by Joan Holub
Apollo nodded. “Same with my lyre. But at least it helps me make beautiful music.” He strummed his lyre and began to sing.
“The heroes in training got ready to eat.
They had hungry bellies and very tired feet.
And while I sit here and watch the fish bake,
I’ll sing about anything but hairy snakes. . . .”
Aphrodite joined the two boys, sitting down beside them. “My golden apple is supposed to be magic, but I’m not sure what it does.” She held up the shiny gold apple she always carried in her pocket. “I’d give it to one of you since you want magical objects so badly. But the one thing I’ve figured out about it so far is that it won’t let me give it away.”
“Why don’t you try doing something else with it while we’re waiting for dinner?” suggested Apollo. “Like, maybe it can do spells?”
Aphrodite wrinkled her brow. “Okay,” she said after a minute. She lifted the apple above her head. “Apple, can you make it rain cookies?”
She looked hopefully at the sky, but no cookie rain came. No actual rain either, for that matter. She sighed. Lowering her arm, she tossed the apple from her left hand to her right one. Everyone gasped when, suddenly, gold coins began to rain down from the sky and onto the grass!
“Oh, look! Cookies!” Aphrodite said, picking one up. She bit it and then frowned. “Oh, I guess they’re not cookies after all.”
“No! They’re coins. They’re way better than cookies!” Hephaestus exclaimed.
“Nothing’s better than cookies,” Aphrodite insisted.
“What? Don’t you get it? We’ll never have to go hungry or beg villagers for food again. We can buy whatever we want!” Apollo told her.
“Including cookies?” asked Aphrodite, perking up.
“Yeah! Flipping flounder, we’re rich!” Poseidon cheered. Everyone began excitedly helping to collect the raining gold coins into a small pile.
“Aphrodite, try tossing the apple to your other hand now,” Zeus suggested.
Aphrodite obeyed, tossing the apple to her left hand. The coins stopped raining. She tossed the apple back to her right hand. The coins rained again. She tossed the apple to her left hand. No coins.
She let out a bubbly laugh. “So all I have to do is toss it from one hand to the other to start and stop the coins from raining down from the sky!” she said. After all the Olympians congratulated Aphrodite, they turned back to making dinner.
Demeter approached Athena. “Can you make some more pickled olives for us?”
“Mmm, yeah,” said Hades, overhearing. “They’re tasty.”
“Please?” Demeter asked, and there was such a look of pleading in her green eyes that Athena couldn’t resist.
“Sure,” Athena agreed.
When she turned, her cloak opened a little and Zeus saw the aegis. The scary snakehead face didn’t appear on it. Good! That thing made him almost as jittery as real snakes!
First, Athena stuck a stick into the dirt at her feet. Next, she got out her Thread of Cleverness. It was yet another magical object, and it could form words and send messages.
“Pickled olives,” she told it. Instantly her thread twisted itself into cursive letters that formed those words. Whoosh! The stick grew into a bushy tree with small, green olives. They dropped to the ground, where they shriveled into delicious, pickled olives.
Demeter clapped her hands. “Cool! Thank you!” She, Hestia, and Hades scooped up the olives and took them over to the fire. The other Olympians had gathered around it by now, since the sun had gone down and it was getting cold. Poseidon began to pass around chunks of the flash-fried fish.
Zeus took a piece to Athena when he noticed that she hadn’t come over.
“Thanks,” she told him. She ate it right away, then sighed and looked down at the aegis she still wore.
“Worrying about that monster snake face?” he asked her.
She nodded. “It’s weird that it hasn’t appeared again. I’m starting to wonder if it only pops up when we’re in danger. Maybe it’s a . . . premonition, a warning of coming danger.”
“If that’s true, I’m glad it’s not appearing right now!” Zeus said. He sounded so relieved about this that Athena laughed. “Not that I’m scared of danger or anything,” he added quickly. In truth, though, he was still hoping Pythia had been mistaken and they were actually supposed to find fairy cakes instead of hairy snakes.
Just then, a small brown snake slithered right between Athena and him, heading for the apple trees.
“Eeeek!” Zeus cried, jumping back.
Of course Hera witnessed the whole thing and began laughing. “Way to go, Boltbreath! If a little snake like that scares the pants off you, how are you going to deal with big, scary, hairy snakes?”
