It symbolizes the sun, which, daily after reaching the highest point, seems to drop down again. […] Erysichthon* once cut down an oak-tree which was sacred to Demeter. […] At last, quite exhausted, he lay down to sleep. […] He crept into a thicket, and lying down on some dried leaves soon fell asleep. […] Then the hare sent down the otter, but he also returned nearly dead, and without success.