Hello.
This is SD Hudson.
Welcome to my story series,
Myths and Legends.
Are you ready?
Then sit back,
Relax and listen as I transport you back to another time and another place.
Orpheus and Eurydice.
There were once a man and wife,
So much in love they wanted nothing but each other.
Her name was Eurydice and his was Orpheus.
Orpheus was a talented musician.
He played a lyre and he sang such songs that the grass at his feet curled with pleasure.
Snarling wild animals purred and waved their tails,
The trees swayed towards him tilting their leaves like ears and everybody delighted in the music Orpheus made.
But one sad day a snake came and stung Eurydice and she gave such a cry of pain and fell to her knees so quickly Orpheus caught her in his arms and was devastated.
Eurydice he yelled,
What's the matter?
But his wife could not answer.
His wife was now dead.
Orpheus held her body but her soul was slipping out of his grasp and as it sang into the dry cracked ground he knew it had seeped down into the underworld.
From that point on Orpheus stopped singing and laid down his lyre.
There is no life without Eurydice he said and now I must go to the underworld and fetch her back.
His friends gasped with horror at such an idea but Orpheus turned his back on them.
He must travel to the underworld come what may.
He climbed down,
Down,
Down through the valleys,
The pits and the tunnels to the shores of the river Styx and at the river bank Orpheus called out,
Ferryman,
Ferryman,
Come and row me over.
My wife has come to the underworld too early and I must fetch her back home.
There was a splash of oars and true to tale a black boat appeared out of the darkened mists.
Young man,
Are you mad?
A voice said.
No one but the dead may cross this river and enter the underworld.
Even if I did row you over you couldn't get past Cerberus who guards the gate.
As the boat glided across the river a dark shape loomed up then a terrible barking split the air.
It was Cerberus the three headed guard dog.
Orpheus took his lyre onto his lap and began to play.
He played a song without words and the ferryman stopped splashing his oars to listen and sure enough Cerberus stopped barking.
Instead he merely whimpered and when the boat touched shore Orpheus stepped out of it still playing and so the dog lay silent.
The souls of the dead stopped to listen too and Pluto the king of the dead was fascinated by the sound of the lyre.
What's that noise wife?
He asked his wife Persephone and she knew at once.
It must be Orpheus the musician.
Oh if he is dead and his spirit hows to keep we shall have better music here than on earth.
However music is forbidden here exclaimed Pluto and at the sight of Orpheus a man still wearing his earthly body Pluto jumped up and pointed an angry finger at him.
You'll be sorry you dare to sneak down here young man.
Then Orpheus began to sing.
He sang of his wife Eurydice's beauty.
He sang of their love and of the spiteful snake who had bitten her and of his unbearable loneliness and when the song finished Pluto sank back in his throne his hands over his face and his tears ran down onto his beard.
Every time someone dies there are people who want them alive again said Pluto but you are the only one who ever made me allow this to happen.
Eurydice shall return to the earth.
Then Pluto clapped his hands and feet could be heard running along a long corridor.
They were the footsteps of Eurydice and Orpheus peered through the gloom for a first glimpse of her dear face.
Is it really you?
You may see her said Pluto.
If you can climb back into the sunlight without once turning to look at her face.
Then he laughed unkindly.
Orpheus went back towards the river Styx without looking.
He heard the swish of a woman's robes following him but he did not look back.
He was too scared.
He began to play his lyre once more and sing his song.
And again the great dog Cerberus lolled with delight and let him pass licking him with its three tongues.
But still Orpheus did not look back.
Into the rowing boat he stepped and someone stepped behind him then the ferryman rode the two passengers across the river.
Just one last climb remained and they would be free of the underworld.
Then Orpheus would be able to take his wife in his arms again and laugh about the dreary kingdom of the dead.
Not long now he called.
But Eurydice did not reply.
Perhaps Pluto had tricked him.
Perhaps it was someone else.
Or perhaps Eurydice had changed during her time in the underworld.
Then just as the first rays of sunlight came into view,
Orpheus glanced quickly over his shoulder just to be sure.
Oh yes,
It was Eurydice.
Those eyes,
That hair,
That sweet mouth calling his name.
Orpheus.
Then she sank down like a drowning swimmer.
Why?
She yelled.
And the darkness swallowed her up.
Eurydice!
But Orpheus's wife was gone.
He was so broken hearted he could never again play cheerful music.
For when he touched his lyre the notes sobbed out of it like tears.
Play something jolly can't you?
Demanded his audience.
But Orpheus played the only music he could.
And after days upon days of it,
The audience was so frustrated they attacked and killed him.
Then the soul of Orpheus rushed out of his body,
Eager to reach the gloomy underworld.
Let me go down to Eurydice!
He cried.
Surely I can now that I'm dead.
But the gods replied.
You shan't go down to the underworld Orpheus.
Your music has given us such pleasure your lyre shall be turned into stars and hung up in the night sky.
But,
Began Orpheus,
And you shall live out eternity in that special place reserved for those loved by the gods.
And Eurydice shall live there with you.
So the two spirits floated hand in hand to the field of eternal happiness to sing and make music forevermore.
World.
And to see stories of an anthropomorphic haven high at the top of Motherby Hill.
