Pygmalion 

Pygmalion，King of Cyprus，was a famous sculptor¹．He made an ivory image of a woman so lovely that he fell in love with it．Every day he tried to make Galatea up in gold and  purple，for that was the name he had given to this mistress of his heart．He embraced and kissed it，but it remaineda statue．In despair he went to Aphrodite's  shrine² for help．Offering rich sacrifice and sending up a passionate³ prayer，he begged the goddess to give him a wife as graceful⁴ as Galatea．Back home，he went straight up to the statue．Even as he gazedat it a change came over it．A faint colour appeared on its cheeks，a gleam shone from its  eyes and its lips opened into as weet smile．Pygmalion stood speechless when Ualatea began to move towards him．She was simple and sweet and alive！Soon the room was ringing with her sliver⁵ voice．The work of his own hands became his wife．

塞浦路斯的国王皮格马利翁是一位有名的雕塑家。他塑造了一位异常可爱的象牙少女雕像以致于爱上了它。每天他都给盖拉蒂穿上金、紫色相间的长袍。盖拉蒂是他给心上人所起的名字。他拥抱它、亲吻它，但是它始终是一尊雕像。绝望中，他来到阿芙罗狄蒂的神殿寻求帮助。他献上丰盛的祭祀品，并且深情地祷告，祈求这位女神赐给他一位如同盖拉蒂一样举止优雅的妻子。回家后，他径直来到雕像旁。就在他凝视它的时候，雕像开始有了变化。它的脸颊开始呈现出微弱的血色，它的眼睛释放出光芒，它的唇轻轻开启，现出甜蜜的微笑。盖拉蒂走向他的时候，皮格马利翁站在那儿，说不出话来。她单纯、温柔、充满活力！不久屋子里响起她银铃般悦耳的声音。他的雕塑成了他的妻子。