Cadmus burst into tears , and , for a long time , refused to believe that his dear mother was now to be taken from him . But Telephassa reasoned with him , and kissed him , and at length made him discern that it was better for her spirit to pass away out of the toil , the weariness , and grief , and disappointment which had burdened her on earth , ever since the child was lost . He therefore repressed his sorrow , and listened to her last words . `` Dearest Cadmus , '' said she , `` thou hast been the truest son that ever mother had , and faithful to the very last . Who else would have borne with my infirmities as thou hast ! It is owing to thy care , thou tenderest child , that my grave was not dug long years ago , in some valley , or on some hillside , that lies far , far behind us . It is enough . Thou shalt wander no more on this hopeless search . But , when thou hast laid thy mother in the earth , then go , my son , to Delphi , and inquire of the oracle what thou shalt do next . '' `` O mother , mother , '' cried Cadmus , `` couldst thou but have seen my sister before this hour ! '' `` It matters little now , '' answered Telephassa , and there was a smile upon her face . `` I go now to the better world , and , sooner or later , shall find my daughter there . '' I will not sadden you , my little hearers , with telling how Telephassa died and was buried , but will only say , that her dying smile grew brighter , instead of vanishing from her dead face ; so that Cadmus left convinced that , at her very first step into the better world , she had caught Europa in her arms . He planted some flowers on his mother 's grave , and left them to grow there , and make the place beautiful , when he should be far away . After performing this last sorrowful duty , he set forth alone , and took the road towards the famous oracle of Delphi , as Telephassa had advised him . On his way thither , he still inquired of most people whom he met whether they had seen Europa ; for , to say the truth , Cadmus had grown so accustomed to ask the question , that it came to his lips as readily as a remark about the weather . He received various answers . Some told him one thing , and some another . Among the rest , a mariner affirmed , that , many years before , in a distant country , he had heard a rumor about a white bull , which came swimming across the sea with a child on his back , dressed up in flowers that were blighted by the sea water . He did not know what had become of the child or the bull ; and Cadmus suspected , indeed , by a queer twinkle in the mariner 's eyes , that he was putting a joke upon him , and had never really heard anything about the matter .
Poor Cadmus found it more wearisome XXXXX travel alone than to bear all his dear mother 's weight , while she had kept him company .
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