Cadmus , Phoenix , and Cilix , the three sons of King Agenor , and their little sister Europa -LRB- who was a very beautiful child -RRB- , were at play together near the seashore in their father 's kingdom of Phoenicia . They had rambled to some distance from the palace where their parents dwelt , and were now in a verdant meadow , on one side of which lay the sea , all sparkling and dimpling in the sunshine , and murmuring gently against the beach . The three boys were very happy , gathering flowers , and twining them into garlands , with which they adorned the little Europa . Seated on the grass , the child was almost hidden under an abundance of buds and blossoms , whence her rosy face peeped merrily out , and , as Cadmus said , was the prettiest of all the flowers . Just then , there came a splendid butterfly , fluttering along the meadow ; and Cadmus , Phoenix , and Cilix set off in pursuit of it , crying out that it was a flower with wings . Europa , who was a little wearied with playing all day long , did not chase the butterfly with her brothers , but sat still where they had left her , and closed her eyes . For a while , she listened to the pleasant murmur of the sea , which was like a voice saying `` Hush ! '' and bidding her go to sleep . But the pretty child , if she slept at all , could not have slept more than a moment , when she heard something trample on the grass , not far from her , and , peeping out from the heap of flowers , beheld a snow-white bull . And whence could this bull have com ? Europa and her brothers had been a long time playing in the meadow , and had seen no cattle , nor other living thing , either there or on the neighboring hills . `` Brother Cadmus ! '' cried Europa , starting up out of the midst of the roses and lilies . `` Phoenix ! Cilix ! Where are you all ? Help ! Help ! Come and drive away this bull ! '' But her brothers were too far off to hear ; especially as the fright took away Europa 's voice , and hindered her from calling very loudly .
So there she stood , with her pretty mouth wide open , XXXXX pale as the white lilies that were twisted among the other flowers in her garlands .
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