Apollo

&;#65279; Apollo was a very vain god. He believed no one was a
better musician than he. One day he was playing his lyre and singing a
lovely tune for the nymph Thetis. She swayed and swooned in melodic
bliss. As Apollo finished his song, a young boy approached from over
the hill. Riding high in his belt was a beautiful golden flute. Apollo
asked him if he could play the flute. The boy nodded, but said nothing.
Apollo asked him if he thought he could play better than he. Again the
boy nodded, but said nothing. Apollo flew in a rage and was quite
prepared to strike the boy down, but Thetis persuaded him to challenge
the boy to a competition. Apollo agreed, for he had great faith in his
own abilities. Apollo played as he never played before. His opus was so
powerful that the very trees began to cry. When he finished he told the
boy to beat that, if he could. The boy nodded, but said nothing.
Growing more irked, Apollo pointed to the flute with his mighty fist.
The boy took out the flute and played.
He was horrible. The boy possessed no musical talent whatsoever.
The boy smiled and put the flute back in his belt. Thesis howled with
laughter at the boy having tricked the great Apollo. Fumes poured from
the enraged Apollo's head
and with a tremendous roar he struck the boy dead. As the boy's ashes
where carried away on the four winds a small, frail woman approached.
She asked if they had seen her deaf son.