Alexandra, Hermes, and Artemis
By Mackenzie
The waterfall sparkled in the sunlight, as the sea beneath glistened. The winding path, that had seen too many travelers, was covered with wild flowers that filled the air with a sweet aroma.
The two friends traveled diligently along the crumbling path, their feet stomping on the rocky trail. Alexandra, skipping along next to her friend, was so joyful. Her blonde glowing hair flew behind her in the gentle spring breeze, her blue eyes sparkled as the waterfall reflected off of them, and the taste of mint filled her mouth as she was chewing gum. Her friend Artemis was also very cheerful, she loved walking on this specific trail. As she skipped next to her friend, her short hazelnut hair flowing behind her, and her hazel eyes gleaming, she chuckled with joy. The two friends did not realize that they were being watched by the great Greek god, Hermes. Hermes watched from above on Mount Olympus as the two girls skipped along. Hermes decided that he loved both of the beautiful girls. Quicker than a blink of the eye, Hermes traveled down to the great waterfall named “The Fall of Water”.
Hermes ran to catch up to the ladies. He yelled, “Alexandra! Artemis! Oh wait, oh please!” The two girls whipped their heads around to see the Greek God sprinting their way. As Hermes approached them he was panting. “Hello, Alexandra,” Hermes whispered, and nodded. “Good day Artemis,” Hermes stated. “I am Hermes, the messenger God of Olympus.”
“Oh Hermes!”
Alexandra bowed her head with her skirt trailing behind her, her hand touched the rocky road. “Oh my! How are you?” Artemis said as she bowed her head with Alexandra.
“Oh you know, could be better! Well you know what could make me better? A nice little walk to the park, or maybe the beach, with each of you separately.”
“Yes please!” screamed both of the girls, who had already fallen in love with the Hermes. “Yes, yes, I know. I will take Artemis first, to the park. Then I will take Alexandra, to the beach. So, Artemis shall we go?” With those few words Artemis grabbed his hand and happily skipped along to the park.
The park. The gorgeous, grinning park. Oh how beautiful it was. The perfect green grass swaying in the slight wind. There, Artemis and Hermes sat on the grass, munching on food. The sweet smell of clean air breezed into both of their faces. “Well, we should probably head back to the Fall of Water, and Alexander and I will go to the beach.”
As Hermes and Artemis reached the Fall of Water, there stood the gorgeous beach, waves rolled on to their feet. Artemis and Hermes skipped rocks, made sandcastles, and watched the water diligently fall back into the sea. Up above Alexandra and Hermes could see Artemis, watching everything every move they made.
“I think we should head back up, do you want to?” asked Hermes.
“Oh, well I guess” Alexandra blushed.
As they reached the top of the hill, they continued on the trail to reach Artemis.
“So?” Artemis screeched.
“I have decided who I like better,” said Hermes, “and that is Alexandra.” Artemis stood frozen like a snowmen. She was angry. This couldn’t be happening. She was always prettier and nicer than Alexandra. No way, her friend was chosen instead of her. Artemis was fuming. This could not happen.
“Alexandra,” Artemis screamed. “Get over here, let’s go on a short walk to think about this.” Artemis wanted to convince Alexandra that this was not a good idea, that a silly little mortal should not marry a god, but, Alexandra wasn’t listening she was so excited and in love! She was on top of the world! Artemis was fuming, she grasped Alexandra by the wrist, and pulled her until they were both behind the Great Fall of Water. In a rage of jealousy Artemis pushed Alexandra. Down into the waterfall. She surely would have been dead, because the waterfall was almost 100 feet tall with underneath.
Hermes had been watching all of this. He saw everything, and just as Alexandra was going to hit the bottom. He quickly changed Alexandra so she could breathe underwater, and so that she could have a safe cushioning landing.
Alexandra on the other hand, thought that it was very strange that she wasn’t struggling for air. She could breathe. From above the sea, Hermes ran down to the beach. Artemis followed. Hermes was mad with Artemis. When they reached sea level they called her name.
Alexandra heard her name and swam to the beach. It was amazing she thought, she could breathe underwater and she could swim 10 times as fast! Finally, she reached the beach, where she lay on the warm sand and saw Hermes and Artemis standing there.
“Artemis. You’re no friend to me,” screamed Alexandra.
“Also,” Hermes said interrupting, “you will always feel guilty for what you did to Alexandra. Zeus, king of all Gods, will think of you as a disgrace.”
Artemis stood in silence. Then she ran, all the way back home, as the sun was setting. Hermes said his goodbyes to Alexandra and then left to mount Olympus. Alexandra went back under the sea.
“So,” Alexandra mumbled to herself, “where do I sleep?” Alexandra swam around, wondering, for a while, and then found a smooth rock above the sea. Where she lay and slept all through the starry night. The sun finally appeared at six in the morning and Alexandra woke up. She called and called for Hermes. Very loudly, she knew he could be watching her, but he never came.
Many days passed and Alexandra called for Hermes but he never came. Alexandra became very sad and depressed. After seven days had passed. Alexandra gave up on calling and swam to the very bottom of the deep sea.
Hermes knew he would never visit it her again, because every time he would glance at her, he would feel guilty. There Alexandra stood not moving, eating, or even sleeping for ten whole days. Hermes knew that Alexandra was trying to starve herself to death. He sent down the great Greek God Poseidon, the underwater god, where Poseidon would turn Alexandra into coral.
Poseidon swam down to where Alexandra stood, he quietly turned her into the new plant coral. Hermes directed Poseidon to create coral everywhere, and that coral would be the most beautiful under sea plant in the world, just as Alexandra was the loveliest person in the world. This was how coral was created.
Kinard Mythology Anthology Page 2
