Phaeton

There was once a boy named Phaeton.  He had been told that his father was Apollo by his mother, Clymene.  He was very proud of this and believed it was true until one day, one of his classmates laughed at the idea of him being the son of the sun god.  He then ran home in shame and asked his mother for proof that he was indeed Apollo’s son.  Clymene then told Phaeton that he should go to the Far East to look for his father in the mountains.

Phaeton then went on a journey in which he saw many fascinating things such as the lands of Persia and India.  Once he reached the lands of the Far East, he was immediately dazzled by the beauty and the light of his father’s palace.  He then approached the throne in which his fathersat.  The throne was covered in glittering jewels and shone very brightly. 

“Why have you traveled so far to see me, Phaeton?” asked Apollo.

“I have come to find proof that you are my father,” said Phaeton.

Apollo said that Clymene had told the truth to him and he then told Phaeton that he could have one wish to prove that he was in fact his son.  Phaeton immediately blurted out that he wanted to drive his sun chariot.  Hearing this request, Apollo began to regret giving Phaeton a wish.

“Son, please pick another wish,” Apollo pleaded.  “Even Zeus would not dare to drive my chariot.”  But even after hearing this, Phaeton stood firm and still wanted to drive the sun chariot.  So then, after failing at trying to convince Phaeton to change his wish, Apollo hooked up his fire breathing steeds to his chariot and gave a magical oil that protected Phaeton form the heat.

So then Phaeton hopped on to the chariot and the horses immediately left their stable.  Phaeton was very terrified about how far the ground was under his feet and the wild ride that the horses gave him.  He realized that his father had been right to warn him about the chariot and wished that he had listened.  He first went too high and made the Earth turn extremely dark and cold.  Then he went too low making rivers and lakes dry up while burning crops and houses.

Zeus, who had been watching over this episode with caution, decided that it was finally time to do something.  He quickly whipped out a lightning bolt and threw it at Phaeton.  Phaeton then landed in a river with the chariot and horses by his side. 

Apollo was very sad and refused to drive the chariot over the Earth for many, many days.  After the other gods and goddesses begged him to drive his chariot again to make the Earth back to normal, did he drive his chariot once more.