Read Online Aphrodite the Beauty (Goddess Girls) by Joan Holub - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Joan Holub
Tags: Fiction, General, Children's Books, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Ages 9-12 Fiction, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic, Social Issues, Love & Romance, Children: Grades 4-6, Girls & Women, Friendship, School & Education, love, Schools, Legends; Myths; Fables, Social Issues - Friendship, Legends; Myths; & Fables - Greek & Roman, Gods; Greek, Mythology; Greek, Greek & Roman, Beauty; Personal, Goddesses; Greek, Aphrodite (Greek deity), Atalanta (Greek mythology)
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just ahead of Atalanta.
Transfixed by its shiny goldness, the girl hesitated, then bent to scoop it up. As she did so, Hippomenes dashed past her.
The crowd cheered, and the goddessgirls pumped their fists in the air. "Way to go, Hippomenes!" shouted Aphrodite. Pocketing the first apple, Atalanta soon caught up and passed him again. Reaching into his sash, Hippomenes drew out the second apple and
134
flung it with all his might. It glinted in the morning sun as it rolled in front of Atalanta and came to rest at the edge of the track. As she darted over to pick it up, Hippomenes passed her once more.
By now the goal marks were in sight. But as before, Atalanta quickly drew even with Hippomenes and pulled ahead in a fresh burst of speed. "Oh no!" cried Aphrodite. Poor Hippomenes was breathing heavily, his sides heaving. But with his last bit of strength, he hurled the final golden apple. It struck the course at Atalanta's feet and bounced wide. Unable to resist, she swerved to follow. As she stooped to capture it, Hippomenes stumbled across the finish line.
A shout went up from the crowd, and just like the mortals around them, the goddessgirls jumped for joy and hugged one another. Hippomenes sent Aphrodite a
135
wave of thanks as he trotted to a small stage that had been set up near the track. She smiled, waving back.
A palace attendant placed a wreath on Hippomenes's head, and Atalanta came to stand beside him. Smiling broadly, she held up the golden apples for all to see. "Hippomenes has won," she proclaimed loudly. "I am glad to give up the race, and that it is he who has won this victory from me."
"I will only count myself the true winner," said Hippomenes, gazing at her lovingly, "if you say I've won your heart."
Atalanta blushed. "And so you have."
The goddessgirls sighed.
"How romantic." Aphrodite's eyes shone bright as the golden apples as Atalanta took Hippomenes's hand and lead him to the king, who would soon be blessing
136
their marriage. It felt good to have played a part in bringing the two young mortals together.
"Ye gods!" Athena exclaimed. "If we don't hurry back, we'll be late to class!" Luckily, the girls had worn their winged sandals. Now they loosened the ties to free the silver wings at their heels. As the ties twined around their ankles, the wings began to flap. Artemis's dogs raced along behind as, within minutes, the sandals whisked all four girls up the mountainside and through the clouds to the top of Mount Olympus.
137
10 Perfect Matches
THAT AFTERNOON, AT APHRODITE'S INVITA-tion, Hephaestus joined the goddessgirls in the cafeteria for a snack. While sipping ambrosia shakes, the girls took turns telling him about the race.
As Persephone described the spellbound look on Atalanta's face when she glimpsed the first golden apple, Aphrodite noticed a goddessgirl with curly
138
brown hair watching them from several tables away. There was a dreamy expression on her face as her pretty brown eyes settled on Hephaestus--the kind of expression Aphrodite often saw on her own admirers' faces. The girl looked away when she saw she'd been noticed gaping at him. "Do you know that goddessgirl?" Aphrodite interrupted, looking at Hephaestus and nodding her head in the girl's direction.
He glanced toward the brown-haired girl. "Sure. She's new here at MOA. Her name's Aglaia. She's in my Beast-ology class."
"Interesting," said Aphrodite. "She was looking at you just now."
He shrugged and turned back toward Persephone. "So then what did Hippomenes do?"
139 Honestly, thought Aphrodite, sometimes godboys were so dense. "Excuse me," she said, interrupting again. "But that girl wasn't just looking at you. She was looking at you like she likes you."
