He was the son of Zeus and the titaness Maia. The first day he was born he stole Apollo's cattle, invented the lyre, and the pipes. Hemes gave Apollo the lyre after he ate one of Apollo's cows. When Apollo asked for the pipes too, Hermes asked for something in return. Apollo gave him his wand, the Caduceus. It would make peace between all things fighting. Hermes noticed two snakes fighting by the bush, he walked over to them, put the wand between them. They stopped fighting and twisted around the wand. Hermes also wanted something else, Augury, telling the future by watching birds. Hermes was taken to Olympus and soon became a favorite of Zeus.
The Children or Hermes
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Story of Hermaphroditus and Salmacis