While they were gone, the god Hermes stole silently into the nursery, took Alcides from his cot, flew with him up to Olympus, and gave him to the waiting Athena. The two gods crept round to where Hera was sleeping. Athena gently dropped the baby Alcides on her breast. At once he began to gorge himself. But he guzzled at her teat with such vigor that Hera woke up with a cry of pain. She looked down, plucked Alcides from her nipple, and threw him disgustedly from her. Milk sprayed from her nipple in a great arc across the night sky, imprinting it with stars. Stars which, from that moment, would
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