"See what Jupiter has done," said the queen of the gods. "I changed Callisto from a woman to a bear. Jupiter changed her son into a bear, too. Now he has put them both among the stars. They should not get such an honor. You must do something to help me."

Jupiter was king of the gods. He was the wisest and strongest of all. When he was angry he threw his thunder and lightning across the skies. Then the earth shook and the people hid. The other gods would stay out of his path when he was angry. Juno was Jupite

The Greeks told a story about the Great Bear and the Little Bear. They said that the Great Bear was once a beautiful girl. Her name was Callisto. The Little Bear was once a boy named Arcas. Arcas was Callisto's young son. One day Jupiter looked down at the earth. He saw Callisto. "How beautiful she is! I could watch her all day," he said.

Everyone knew that Juno, queen of the gods, was jealous. Jupiter was the only one who was not afraid of her. He often liked other women. This always made Juno angry. She could not punish Jupiter. She always punished the one he thought beautiful. This happened to a young girl named Io. Jupiter said he thought Io was beautiful. Someone told Juno.

The great Jupiter did not listen. Thoughtfully he smoothed his beard. "She is almost as beautiful as a goddess," he said. This made Juno really angry. Jupiter was not even listening to her. "I'll keep him from seeing her again," Juno said to herself.

Jupiter was king of the gods. He was the wisest and strongest of all. When he was angry he threw his thunder and lightning across the skies. Then the earth shook and the people hid. The other gods would stay out of his path when he was angry. Juno was Jupiter's wife and queen of the gods.

Juno was beautiful, but was very jealous. She often got angry with Jupiter, but she knew he was stronger than she. The Greeks believed that Apollo was the sun god. They said he drove a flaming chariot across the sky each day. Apollo's chariot was the sun.

"I see a white cow on the earth," she said to Jupiter. "I have never seen one so beautiful. I want it for a pet." Poor Jupiter had to give Juno the cow. He could think of no good reason for saying no. Then Juno sent for Argus. Argus was a strange, ugly man. Instead of two eyes, he had a hundred eyes.

Trying to call for help, she found her voice was a roar. The beautiful woman had become a great black bear. Juno was watching. She sat on Mt. Olympus laughing. "Jupiter will not call her beautiful now," she said. Poor Callisto! She was afraid of the other animals. And she had to hide from the hunters. She went about the forest alone.

"He thinks she is beautiful, does he?" she said. "I'll fix that! Wait until I find her!" Now Jupiter had to think fast. He did not want Juno to punish Io. So he changed the young woman into a beautiful white cow. "Juno will never find her now," he said.

"I am Mercury. Jupiter sent me to kill Argus. I wish I could change into a woman again. If I did, Juno would really be angry. But at least Argus will no longer watch you." Juno was angry enough when she heard that Argus was dead. "Go to the body," she ordered.

"She will forget about it. Then I'll change Io back into a young woman." But Juno was very wise. She saw the beautiful white cow. She knew it was Io.

"I cannot change Jupiter's work," the god answered. "But I will do this. They shall never rest beneath the water with the other stars." Ever since that time, the Great Bear and the Little Bear have never rested. They wander about in a circle in the sky.

Jupiter never tired of looking at beautiful women. This always made his wife, Juno, angry. She did not want him to like other women. "What is so beautiful about Callisto?" asked Juno. "She is just an earth woman. I don't think she is so pretty. All the goddesses are more beautiful than she."

There were many other gods. Venus was the goddess of love and beauty. Neptune was god of the sea. Most of the gods were the same for both the Greeks and the Romans. Jupiter is the Roman name for the king of the gods. The Greeks called him Zeus. The Greek name for Juno is Hera. Each god has both a Greek name and a Roman name.

Many years later Jupiter, the king of the gods, wanted to put Pegasus up in the sky. He sent a fly to sting the horse. When the fly stung Pegasus, he jumped. He jumped so suddenly Bellerophon fell off. Pegasus flew up into the sky. There, the Greeks said, he has been ever since.