This is it! Today is the last day of our Olympian Scavenger Hunt. How many tickets have you earned so far? You still have time to earn three more chances to win our prize pack, so get to the library!
The Cattle of Geryon
Are you noticing a trend, here?
Hercules’ tenth labor was another bovine adventure.
This time he was expected to steal the special red oxen of Geryon, a terrible giant who lived in the area that we now know as Spain.
Opinions vary as to what Geryon looked like; some say he had three heads and one body, others say that he had three bodies , and still others say that he had wings and six legs!
No matter what he looked like, he was a fierce warrior.
Hercules was only able to defeat him by using his arrows which, as you’ll remember, had been dipped in the poisonous blood of the Hydra.
His work was far from over, though.
As Hercules was herding the oxen back to King Eurystheus, Hera saw another opportunity to make his life miserable.
She summoned a gadfly, a nasty biting insect, and sent it after the oxen.
The oxen panicked and tried to flee from the fly, in the process becoming scattered all across the countryside.
While Hera laughed from high Olympus, Hercules spent days getting them all back together.
It truly was Hera who had the last laugh; upon receiving the oxen from Hercules, King Eurystheus promptly sacrificed them to the Queen of the gods!
The Golden Apples of the Hesperides
The eleventh labor of Hercules was also his most famous.
He was ordered to bring back the legendary golden apples of the Hesperides.
The Hesperides were the daughters of the Titan Atlas, and they guarded the golden apples in a far-away garden.
Only mighty Atlas, whose job it was to hold up the sky, knew the location of their garden, so Hercules set off to find him.
He travelled far to the west and appealed to Atlas for assistance.
The Titan would not tell Hercules where the garden was, but offered him a trade: if Hercules agreed to hold up the sky for a while, he would go and get the golden apples from his daughters.
Hercules readily agreed, taking the massive weight literally from Atlas’ shoulders.
Atlas soon returned with the apples, but found that he enjoyed being free from the burden of holding up the sky and decided to leave poor Hercules with the titanic weight.
Thinking quickly, the son of Zeus agreed to the Titan’s demand, but on one condition.
Hercules asked that Atlas take back the sky for just a moment so that he could wrap the pelt of the Nemean lion around his shoulders, to act as a buffer between his skin and the sky.
The slow-thinking Titan agreed, and as soon as Atlas had the sky back on his shoulders, Hercules ran off with the Golden Apples.
The Capture of Cerberus
Hercules’ twelfth and final labor required him to do the unthinkable: journey to the Underworld and bring back Cerberus, a gigantic three-headed dog and favorite pet of Hades.
Hades was one of the most powerful of the Greek gods, the brother of Zeus and King of the Underworld.
He was known for his cleverness, and once one entered his kingdom, very seldom did they leave.
Mighty Hercules made his way to the Underworld and stood before dread Hades.
He explained the task that had been set before him, and Hades made him a deal: if Hercules could overpower Cerberus without using any weapons, he could take the beast back to King Eurystheus.
Using his brains and his brawn, he was able to subdue Cerberus and take him back to the surface world.
Upon seeing the monstrous dog, the King took off for his favorite hiding spot—another giant jar!
He pleaded with Hercules to take Cerberus back to the Underworld, and agreed to release him from his servitude.
At long last, Hercules had completed his labors and redeemed himself for his crime.
Zeus declared that after his mortal life expired, Hercules would become immortal and live on Olympus.
Even Hera, Hercules bitter enemy, forgave him after seeing his skill and tenacity and allowed him to marry her daughter, the beautiful goddess Hebe.
They were together on Olympus and, as they say, lived happily ever after.
(HarperCollins, 2005), 
