There are many stories about the brave heroes of Greece. One of these stories is about
Theseus, who was famous for strength and his cleverness.
Theseus lived in Athens, a small city Greece. His father was Aegeus, the king of Athens.
When Theseus was young, the king sent him to the countryside to learn skills like hunting
and fighting.
When Theseus returned to his father’s palace, he decided to take a stroll through the city.
He dressed himself as an ordinary citizen and walked among the people of the city. He
was surprised to see mostly old people with sad faces. He came back to the palace and
asked his father the reason for the people’s sorrow.

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King Aegeus hung his head low. `Son,’ he said, said, `today, I will tell you about the
misery that has fallen upon the people of Athens. In the island of Crete rules Minos, an
evil king. He had ordered Daedaulus, a clever craftsman, to build a maze near his palace.
Anyone who enters the maze loses his way and cannot escape. In the middle of the maze,
Minos has kept a terrible man-eating bull, the Minotaur. Minos demands that Athens
should send him ten young men and ten maidens every year. They enter the maze and
lose their way. The Minotaur then eats them up. If Athens refuses to send them, Minos
wall declare war.’

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Theseus now understood why there were so few young people in the city. He vowed to
save his people and declared, `This year, father, you will select nine young men and ten
maidens. I shall be the tenth man. I will not return until I kill the monster.’’
When Theseus reached Crete, he met Ariadne, the daughter of Minos. She liked the
brave, young prince and decided to help him. She gave him a ball of string.
Theseus tied one end of the string to the gate of the maze as he entered. As he walked, he
slowly unrolled the string. He found the Minotaur sleeping in the middle of the cunning
maze.
The terrible monster awoke with a terrible roar and charged at Theseus. Theseus was not
scared. He raised his sword and killed the Minotaur with one stroke. He was able to find
his way out of the maze by following the string he had unrolled.
The other young men and women from Athens were waiting for him. They welcomed
him with great joy.