The Labours of Hercules
The Greek hero Hercules killed his wife Megara and some of their children anfter being driven mad by his stepmother, the goddess Hera.
As a punishment he had to perform 12 dangerous tasks or labours. When he succeded in all of them, he was granted immortality.
Tasks:
1. Slay the Nemean lion (its skin resisted weapons, so he strangled it).
2. Kill the Hydra (a many headed-monster) of Lerna.
3. Catch the Arcadian stag.
4. Destroy the giant Erymanthian.
5. Clean the Augean stables.
6. Destroy the cannibal birds of the Lake Stymphalis.
7. Capture the fire breathing Cretan bull.
8. Catch the horses of the Tracian king Diomedes.
9. Seize the fridle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.
10. Capture the oxen of the monster Geryon.
11. Obtain the golden apples of the Hesperides.
12. Bring Cereberus from Hades (hell).
Mythical Creatures:
Giants:
Giants or ogres are enormous human-shaped creatures. They are usually seen as fearsome but stupid monsters that feed on human flesh. Famous giants inclide Goliath in the Bible, and Cyclops, Atlas and the Titans in Greek mythology.
Leprechauns:
Leprechanus are small Irish fairies who bring good luck. They are helpful creatures, usually shown wearing green clothes, with an apron, buckled shoes and a red cap. Their fun-loving nature means that Leprechauns are fond of alcohol, music and sport, but they are also mischievous and love practical jokes. Other "little people", including elves, dwarves, gnomes and pixies apprear in many European fairy stories.
Centaurs:
A centaur is half-horse and half-man, with the head and arms of a man and the body of a horse. It is one of the best known of all mythological creatures and is said to have come from Thessaly in northern Greece. The myth may have arisen because of the skillful hirsemanship of the people there.
Fairies:
Fairies also feature in many tales. They are usuallt sweet, kindly creatures. In Middle Ages, however, people believed that fairies stole children and replaced them with fairy beings known as changelings.
Mermaids:
Mermaids are beautiful creatures with the head and body of a woman and the tail of a fish. The fist mermaid legend is thought to have been the story of Atargatis, a Syrian moon goddess of about 1000BC. Atargatis had a child with a human. She then killed her lover, abandoned the child and jumped into a lake, where she took a form of a mermaid.
Vampires:
Vampires are the "undead" who drink the blood of the living to survive. Ideas about a vampires include the belied that plunging a wooden stake through a vampire;s heart can destroy it. Some with garlic. holy water, crosses and bibles, and that a vampire cannot enter a come unless invited.
Werewolves:
Werewolves, or Lycanthropes, are mythical creatures in the folk tales of many cultures, They usually appear as men by day, but may turn into wolves on the night of a full moon. The werewolf is bloodthirsty and ruthless. It devours its prey and shoes none of the remorse that it might have felt in human form.
Trolls:
Trolls are grotesque, malicious, rather dim-witted creatures in Scandinavian folklore. They are said to steal sleeping children, sometimes replacing them with one of their own. Trolls have poor eyesight and are active only at night because sunlight turns them into stone.
Dragons:
Dragons appear in the myths of many cultures, especially China, where dragon was a symbol of the emperor. A typical dragon has a serpent-like body covered with scales, large wings, and can breathe fire. In legends, dragons often guard a cave of treasure.
Videos:
Heracles fighting the Nemean Lion (Anime):
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