This woman -LRB- if woman it were -RRB- was by no means so beautiful as many of her sex ; for her head , they tell me , was shaped very much like a dog 's , and , by way of ornament , she wore a wreath of snakes around it . But Mother Ceres , the moment she saw her , knew that this was an odd kind of a person , who put all her enjoyment in being miserable , and never would have a word to say to other people , unless they were as melancholy and wretched as she herself delighted to be . `` I am wretched enough now , '' thought poor Ceres , `` to talk with this melancholy Hecate , were she ten times sadder than ever she was yet . '' So she stepped into the cave , and sat down on the withered leaves by the dog-headed woman 's side . In all the world , since her daughter 's loss , she had found no other companion . `` O Hecate , '' said she , `` if ever you lose a daughter , you will know what sorrow is . Tell me , for pity 's sake , have you seen my poor child Proserpina pass by the mouth of your cavern ? '' `` No , '' answered Hecate , in a cracked voice , and sighing betwixt every word or two ; `` no , Mother Ceres , I have seen nothing of your daughter . But my ears , you must know , are made in such a way , that all cries of distress and affright all over the world are pretty sure to find their way to them ; and nine days ago , as I sat in my cave , making myself very miserable , I heard the voice of a young girl , shrieking as if in great distress . Something terrible has happened to the child , you may rest assured . As well as I could judge , a dragon , or some other cruel monster , was carrying her away . '' `` You kill me by saying so , '' cried Ceres , almost ready to faint . `` Where was the sound , and which way did it seem to go ? '' `` It passed very swiftly along , '' said Hecate , `` and , at the same time , there was a heavy rumbling of wheels towards the eastward . I can tell you nothing more , except that , in my honest opinion , you will never see your daughter again . The best advice I can give you is , to take up your abode in this cavern , where we will be the two most wretched women in the world . '' `` Not yet , dark Hecate , '' replied Ceres . `` But do you first come with your torch , and help me to seek for my lost child . And when there shall be no more hope of finding her -LRB- if that black day is ordained to come -RRB- , then , if you will give me room to fling myself down , either on these withered leaves or on the naked rock , I will show what it is to be miserable . But , until I know that she has perished from the face of the earth , I will not allow myself space even to grieve . ''
The dismal Hecate did not much like the idea XXXXX going abroad into the sunny world .
In along by except from if of on over to