In the cave...

There was a beautiful adolescent boy strumming a tortoise shell with dried cow guts strung across its flat
front. The Lyre had been invented and Apollo had found his cattle thief.

"Who are you and what have you done with my cattle," Apollo bellowed angrily.

The young boy looked up from his music and smiled, slightly embarassed that he had been caught.

"My name is Hermes. Do I know you or your cattle?"

Apollo recognized a trickster, a liar and a thief when he saw one. He was not going to be fooled by the young
boy's duplicity.

"You know who you are and what you have done. Do not pretend with me, young boy."

"I am just that: a young boy. How could I fool such an obviously brilliant being as you?"

Apollo's anger, which had been diminished by the enchanting music, now fully flared.

"Tell me where my cattle are and I will consider not harming you."

Hermes, the young trickster, continued to feign innocence. Finally Apollo lost his temper and frisked the boy off
to Mount Olympus, to Zeus, Apollo's father, for judgement.

"Ah, my sons," said Zeus merrily.

Apollo was dumbfounded. The most brilliant and enlightened of the Greek Olympians was dumbfounded. A
brother? Two sons?

"Apollo, you did not think that a simple mortal could deceive you? Of course this is your brother. What is your
name, my young son?"

"I am Hermes, son of Maia and of Zeus." He turned to look at Apollo. "I am sorry for the grievence I have caused
you, but I did steal those cattle fairly. Are not they, by rights, mine now?"

Apollo had never been a god to turn down a bargain.

"I will tell you something, my young brother and fellow god. If you give me that beautiful musical instrument whose
strains first captivated me, I will give you my entire herd of cattle."

Hermes cocked his head to the side, considering.

"I think that sounds like a fair enough deal. Agreed!"

Apollo nodded his head once and happily took the Lyre from Hermes.