Greek Short Story

Alcreus was born in Thessaly. He was the son of Io and Zeus. Hera hated him because Zeus had loved his mother. Alcreus was born with mismatched eyes. At the age of five, Alcreus learned that he was able to remove his eyes and then put them back in. Growing up after that, he spent most of his free time scaring other children and getting into a lot of trouble for it.

At 18, Alcreus was still acting childish and scaring younger children with his eyes.One day he was walking in the market and saw one of the king’s servants. She looked to be about his age. So, he walked up to her and began talking to her. Ever so calmly he took his eye out and started playing catch with it like it was an everyday thing, that everyone does. The servant stared speechless and then screamed. She ran back to the king.

Once the servant reached the king, she explained what had happened. The king upon hearing about Alcreus, called to the guards to have him brought into the castle. Hera turned the king's heart cold, so he was angry at Alcreus for scaring his servant and for causing all the trouble of having to go through this meeting. Alcreus was treated roughly by the guards. When he came to the king, he bowed down and begged the king for mercy.

There was a saying going around about the Fates being very beautiful women, especially the oldest Monita. Hera knew that they were very dangerous and hated people. There were four Fates: Monita, the oldest and most beautiful; Clotho, the Spinner; Lachesis, the Disposer of Lots; and Atropos, the bearer of the abhorrèd shears. The king thought that if he had the beautiful Monita by his side as Queen, that it would make him more famous and rich.

The king sent Alcreus to get Monita and bring her to him. Alcreus not wanting to be shamed and killed by the king went off to get Monita. On his way he got caught by a huntsman. The huntsman tied him up to a tree as a sacrifice so that he wouldn’t have to die. The huntsman was leaving him for a giant serpent that the huntsman had cheated out in a deal. Alcreus was a favorite of Comid, god of laughter. Comid saw that he was in trouble and went to Hera for help.

Hera not knowing that she was actually helping Alcreus agreed to give him a flower that squirted poison when the leaves were pulled. Comid took it and hid behind Alceus where no one could see him. Later when Alcreus was sleeping,  Comid put the flower by Alcreus’ feet. The next morning, Alcreus awoke to strange noises coming from a cave on the other side of a pond next to him.He watched as a giant serpent slithered out. He looked down and saw the flower.

When the serpent came at him, he tried picking it up with his feet. Instead of picking it up he accidently pulled a leaf and poison flew right into the serpent's mouth. The serpent dropped dead and immediately the ropes around Alcreus loosened, and he was able to get out. He picked up the flower and put into a pouch he carried with him. He then ran and soon found the Fates in a cave near a cliff hanging over the sea. He watched the three blind sisters walking around until he saw the fourth sister. She was indeed very beautiful and he fell in love with her.

In his love-struck daze he accidently walked out into the cave, and Monita saw him and called to her sisters that there was a man in their cave. They all ran away from him except Monita because she was the only one who could see him. He started talking to them calmly and asked if there was any way he could take Monita with him. The Fates did not trust him and said nothing would be worth the trade of their sister. All this time, Alcreus was watching the sisters and had a sudden idea.

He walked over to them so close that they could feel his presence and trembled at it. He asked if eyes would be worth it. He removed both of his eyes and put them into the hands of the three sisters and grabbed Monita and walked away. The three sisters ran out into the rain, that had begun while they were talking.  They waved goodbye and walked back into their cave. Right before entering one of them slipped dropping an eye down the cliff.

While walking back Alcreus got struck by one of Zeus’ lightning bolts, and when he recovered he had two eyes again and they were permanent. When they reached the king’s castle, Alcreus presented Monita to the king. Before the king got to Monita, Alcreus took the flower out and, pointing it at the king, pulled one of its leaves. The poison got into the king’s eyes and mouth. Within seconds, the king was dead, they buried him, and Alcreus became king along with Monita as his wife. The three Fate sisters all share the one eye now and that is what they became known for.

 

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 03.01.2018

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