Hello.
This is SD Hudson.
Welcome to my story series,
Myths and Legends.
Are you ready?
Then sit back,
Relax and listen as I transport you back to another time and another place.
Thesis and the Minotaur There used to be a great many kings in the world because every city and island had called itself a kingdom.
But one king and one island struck fear into all the rest put together.
King Minos of Crete so terrified his neighbours they paid him tributes every year just to be left in peace.
He had built a palace with a cellar like a maze and he had kept a monster in it called the Minotaur.
He fed it on human flesh and the neighbours were terrified that they would be sacrificed if they didn't do what King Minos said.
Why do we send tributes to Crete each year?
Asked Prince Theseus one day to his father the King of Athens.
To keep King Minos from sinking our ships or making war on us said King Aegeus although he did not like to talk about it.
And what do we send?
Seven men and seven women.
As slaves?
Asked the boy.
Out as slaves said the king reluctantly.
To feed the Minotaur.
To feed the Minotaur said his son.
How revolting.
Never again must we do that father.
This year I'll go as one of the fourteen and I will kill this Minotaur and put an end to this ridiculous situation.
His father the King of Athens was horrified but nothing he could say would change Prince Theseus' mind.
And as the tribute ship set sail the king called from the dock side good luck son I shall keep watch on the cliff top every day.
If you succeed raise a new white sail but if you fail raise this black one.
Never fear father I shall succeed called Prince Theseus.
The prisoners arrived from Athens and King Minos laughed.
Hmm who shall be the first into my Minotaur's den?
He asked.
I shall said Prince Theseus stepping forwards.
I Prince Theseus of Athens.
Son of the King of Athens.
I claim that honor.
You boasting young puppy snarled King Minos.
My Minotaur will make short work of you.
Guards put this Prince into the labyrinth.
Behind the throne the King's plain little daughter Ariadne sat listening.
She was ashamed of her father's cruelty and hated to see how he fed the horrible beast in the basement and she was even more unhappy when she saw brave and handsome Theseus dragged away to feed the monster.
Down went Theseus into the dark but he paused.
It was a labyrinth and he didn't know which way to go.
The guards marched away quickly but somebody was calling his name.
It was Ariadne.
Prince Theseus take this she cried and dropped down to him a ball of string.
Even if you can kill the Minotaur you won't ever find your way back to this entrance unless you use this.
Excellent exclaimed Theseus.
I could marry a girl as clever as you.
Then he tied one end to the entrance and went off unwinding the string as he went and forgetting all about the Minotaur.
But Ariadne did not forget.
Theseus felt his way in the dark.
Without the string he would have been hopelessly lost in the maze of winding corridors.
But he was grateful Ariadne had helped him he would be okay.
Then suddenly his fingers brushed against warm wiry hair and the bony curve of a horn.
The Minotaur bellowed in his ear and flung him through the darkness.
It stamped on Theseus with sharp hooves and the string was knocked out of Prince Theseus's hand.
He fought back.
It was so dark and the monster half man half bull was crushing him between his hairy arms.
But Theseus took one hold of his horns and twisted them first one way then the other.
He struggled.
He fought heroically.
And at last the Minotaur gave a gurgling gasp and fell dead.
Filled with panic the prince scrabbled around for the ball of string.
How will I get out of here?
He said to himself.
Ah I found it.
No that's the Minotaur's ear.
Yes yes.
And sure enough beneath the Minotaur sat the ball of string.
Now all he had to do was wind it up and retrace his steps.
And at the door of the labyrinth there stood Ariadne waiting for him.
You're alive you escaped she cried and took him by the hand and hurried him away.
Then they freed the other thirteen prisoners and ran back to the harbour.
You must take me with you or my father will kill me too said Princess Ariadne.
Of course said Prince Theseus come aboard.
And he raised the old black sail with two pulls of his strong arms.
And all at once they were at sea before anyone even knew they had escaped.
Theseus sat with Ariadne on deck in the sunshine and thought about what he had done.
His father would be proud.
I must change this sail for a white one he thought.
Meanwhile Ariadne gazed at him in delight.
How wonderful she sighed to be free of my wicked father and to be married to a brave prince.
Married said Theseus turning rather pale and he suddenly realised because Ariadne had saved his life she expected to marry him.
He studied her face.
Her nose was very thick.
Her eyebrows were too.
Hmm he said how wonderful.
But little did he mean it.
On the way home the ship put in at an island for supplies and Theseus sent Ariadne ashore to buy wine and bread.
While she was gone he set sail again and hurried away breathing a sigh of relief.
He had escaped his fate.
When I marry he said to himself it will be to a beautiful queen or a goddess.
But he was in such a hurry to get away he forgot to change the black sail for a white one.
The king after watching day after day from the cliff below Athens saw the ship as it sailed into view.
The sail was black and he believed his son had been killed and eaten by the Minotaur.
So he threw himself off the high white cliff down down down into the water below.
And ever afterwards the sea was called the Aegean Sea after the father of that ungrateful hero Theseus.
The End Thank you for listening.
I hope you enjoyed this story.
If you did please consider listening to my Tales of the New World.
Fantasy stories of an anthropomorphic haven high at the top of Motherby Hill.
