CHOOSE THE BEST ANSWER!

PANDORA’S BOX  (A Greek Myth) When the world was first created, it was a happy place with no sadness or pain. The sun shone every day and the gods came down from heaven to walk and talk with the humans who lived on earth. One afternoon, Epimetheus and his wife, Pandora, were outside tending their flower garden when they saw the god Mercury approaching carrying a dark wooden chest. He looked hot and tired.“My friends, would you do me a favour?” sighed Mercury. “It is so hot today and this chest is so heavy. May I leave it here with you for a while?”“Of course you can,” smiled Epimetheus.Epimetheus and Mercury heaved the chest indoors. It was carved with strange markings and tied shut with golden cords. “No one must see it,” instructed Mercury anxiously. “And No One under ANY circumstances must open the box.”“Don’t worry,” laughed Epimetheus and Pandora, and they waved the god off through the trees.Pandora stopped still and frowned. “Listen, Epimetheus!” she hissed. “Someone is whispering our names!” Epimetheus and Pandora listened hard. At first, they heard nothing. Then they heard the distant sound of Epimetheus! Pandora!” being called from outside.“It’s our friends,” said Epimetheus, happily.“Those aren’t the voices I heard,” she said, puzzled.“They must have been,” Epimetheus laughed. “Come on now, Let’s go and see everyone.”“You go,” Pandora insisted, with a frown. “I’d rather stay here for a while.”Epimetheus shrugged, kissed Pandora on the nose and strode outside.

As soon as he was gone, Pandora hurried over to the strange box and waited. After only a few seconds, she heard the whispery voices again. Maybe Pandora was imagining it. She bent closer and put her ear to the lid. No, this time she was sure. The box was calling to her. “Pandora!” the voices pleaded. “Let us out, Pandora. We are trapped here in here in the darkness. Please, set us free.” Pandora jumped back with a start. Mercury had expressly forbade them or anyone else to open the box. Yet the voices sounded so sad.“Pandora!” they came again. “Help us, we beg you!” Pandora could stand it any longer. Hurriedly, she knelt down and worked at the tight golden knots. All the time, the pleading whispers filled her ears, begging for help. At last the gleaming cords fell away. She hesitated, then took a deep breath and opened the lid. At once Pandora realized that she had done a terrible thing. The box had been crammed with all evils in the world – thousands of tiny, brown, mothlike creatures that caused hurt and misery wherever they went. Now, thanks to Pandora, the evils were free! They flew up out of the chest in a great swarm and fluttered all over Pandora’s skin, stinging er over and over again, For the first time, Pandora felt pain and regret. She began to wail with despair, and all too late, she slammed the lid back onto the box. Outside, Epimetheus heard his wife’s cries and came running. The little creatures fluttered to sting and bite him, before speeding off through the window into the world. For the first time ever, Epimetheus began to shout at his wife in anger. Pandora yelled back, and the couple realized in horror that they were arguing.

“Let me out!” interrupted a high voice. Pandora and Epimetheus grabbed onto each other in a panic. The voice was coming inside the box. “Don’t be afraid of me. Let me out and I can help you,” came the voice once more.“What do you think?” Pandora whispered to Epimetheus.“Surely you can’t do any more mischief than you already have done,” he grumbled. So Pandora and Epimetheus sobbed with relied as she fluttered against their skin and soothed their stinging wounds. Then she was gone, darting out of the window and into the world after the evils. Fortunately, in a world filled with evils, the great power of Hope has remained to try and heal the wounds.