Hýdōr was what some might have called two-faced. He had something like split personality disorder that tended to cause him to switch personalities depending on if he was feeling hot or cold. Since it was around winter time, Hýdōr was much more quiet, contemplative, and thoughtful than usual, keeping to himself mostly and pondering things like the meaning of his life. When he was warmer, he was a lot more carefree, selfish, and shallow, but it seemed like the colder he got, the more profound his thoughts became. One particular night, it struck him that he might have liked to leave his mark on the world with the legacy of foals; leaving behind a new generation.

In order to leave behind a new generation, Hýdōr sought a blessing from the gods. The first god he turned to and prayed to for guidance and wisdom was his patron god, Poseidon. He decided to venture to the nearest of Poseidon's temples, but he didn't dare go without bringing something as an offering for the God of the Sea and Earthquakes. He wanted to bring something worthy of the powerful being...but what?
 
 After a few days of thought and meditation, Hýdōr eventually decided to make jewelry of the sea's treasures. Shells, coral, sea glass, and other gifts the sea washed up onto the shore were collected by the mikroi in preparation to make his offering. He toiled day and night, heating up glass with built fires (which caused him to change personalities due to the heat and set back his work a little due to not being as dedicated to his task when he was in such a mode) and carving and shaping the shells and coral with tools of stone and his very own hooves. Some of the shells were inlaid with beautiful bits of pearl which went well with the bright, colorful bits of sea glass and coral. Eventually, after beads were made of some materials and strung up with fishing twine while others were tied and secured with the twine itself, the piece of jewelry was finished. A lovely, colorful necklace gleamed in the sun with all the colors of the rainbow.
 
 Hýdōr carefully wrapped up his gift and placed it in the pack he planned to take on the long journey to Poseidon's nearest temple. He also packed with him food, fresh water, and other essentials necessary for travel before setting out. Had the weather been warmer, he would have ironically not attempted to go on account of his other personality being too shallow-minded to properly prepare for a trip as well as the fact that his other self was very much a coward. His calmer, more thoughtful self, however, was rational enough to be able to travel to his destination and back safely with enough foresight to know what to bring and how much.

Eventually, the little stallion made it to the temple. He prayed before Poseidon's statue for a day and a night, setting down the necklace he had made before him. He prayed for the blessing of having a foal of his own that he could raise and who could take after him, especially when he was gone. On the morning of the following day, he was ready to leave and start his journey back home. But that night, a loud ruckus caused him to deviate from his predetermined path.
 
 When he went to check out the source of the noise, he discovered that festivities were taking place in honor of Dionysus. At first, Hýdōr thought to turn away and leave all the noise and other hippoi behind him, but the heat of the blazing fires from the festivities got to him and he ended up joining in. While he spent his time enjoying himself, he met a lovely mare mikroi who had luminous, glowing eyes and seemed to be part gadroi. They had a marvelous time together and he found himself spending most of the night paying most of his attention to her.
 
 The next day, the fires had died and the hippoi who had gathered for the festivities had dispersed. Hýdōr had returned to his calmer, more thoughtful self and considered the part gadroi mikroi he had met the previous night. He wondered if she, like him, wished for foals to raise and leave behind as her legacy once she herself was gone. He hadn't thought to ask her when he'd been in his other state of mine previously, however, so he didn't know if he'd ever be able to find out. He wasn't sure if they would ever meet again.

Feeling somewhat melancholy, the stallion decided to stop dwelling on the past and tried, instead, to look to the future. For the previous night's revelry, he sought to thank Dionysus because he hadn't had such fun in ages. Furthermore, if it hadn't been for the festive god, Hýdōr might have not ever met the lovely part gadroi mare from that prior evening. Even though he had made the journey from his home to pay homage to Poseidon, surely it couldn't have hurt to leave an offering at a temple of Dionysus' as well, could it have?

Because he did not wish Poseidon to get jealous or to think he favored Dionysus over him, Hýdōr resolved not to make his offering to the younger god as grand or special as the one he had made to the elder. He wandered along the beach, seeking more materials he could use as resources to create a new gift when he found a large half of an oyster shell. The pearl inside the interior of the shell was iridescent and shone in the light. Deciding it would make an excellent bowl, he brought it to Dionysus' temple and set it down before getting out some of his fresh spring water he had brought for his journey and pouring it into the natural bowl.

When night came, the mikroi knew the clear spring water would reflect the wonderous beauty of the starry heavens above and he hoped that would be enough to please Dionysus. His more shallow side was a great lover of beautiful things, after all, so he thought Dionysus and the other Greek gods would surely be able to appreciate the same beauty he did.

Satisfied with his gift, Hýdōr made one final prayer of gratitude before turning to depart for his home.

(Word count: 1067)