMAN tending his flock in a forest lost a Bull-calf from the fold. After a long and fruitless search, he made a vow that, if he could only discover the thief who had stolen the Calf, he would offer a lamb in sacrifice to Hermes, Pan, and the Guardian Deities of the forest. Not long afterwards, as he ascended a small hillock, he saw at its foot a Lion feeding on the Calf. Terrified at the sight, he lifted his eyes and his hands to heaven, and said: “Just now I vowed to offer a lamb to the Guardian Deities of the forest if I could only find out who had robbed me; but now that I have discovered the thief, I would willingly add a full-grown Bull to the Calf I have lost, if I may only secure my own escape from him in safety.
Vocabulary Help
- Herdsman – pastor
- tend – cuidar
- flock – rebanho
- bull-calf – bezerro
- fold – curral
- fruitless search – busca inútil
- make (make, made, made) – fazer
- vow – voto
- thief – ladrão
- steal (steal, stole, stolen) – roubar
- lamb – ovelha
- guardian deities – divindades guardiãs
- afterwards – em seguida
- ascend – subir
- hillock – pequena colina
- foot – pé
- feed – alimentar
- lift – levantar
- find out – descobrir
- full-grown – crescido
- bull – touro
- safety – segurança