In the ancient forests of Greece, there lived a nymph of unparalleled beauty—Callisto. A devoted follower of Artemis, goddess of the hunt, Callisto had sworn an oath of chastity, dedicating her life to roaming the wilderness with her silver bow in hand. Her loyalty to Artemis was unwavering, and her grace was such that even the trees seemed to bow as she passed.

Yet, her beauty did not go unnoticed by the gods. Zeus, the king of Olympus, whose heart was ever restless, gazed upon Callisto and was enchanted. Knowing that she would never yield to him in his true form, the cunning god took on the appearance of Artemis herself. Disguised as the goddess, Zeus approached Callisto, who, trusting and reverent, welcomed her divine mistress without suspicion. Thus, under the veil of deception, Callisto was betrayed, and in time, she found herself with child.

When Artemis discovered Callisto’s pregnancy, her wrath was swift and merciless. The goddess, who demanded absolute purity from her followers, saw Callisto’s condition as a grave betrayal—though the nymph had been an unwilling victim of Zeus’s deceit. With a wave of her hand, Artemis transformed the once-radiant nymph into a great, shaggy bear, condemning her to wander the woods in a form that mirrored her perceived shame.

Years passed, and Callisto’s son, Arcas, grew into a skilled hunter. One fateful day, while tracking game through the forest, Arcas came upon a massive bear. Unbeknownst to him, the creature was his own mother, who, despite her beastly form, recognized him instantly and moved toward him in longing. Arcas, seeing only a wild beast, raised his spear to strike.

At the last moment, Zeus—perhaps stirred by guilt or pity—intervened. To prevent the unspeakable tragedy of a son slaying his mother, the king of the gods swept both Callisto and Arcas into the heavens. There, he immortalized them as constellations: Callisto became “Ursa Major”, the Great Bear, forever circling the northern skies, while Arcas was set beside her as Ursa Minor”, the Little Bear.

To this day, their celestial forms shine brightly, a reminder of love, betrayal, and the enduring bonds of family—eternally watched over by the gods, yet forever just out of reach.

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