Hades & the King
of Corinth
The people of
ancient Corinth believed their king, King Sisyphus of Corinth, was the
cleverest king who ever lived! They were always bragging about him.
But no one
bragged about the cleverest thing their king did. That is because
most people knew nothing about it, for a very good reason!
One day, the
king of Corinth was busy trying to come up with an idea to solve Corinth's
fresh water problem. He saw Zeus fly by, carrying a lovely river spirit in his
arms.
"That Zeus," sighed the king.
"What a trouble maker!"
Soon after, the
river-god Asopus flew by. "Have you seen my daughter?" he bellowed at
the king.
"If you will
give my city a source of fresh water, I will tell you what I saw," King
Sisyphus shouted back. Immediately, a crystal clear stream of fresh water
bubbled up.
"Zeus took
her that way," the king pointed.
The king knew Zeus
would be angry when he heard what the king had done. But Corinth desperately
needed a source of fresh water. And now they had one.
Sure enough,
Zeus was furious. He told his brother Hades to take King Sisyphus down to the
underworld immediately!
"When they
tell you I am dead, do not put a gold coin under my
tongue," King Sisyphus whispered urgently to his wife. Being a good
wife, she did exactly as the king had asked her.
Because the
king was a very important person, Hades himself met the king at the River Styx,
the entrance to the underworld. Because no gold coin was placed under his
tongue, the king arrived at the entrance to the underworld as a poor beggar.
"Where is your gold
coin?" Hades demanded to know. "How can you pay for a trip
across the River Styx and arrive in the underworld?"
The king hung
his head in shame. "My wife was too cheap to pay for the passage."
Hades mouth fell
open. "You go right back there and teach that women some
manners." Hades sent the king back to earth immediately, where he
was magically alive and well again.
The king and
his beloved wife laughed when he told her about it. But he never told anyone
else. You never knew when the gods might be listening.
1. Why do you think King of Corinth is alive again?
2. Do you believe in myth and why?
1. Why do you think King of Corinth is alive again?
2. Do you believe in myth and why?
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