Theseus stayed with his father all winter. When the spring drew near, he saw that all the Athenians grew sad and silent, and he asked the reason; but no one would answer him a word.

Then he went to his father, and asked him; but Ægeus turned away his face and wept.

"Do not ask, my son, beforehand, about evils which must happen; it is enough to have to face them when they come."

When the spring came, a herald came to Athens and stood in the market and cried, "O people and King of Athens, where is your yearly tribute?"

Then a great lamentation arose throughout the city. But Theseus went up to the herald and cried, "And who are you, who demand tribute here?"

And the herald answered proudly, "Fair youth, I do the bidding of my master, Minos, the king of hundred-citied Crete, the wisest of all kings on earth. You must surely be a stranger here, or you would know why I come, and that I come by right."

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"I am a stranger here. Tell me why you come." "To fetch the tribute which King Ægeus promised to Minos. Minos conquered all the land, when he came hither with a great fleet of ships, enraged about the murder of his son. For his son came hither to the games, and overcame all the Greeks in the sports, so that the people honored him as a hero. But he was slain, no man knows how or where.

"So Minos came hither to avenge him, and would not depart till this land had promised him tribute, seven youths and seven maidens every year, who go with me in a black-sailed ship, till they come to the island of Crete."

Theseus hastened to his father and asked him if these words were true, but Egeus turned away his head and wept, and said, "Blood was shed in the land. unjustly, and by blood it is avenged. Break not my heart with questions, my son; it is enough to endure in silence."

Then Theseus groaned inwardly, and said, "I will go myself with these youths and maidens, and kill Minos upon his royal throne.”

But Ægeus cried, " You shall not go, to die horribly, as those youths and maidens die; for Minos thrusts them into a labyrinth from which there is no escape. There they meet the Minotaur, the monster who feeds upon the flesh of men. They never see this land. again."

Then Theseus grew red, and his ears tingled, and his heart beat loud in his bosom, and at last he spoke and said:

"Therefore all the more I will go with them, and slay the beast. Have I not slain all evil-doers and monsters, that I might free this land? This Minotaur shall go the road which they have gone, and Minos himself, if he dare stop me."

"But how will you slay him, my son? For you must leave your club and your armor behind, and be cast to the monster, defenceless and naked like the rest."

And Theseus said, "Are there no stones in that labyrinth, and have I not fists and teeth?"

Then Ægeus clung to his knees; but Theseus would not hear. At last the king, weeping bitterly, let him

go.

Theseus went out to the market place where the herald stood, while they drew lots for the youths and maidens who were to sail on that sad journey. And the people stood wailing and weeping, as the lot fell on this one and on that; but Theseus strode into the midst, and cried:

"Here is a youth who needs no lot. I myself will be one of the seven."

And the herald asked in wonder, " Fair youth, know you whither you are going?"

And Theseus said, "I know. Let us go down to the black-sailed ship."

So they went down to the black-sailed ship, seven maidens and seven youths, and Theseus before them all, and the people followed them lamenting. But Theseus whispered to his companions:

"Have hope, for the monster can be slain. Where are the pine-bender, the stretcher, and the wrestler, and all others whom I have slain?"

Then their hearts were comforted a little: but they wept as they went on board, and the cliffs rang, and all the isles of the sea, with the voice of their lamentation as they sailed on toward Crete.

-CHARLES KINGSLEY (Adapted).

renown': fame, praise.-glen: a narrow valley.―lămĕnta'tion: the act of weeping and wailing to show sorrow.-Minos: mi'nos.-Crete (crēt): an island southeast of Greece.-ĕnraged': very angry.-avenge': to inflict pain upon an evildoer in payment for, or punishment of, pain inflicted by him.-labyrinth (lăb'ĭ-rìnth): a place full of winding passageways.— Minotaur (min'ō-tar): a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull.

HOW THESEUS SLEW THE MINOTAUR

At last they came to Crete, and to the palace of Minos the great king, who was the wisest of all mortal kings. His ships were as many as the sea gulls, and his palace like a marble hill.

Theseus stood before Minos, and they looked each other in the face. And Minos commanded that the band of youths and maidens be taken to prison, and cast to the monster one by one.

Then Theseus cried: "A boon, O Minos. Let me be thrown first to the beast. For I came thither for that very purpose, of my own will, and not by lot." "Who art thou, then, brave youth?"

"I am the son of him whom of all men thou hatest most, Egeus the king of Athens.

And Minos thought a while, looking straight at Theseus, and he thought, "The lad means to pay by his own death for his father's sin"; and he answered at last mildly:

"Go back in peace, my son. It is a pity that one so brave should die."

But Theseus said, "I have sworn that I will not go back till I have seen the monster face to face."

At that Minos frowned, and said, "Then thou shalt see him. Take the madman away."

And they led Theseus away into the prison, with the other youths and maids.

But Ariadne, Minos' daughter, saw him, as she came out of her white stone dancing hall; and she loved him for his courage and his majesty, and said, "Shame that such a youth should die!" And by night she went down to the prison and said to him:

"Flee down to your ship at once, for I have bribed the guards before the door. Flee, you and all your friends, and go back in peace to Greece and take me with you! I dare not stay in Crete after you are gone; for my father will kill me if he knows what I have done."

And Theseus stood silent a while, for he was astonished by her beauty; but at last he said, "I cannot go home in peace, till I have seen and slain this Minotaur,