Once Apollo saw Cupid playing with a bow and arrow. He politely warned Cupid, "Hey! Bows and arrows are dangerous things. Children should not play with them." It turned out that Cupid had two very special arrows. Anyone who is shot by his sharp arrow made of gold will immediately become passionate about love. If the blunt arrow made of lead shoots at people, they will be very disgusted with love.
Cupid was very unconvinced by what Apollo said. He took advantage of Apollo's inattention to "swish" the arrow of love at Apollo. Apollo immediately had a strong desire for love. Just then, a beautiful girl named Daphne came. The naughty Cupid shot the blunt lead arrow at Daphne. Daphne, who was shot by a blunt arrow, immediately became very disgusted with love.
At this time, Apollo, who was shot by the arrow of love, had deeply fallen in love with Daphne and immediately expressed his love for her. But Daphne was very unhappy and said, "Go away! I hate love! Stay away from me!" Then she ran like an antelope into the valley. But Apollo was not discouraged from pursuing Daphne. He took the harp and played beautiful music. No matter who heard the sound of Apollo's piano, he could not help coming to him and listening to his performance.
Daphne, who was hiding in the mountains, was intoxicated when she heard the beautiful sound of the piano. "Where is the touching sound? I want to see who plays it." Daphne was already fascinated by the sound and walked to Apollo. Apollo, who was playing the harp behind a big stone, immediately jumped out and went forward to embrace Daphne.
Daphne saw Apollo and ran away. Arlo chased after her and cried out, "I am not your enemy, nor a fierce beast, nor a vexatious rascal. Why do you want to avoid me?" Although Apollo kept shouting at Daphne from behind, Daphne continued to run forward as if she did not hear him.
However, Daphne could not run faster than Apollo. After running for a long time, Daphne was exhausted and out of breath. At last she fell to the ground. Seeing that Apollo was about to catch up with her, Daphne cried out, "Help! Help!"
At this time, the river god heard Daphne's cry for help and immediately turned her into a laurel tree with divine power. Daphne's hair turned into leaves, her wrists into branches, her legs into trunks, and her feet and toes into roots, which were deeply rooted in the soil.
Apollo saw it and regretted it. He was very sad to hold the laurel tree and cry, but the laurel tree kept swinging. Although Daphne had become a laurel tree, Apollo still loved her. He was very spoony and said to the laurel tree, "Although you can't be my wife, I will always love you. I will use your branches and leaves as my crown, your wood as my harp, and your flowers as my bow decoration. At the same time, I will give you forever young and never old."
Daphne, who had become a laurel tree, was deeply moved and nodded her thanks. Perhaps because of Apollo's blessing, the laurel tree is evergreen all the year round and is a very popular plant.