And whence do you come , in that little cup ? '' `` I am Hercules ! '' thundered back the hero , in a voice pretty nearly or quite as loud as the giant 's own . `` And I am seeking for the garden of the Hesperides ! '' `` Ho ! ho ! ho ! '' roared the giant , in a fit of immense laughter . `` That is a wise adventure , truly ! '' `` And why not ? '' cried Hercules , getting a little angry at the giant 's mirth . `` Do you think I am afraid of the dragon with a hundred heads ! '' Just at this time , while they were talking together , some black clouds gathered about the giant 's middle , and burst into a tremendous storm of thunder and lightning , causing such a pother that Hercules found it impossible to distinguish a word . Only the giant 's immeasurable legs were to be seen , standing up into the obscurity of the tempest ; and , now and then , a momentary glimpse of his whole figure , mantled in a volume of mist . He seemed to be speaking , most of the time ; but his big , deep , rough voice chimed in with the reverberations of the thunder-claps , and rolled away over the hills , like them . Thus , by talking out of season , the foolish giant expended an incalculable quantity of breath , to no purpose ; for the thunder spoke quite as intelligibly as he . At last , the storm swept over , as suddenly as it had come . And there again was the clear sky , and the weary giant holding it up , and the pleasant sunshine beaming over his vast height , and illuminating it against the background of the sullen thunder-clouds . So far above the shower had been his head , that not a hair of it was moistened by the rain-drops ! When the giant could see Hercules still standing on the sea-shore , he roared out to him anew .
`` I am Atlas , the mightiest giant XXXXX the world !
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