Page:Lovers Legends - The Gay Greek Myths.pdf/73

 Rh The nymph hugged Hylas tight and swam with him to her underwater cave.

Even as the nymph vanished into the depths with Hylas, Polyphemus was racing flat out towards the spring. He had heard Hylas’ cry and feared something was amiss. His keen ear led him right to the spot, but, besides the bronze jug, there was no trace of the boy. He dove back into the forest, and as he searched high and low in the darkness he ran into Hercules, on his way back to the camp, dragging a massive fir. “My poor friend, what bitter tidings I have for you,” gasped Polyphemus, all out of breath. “Hylas went to fetch water and never made it back. Perhaps bandits made off with him or beasts are tearing him to pieces; I heard his shout for help.”

As those words sank in, Hercules broke into a cold sweat, and love, mixed with numb fear, swirled like a whirlwind through his heart. He hurled the trunk to the ground and 59