This is the story of the God of Love Himself, Eros, finally realizing what "Love" really is.

Psyche was the third daughter of a King and Queen, and though all their daughters were very beautiful, it was well known that Psyche was the most beautiful of all... such was her beauty, that people far and wide came to see for themselves how fair she was.  This caused the Goddess, Aphrodite, to become very jealous.  The people were so amazed with Psyche's beauty, that they began to compare her to the Goddess Herself.    Leaving flowers and gifts, and singing the praises of Psyche where ever the people went.  Aphrodite grew very angry indeed.

"How is it that a mere mortal should be compared to me?  I who Am the Perfection of Beauty, and am worthy of such praises.  This girl should be punished for taking away the worship that is My due."

Aphrodite called for Her son, Eros.  Eros was the mischievous god of Love, and for the most part, did a fine job of mucking around in the love lives of Gods and Mortals alike.  Aphrodite pointed to Psyche. 

"My dear son, punish that mortal beauty; give your mother a revenge sweet, as her injuries are great; strike into the heart of that haughty girl a passion for some low, mean, unworthy being, so that she may reap a life of mortification as great as her present exultation and triumph."

And Eros went to do what His mother ordered.  Now in the Garden of Aphrodite there flowed two fountains, one whose waters were bitter, and the other whose waters were pure and sweet.  He made Himself invisible and quickly set off for Psyche's room, where He found her fast asleep.  At the sight of the girl sleeping so peacefully, Eros almost pitied her, but was bound to do as His mother had asked.  He poured a few drops of the bitter water over her sleeping lips and pricked her with one of His arrows.  Just as Eros pricked Psyche, she awoke and looked directly at Him.  Eros was so startled by this, that He pricked Himself accidentally with his own arrow.  

Moved by her loveliness, Eros could no longer obey his mother's demands.  He quickly made amends to Psyche by pouring the sweet waters over her, to undo the damage done by the bitter water.  Then He left, content that the damage by His arrows had been undone.

Aphrodite was enraged by Eros' lack of obedience, and cursed Psyche that she would never find a mortal husband.  Now, Psyche's sisters had long ago been married off to Princes, and lived quite happily. Although many came to look upon Psyche's beauty and sang her praises, none, however sought her hand in marriage.  Psyche lived a life of loneliness, and cursed her beauty, while had pleased many, had not enflamed the desires of any man to love her.

Distraught, Psyche's parents went to the Oracle of Delphi to enquire the fate of their beautiful daughter.  The Sybil there had an answer for them.

"The girl is destined for the bride of no mortal lover. Her future husband awaits her on the top of the mountain. He is a monster whom neither gods nor men can resist."

Horrified at Psyche's future, they had to obey nonetheless.