Epimetheus beheld her . If he had cried out , Pandora would probably have withdrawn her hand , and the fatal mystery of the box might never have been known . But Epimetheus himself , although he said very little about it , had his own share of curiosity to know what was inside . Perceiving that Pandora was resolved to find out the secret , he determined that his playfellow should not be the only wise person in the cottage . And if there were anything pretty or valuable in the box , he meant to take half of it to himself . Thus , after all his sage speeches to Pandora about restraining her curiosity , Epimetheus turned out to be quite as foolish , and nearly as much in fault , as she . So , whenever we blame Pandora for what happened , we must not forget to shake our heads at Epimetheus likewise . As Pandora raised the lid , the cottage grew very dark and dismal ; for the black cloud had now swept quite over the sun , and seemed to have buried it alive . There had , for a little while past , been a low growling and muttering , which all at once broke into a heavy peal of thunder . But Pandora , heeding nothing of all this , lifted the lid nearly upright , and looked inside . It seemed as if a sudden swarm of winged creatures brushed past her , taking flight out of the box , while , at the same instant , she heard the voice of Epimetheus , with a lamentable tone , as if he were in pain . `` O , I am stung ! '' cried he . `` I am stung ! Naughty Pandora ! why have you opened this wicked box ? '' Pandora let fall the lid , and , starting up , looked about her , to see what had befallen Epimetheus . The thundercloud had so darkened the room that she could not very clearly discern what was in it . But she heard a disagreeable buzzing , as if a great many huge flies , or gigantic mosquitoes , or those insects which we call dorbugs and pinching-dogs , were darting about . And , as her eyes grew more accustomed to the imperfect light , she saw a crowd of ugly little shapes , with bats ' wings , looking abominably spiteful , and armed with terribly long stings in their tails .
It was one of these that had stung XXXXX .
Epimetheus Pandora bats dorbugs fall flies mosquitoes pinching-dogs playfellow thundercloud