Greek Myths and Legends
Icarus and Daedalus
King Minos promised Daedalus riches beyond his wildest dreams if he could build a maze so complicated that anyone who entered would not be able to find their way back out.
Daedalus brought his son, Icarus, with him. They lived happily on Crete until the maze and palace were complete. Daedalus went to the king and told him he wanted to leave the island. Minos was furious. He told Daedalus that he would never leave the island.
Daedalus was furious but went away to plan his escape. He decided that he would make wings and that he and Icarus would fly back to the mainland. Daedalus told Icarus to collect all the feathers he could. The glued them onto two frames with wax. Daedalus and Icarus went to the top of a cliff and strapped on the wings. Before they flew off the mountain Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun.
"If you fly too close to the sun the wax will melt and you will fall into the sea," Daedalus warned.
They ran towards the edge of the cliff and flapped their wings. The sea glittered in the sunlight and the wind carried them towards the mainland. Icarus began to fly higher and higher.
"Remember what I said. Don't fly too close to the sun," Daedalus shouted after Icarus.
It was too late. The wax began to melt. Icarus flapped his wings madly but the feathers began to fall off his wings. He plunged into the sea and drowned. Daedalus was broken hearted.
Daedalus brought his son, Icarus, with him. They lived happily on Crete until the maze and palace were complete. Daedalus went to the king and told him he wanted to leave the island. Minos was furious. He told Daedalus that he would never leave the island.
Daedalus was furious but went away to plan his escape. He decided that he would make wings and that he and Icarus would fly back to the mainland. Daedalus told Icarus to collect all the feathers he could. The glued them onto two frames with wax. Daedalus and Icarus went to the top of a cliff and strapped on the wings. Before they flew off the mountain Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun.
"If you fly too close to the sun the wax will melt and you will fall into the sea," Daedalus warned.
They ran towards the edge of the cliff and flapped their wings. The sea glittered in the sunlight and the wind carried them towards the mainland. Icarus began to fly higher and higher.
"Remember what I said. Don't fly too close to the sun," Daedalus shouted after Icarus.
It was too late. The wax began to melt. Icarus flapped his wings madly but the feathers began to fall off his wings. He plunged into the sea and drowned. Daedalus was broken hearted.
Theseus & the Minotaur
Once upon a time, on the island of Crete, there lived a king named Minos. The Minoans had a huge navy. They regularly attacked Athens. The king of Athens offered to send 7 young men and 7 young women to Crete to be eaten by the Minotaur if Minos promised not to attack Athens. The Minotaur was a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man. It lived in a maze under the king's castle. |
Prince Theseus decided to go as one of the 7 young men. His father begged him not to go but Theseus went anyway. The Athenians gathered at the port and watched the ship sail away.
King Minos and Princess Ariadne met the ship at the port. She spoke quickly to Theseus as he passed telling him to meet her at the entrance to the maze the following day. Ariadne gave a sword and a ball of string to Prince Theseus. She told him to tie the string to the door so that he would be able to find his way back out when he killed the Minotaur.
Theseus followed the instructions. He killed the Minotaur and used the string to get back to the entrance. Theseus, Ariadne and the other Athenians escaped back to Athens on their ship.
King Minos and Princess Ariadne met the ship at the port. She spoke quickly to Theseus as he passed telling him to meet her at the entrance to the maze the following day. Ariadne gave a sword and a ball of string to Prince Theseus. She told him to tie the string to the door so that he would be able to find his way back out when he killed the Minotaur.
Theseus followed the instructions. He killed the Minotaur and used the string to get back to the entrance. Theseus, Ariadne and the other Athenians escaped back to Athens on their ship.
King Midas and the Golden Touch
"I wish that everything I touch will turn to gold," he announced.
The god kept his promise.
Midas touched a chair. It turned to gold immediately. He was delighted. He walked around the palace turning his furniture into gold.
Unfortunately when he went to bed his bed turned into gold. It was a very uncomfortable and King Midas didn't sleep a wink. He was very grumpy when he woke up in the morning and decided to have breakfast hoping it would improve his mood. However, he couldn't eat anything as everything he touched turned into gold! Just then his daughter ran into the room. Midas reached out to stop her and she turned immediately into a gold statue. He was broken hearted.
He went immediately to Dionysus to beg him to remove the spell and turn his daughter back into a human. Dionysus took pity on him and told him to take a dip in the river Pactolus. He did this and returned home to find his daughter playing in the garden. He was relieved and promised that he would never be greedy again.
The god kept his promise.
Midas touched a chair. It turned to gold immediately. He was delighted. He walked around the palace turning his furniture into gold.
Unfortunately when he went to bed his bed turned into gold. It was a very uncomfortable and King Midas didn't sleep a wink. He was very grumpy when he woke up in the morning and decided to have breakfast hoping it would improve his mood. However, he couldn't eat anything as everything he touched turned into gold! Just then his daughter ran into the room. Midas reached out to stop her and she turned immediately into a gold statue. He was broken hearted.
He went immediately to Dionysus to beg him to remove the spell and turn his daughter back into a human. Dionysus took pity on him and told him to take a dip in the river Pactolus. He did this and returned home to find his daughter playing in the garden. He was relieved and promised that he would never be greedy again.