Satyr tails

This is a short story of the beautiful satyr Ampelos, his romance with Dionysus and how the Lord of
Partying eventually acquired governance of the grapevine and all the wonderful things that can be done with it. There are numerous stories in Greece mythology in which various people undergo botanical metamorphosis. There is doubtless some profound mystical significance to such stories, but as I am about to fall asleep at any minute the contemplation of the meaning will have to wait till some other time.

On a less taxing note, I'm contemplating reincarnating as a goat-footed son of Pan when the time comes - I can live in a book-lined cave and eat buttered crumpets, play the pipes, and generally avoid the appearance of small and annoyingly middle-class children from wardrobes. In the meantime I shall be honouring the spirit of Ampelos with a glass or two of Mavrodaphne of Patras which may well have been blessed by the satyrs of the Peloponnese.


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