PHAETON entered the gleaming palace of the sun god and walked to the throne room. He stopped in the doorway, blinded by the radiance of Helios, the sun god, who wore a purple robe and sat high on a throne of emeralds.
Around Helios stood his attendants, whose names were Day, Month, Year, Century, Hours, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
"Come to me, my boy " said Helios, the sun god.
Phaeton stepped forward and bowed his head to shield his eyes from the Sun's awesome brightness.
Then he kneeled before the throne.
"What brings you to seek your father?"
Helios asked gently.
"I came to get your promise that I really your son. The boys at school laugh at me and say I'm not, but my mother has always said that the sun is my father. I want to know the truth"
"Clymene is right" said Helios. " the nymph clymene had a child by me, and it was you. To prove I'm your father, I'll give you anything you ask. "
"Father, I have only one wish. I want to do what you do early each morning. I want to drive your fiery chariot alone across the sky and turn night into day"
"Oh ,no! I cannot allow you to do that! " cried Helios.
"But you promised-"
" I spoke too rashly! "
"It's to late, Father! " said phaeton.
"But this is one wish I can't grant, my son! The trip is too dangerous. Even jupiter- the greatest of all the gods - can't drive mu winged horses! They're hot with fire! "
" I can drive them, Father. If I'm really your son"
"No you can't! "
But phaeton only smiled at Helios.
"I know I can do what you do,Father"
He said.
The sun god tried to stall for time, but the goddess Dawn was coming quickly upon the palace, getting ready to throw open her crimson doors and to shine forth. The Moon's thin crescent had vanished from sight; the stars had taken flight. It was time for Helios's fiery chariot to begin it's Daly course across the sky.
Helios and phaeton stepped out into the cool air where the chariot waited. The gleaming cart had tires of gold and spokes of silver .
As phaeton walked around the Golden chariot, marveling at it's beauty, his father tried to stop him from taking the terrible journey across the sky.
But when birds began singing, phaeton cried " I must leave now"
And jumped into the shiny chariot.
The four winged horses stamped their hooves and breathed fire from their nostrils.
The sun god rubbed a magic salve on phaetons face to shield him from the heat. " at least listen to my advice" said Helios.
"Keep to the middle path. Don't veer off to the side! Neither get too high nor too low, it will burn the sky abd the earth. "
" all right father "
Cried phaeron as he held the reins proudly.
"Follow the wheel tracks of mu daily path! Spare the whip and hold the reins tightly! "
" I will father, I will! "
"And beware of the northern bear and the twisting snake in the sky-"
Before the sun god could say more, phaeton snapped the reins.
YOU ARE READING
CHARIOT OF THE SUN GOD
Short Storychariot of the sun god is one of the favorite of Greek myths, it's a story about the God sun, Helios. His son phaeton visited him one day asking him if he was his real father. He said he is, to prove him that he was his son he was going to gran...