Artemis, Persephone, and Athena giggled. Blushing, Hephaestus glanced at Aglaia again, this time with a little more interest. Across the room, the new girl caught his eye. Her cheeks turned pink as she smiled shyly at him.
Aphrodite nudged him with her
Transfixed by its shiny goldness, the girl hesitated, then bent to scoop it up. As she did so, Hippomenes dashed past her.
The crowd cheered, and the goddessgirls pumped their fists in the air. "Way to go, Hippomenes!" shouted Aphrodite. Pocketing the first apple, Atalanta soon caught up and passed him again. Reaching into his sash, Hippomenes drew out the second apple and
134
flung it with all his might. It glinted in the morning sun as it rolled in front of Atalanta and came to rest at the edge of the track. As she darted over to pick it up, Hippomenes passed her once more.
By now the goal marks were in sight. But as before, Atalanta quickly drew even with Hippomenes and pulled ahead in a fresh burst of speed. "Oh no!" cried Aphrodite. Poor Hippomenes was breathing heavily, his sides heaving. But with his last bit of strength, he hurled the final golden apple. It struck the course at Atalanta's feet and bounced wide. Unable to resist, she swerved to follow. As she stooped to capture it, Hippomenes stumbled across the finish line.
A shout went up from the crowd, and just like the mortals around them, the goddessgirls jumped for joy and hugged one another. Hippomenes sent Aphrodite a
135
wave of thanks as he trotted to a small stage that had been set up near the track. She smiled, waving back.
A palace attendant placed a wreath on Hippomenes's head, and Atalanta came to stand beside him. Smiling broadly, she held up the golden apples for all to see. "Hippomenes has won," she proclaimed loudly. "I am glad to give up the race, and that it is he who has won this victory from me."
"I will only count myself the true winner," said Hippomenes, gazing at her lovingly, "if you say I've won your heart."
Atalanta blushed. "And so you have."
The goddessgirls sighed.
"How romantic." Aphrodite's eyes shone bright as the golden apples as Atalanta took Hippomenes's hand and lead him to the king, who would soon be blessing
136
their marriage. It felt good to have played a part in bringing the two young mortals together.
"Ye gods!" Athena exclaimed. "If we don't hurry back, we'll be late to class!" Luckily, the girls had worn their winged sandals. Now they loosened the ties to free the silver wings at their heels. As the ties twined around their ankles, the wings began to flap. Artemis's dogs raced along behind as, within minutes, the sandals whisked all four girls up the mountainside and through the clouds to the top of Mount Olympus.
137
10 Perfect Matches
THAT AFTERNOON, AT APHRODITE'S INVITA-tion, Hephaestus joined the goddessgirls in the cafeteria for a snack. While sipping ambrosia shakes, the girls took turns telling him about the race.
As Persephone described the spellbound look on Atalanta's face when she glimpsed the first golden apple, Aphrodite noticed a goddessgirl with curly
138
brown hair watching them from several tables away. There was a dreamy expression on her face as her pretty brown eyes settled on Hephaestus--the kind of expression Aphrodite often saw on her own admirers' faces. The girl looked away when she saw she'd been noticed gaping at him. "Do you know that goddessgirl?" Aphrodite interrupted, looking at Hephaestus and nodding her head in the girl's direction.
He glanced toward the brown-haired girl. "Sure. She's new here at MOA. Her name's Aglaia. She's in my Beast-ology class."
"Interesting," said Aphrodite. "She was looking at you just now."
He shrugged and turned back toward Persephone. "So then what did Hippomenes do?"
139 Honestly, thought Aphrodite, sometimes godboys were so dense. "Excuse me," she said, interrupting again. "But that girl wasn't just looking at you. She was looking at you like she likes you."
Artemis, Persephone, and Athena giggled. Blushing, Hephaestus glanced at Aglaia again, this time with a little more interest. Across the room, the new girl caught his eye. Her cheeks turned pink as she smiled shyly at him.
Aphrodite nudged him with her
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