Part One
A Greek legend in which a brave youth overcomes a giant robber.
Theseus was the son of the king of Athens. One day his father was called away to the wars, and said to his wife, “Take care of the boy, and bring him up like a king’s son. When he is strong enough to lift this stone he may set out on his adventures,” and he pointed to a large stone.
The king never came back and the mother devoted herself to the training of her son. He grew up to be the handsomest, bravest, and strongest young man in all Greece. Every day he tried to lift the great stone, and at last it gave way a little. The next time he tried it moved a little more. One day he raised it and rolled it down the hill. Then he found underneath a splendid sword.
Now he was ready to set forth on his adventures. Taking the sword he journeyed overland until he reached a village where he asked for food and a night’s lodging. The innkeeper said, “Alas, there is no food left, for the robber Sciron has been here and taken away every scrap of bread and meat in the place.”
“Who is this Sciron?” asked Theseus. The man told him that Sciron was a robber who lived in the mountains, and plundered the villages of food, and took off cattle and seized men and women and made them wait on him, and then threw them into the sea from a high rock.
“Where does he live?” asked Theseus. The man showed him a castle on the top of a mountain. “Thank you,” said Theseus. “I am going to sup with Sciron this very night,” and he started off.
When Theseus reached the gate he knocked on it with his sword and it was opened by a fierce robber. Theseus told him he had come to get food and to spend the night. “You have come to the right place,” said the robber greedily and opened the gate. Theseus followed him into the hall where he saw a giant eating a whole ox, and other giants sitting near him waiting to be fed.
The big giant was Sciron. Theseus said, “I have come for food and shelter.” The big giant looked up and said, “Oh, ho! you want food, do you? Very well, you may eat, but afterwards I shall throw you from the cliff into the sea. Before you begin to eat you must wash my feet.”
Then one of the other robbers brought a bowl of hot water and Sciron thrust out his feet to be washed. But Theseus had no notion of doing that service, so he took up the bowl of water and threw it in Sciron’s face, saying, “That needs washing first.”