They thought it strange to behold a woman in the garb of a queen -LRB- for Telephassa in her haste had forgotten to take off her crown and her royal robes -RRB- , roaming about the country , with four lads around her , on such an errand as this seemed to be . But nobody could give them any tidings of Europa ; nobody had seen a little girl dressed like a princess , and mounted on a snow-white bull , which galloped as swiftly as the wind . I can not tell you how long Queen Telephassa , and Cadmus , Phoenix , and Cilix , her three sons , and Thasus , their playfellow , went wandering along the highways and bypaths , or through the pathless wildernesses of the earth , in this manner . But certain it is , that , before they reached any place of rest , their splendid garments were quite worn out . They all looked very much travel-stained , and would have had the dust of many countries on their shoes , if the streams , through which they waded , had not washed it all away . When they had been gone a year , Telephassa threw away her crown , because it chafed her forehead . `` It has given me many a headache , '' said the poor queen , `` and it can not cure my heartache . '' As fast as their princely robes got torn and tattered , they exchanged them for such mean attire as ordinary people wore . By and by , they come to have a wild and homeless aspect ; so that you would much sooner have taken them for a gypsy family than a queen and three princes , and a young nobleman , who had once a palace for a home , and a train of servants to do their bidding . The four boys grew up to be tall young men , with sunburnt faces . Each of them girded on a sword , to defend themselves against the perils of the way . When the husbandmen , at whose farmhouses they sought hospitality , needed their assistance in the harvest field , they gave it willingly ; and Queen Telephassa -LRB- who had done no work in her palace , save to braid silk threads with golden ones -RRB- came behind them to bind the sheaves . If payment was offered , they shook their heads , and only asked for tidings of Europa . `` There are bulls enough in my pasture , '' the old farmers would reply ; `` but I never heard of one like this you tell me of . A snow-white bull with a little princess on his back ! Ho ! ho ! I ask your pardon , good folks ; but there never such a sight seen hereabouts . '' At last , when his upper lip began to have the down on it , Phoenix grew weary of rambling hither and thither to no purpose . So one day , when they happened to be passing through a pleasant and solitary tract of country , he sat himself down on a heap of moss .
`` I can go no farther , '' said XXXXX .
Cilix Ho Phoenix Telephassa bypaths day heartache husbandmen playfellow wildernesses