final song. The greedy pirates ho-ho-ed among
themselves. Not only would they take Arion’s
money, but they’d have the privilege of being
the last people on earth to hear his famous
music. They knew all of Arion’s best hits, so
they asked him to sing the story of how the
god Apollo slayed the Delphic dragon, which
had won Arion the competition at Delphi.
Changing into his finest robes embroi-
dered with gold threads, which he always
wore when performing, Arion picked up his
cithara and played his heart out. The pirates
had no chance to applaud. Before the last
word of the song had left Arion’s lips, his feet
had touched the waves. He had jumped into
the sea wearing his robes and holding his
famed cithara, its strings still vibrating as the
water sloshed around it. The pirates, a little
surprised that Arion had jumped, and a little
disappointed, too (they’d been looking for-
ward to killing him), turned their backs and
went below deck, chuckling among them-selves as they counted out Arion’s money,
leaving him for dead in the choppy sea.
If only he could make it to shore, thought
Arion, treading water and clutching at his
cithara for a float. Suddenly, he saw a row
of sharp teeth slicing through the water.
A shark? Or something worse? (Arion had
sung all too many songs about the dangers
of the deep.) Fearful for his life, he raised
up a prayer to the gods, but a cresting wave
carried his words away—and brought the
monster even closer. The menacing flash of
gray thrashed the waves. It was upon him!
Arion tried to cry out one more time, but
the water gurgled in his mouth. The monster
opened its fearful jaws, its teeth glistening in
a watery reflection. As Arion closed his eyes
and waited for the end, the monster hit him
with its nose. It was toying with its food! It
nudged him again. Arion peeked opened his
eyes. Why wouldn’t the fiend get on with it?
Then it dawned on him. The creature wasn’tI LOVE
MY
CELLO
BEST OF
ALL,
BUT THE
CITHERA
HAS A
GOOD
SOUND,
TOO.30