Zeus was wondering the same thing himself!
CHAPTER THREE
What’s the Deal with Perseus?
Early the next morning the Olympians cleaned up their camp and headed out. Guided by Chip’s arrow, they passed through the orchard again and then swung back toward the coastline. Soon they spotted a small fishing village up ahead.
“Any Cronies around?” Zeus asked Hera.
She sent her feather out to check. “All clear,” she reported once it was back.
“Then let’s go!” Zeus called out. The twelve Olympians marched into the village, which was bustling with activity.
“Aphrodite, can you give me some of those coins your golden apple rained down yesterday?” Ares asked. “We’re going to need some money to buy food and supplies.”
“Sure!” she answered with her usual sweet smile. She reached into her pocket. Sparkling bubbles floated around her as she tossed some coins to Ares. He caught them in both hands.
“Thanks!”
“Look, cheese!” Demeter cried when they got to a stall stocked with various cheeses.
Ares handed her a gold coin. “Don’t get anything too stinky.”
“Hey, I like stinky!” Hades protested.
“I think this coin will be enough to get all kinds of cheeses, stinky and nonstinky,” Demeter assured him. She approached the stall and smiled at the elderly man who was minding it. “Cheese, please,” she said, holding out the coin.
The man’s eyes grew wide. He took the coin and bit it. Satisfied that it was real gold, he said, “Sure, this coin will buy more than what is in my entire stall. But I’m afraid I don’t have many coins for change.”
Aphrodite skipped over. “It doesn’t matter. You can keep the coin! Just give us two hunks of your lovely cheese.”
“Stinky, please!” said Hades.
“And also not-so-stinky!” added Ares.
Zeus had a thought. “And maybe our coin will also buy us some information?” he said to the cheese man.
The man nodded eagerly, looking thrilled about getting to keep the entire coin.
“Have you ever seen or heard of any . . . hairy snakes around here?” Zeus went on.
To his surprise the cheese man nodded and pointed to some snowcapped mountains in the distance. “Sure, everybody knows about the hairy snakes. I heard they live up north on one of those mountaintops. All that long, silky hair of theirs keeps ’em warm.”
“Uh, thanks for the information,” Zeus said, going pale at the thought.
The man wrapped two cheese wheels as big as pies in cloths. Then he gave them to Demeter.
After sniffing them both, she put one into the pack she carried. She handed the other one to Hades, who held a sack containing his helmet. “You can carry the stinky one,” she said.
“Hooray!” Hades cheered.
Once they left the cheese stall they moved on to a bread stall, a vegetable stall, and a fish stall. Zeus asked each of the vendors the same question he’d asked the cheese man. The bread guy and the vegetable lady didn’t know any more information about the hairy snakes. However, the woman selling fish had more to tell.
“They live down south, by the hot springs,” she explained. �
�They’ve got wild hair. It’s the steam that makes it so curly whirly, you know?”
“Really?” Hera asked skeptically.
The fish seller nodded. “Seen them myself.”
After moving a short distance away from the stalls, the Olympians huddled together to discuss the opposing stories they’d been told. Just then, a dark-haired mortal boy about the same age as the Olympians came to stand nearby. Zeus had noticed him earlier, following the group from stall to stall. He looked like he was trying to hear what they were saying. When Zeus frowned at him, the boy took off.
“So, the cheese man says there are hairy snakes in the mountains, and the fish woman says we have to go to the hot springs,” Zeus summarized to his eleven companions. “Do you think they’re just making stuff up to get gold coins?”
As they discussed the matter among themselves, Aphrodite wandered away to a stall filled with colorful silk and wool scarves. “Oooh, pretty!” she said, trying several on. She took out a gold coin.
Zeus watched as the dark-haired mortal boy approached her, his eyes on the gold. “Pretty coin,” he said, smiling.
Zeus eyed the boy more closely and noticed he was wearing a pair of sandals with wings on them. He nudged Hades and Poseidon. “See that boy? I think he might be up to something.”
Overhearing, Ares blustered, “Aphrodite’s still so new to the world and is easily tricked. She probably shouldn’t be talking to strangers—especially ones who know she has gold on her.”
Zeus, Ares, and Hades hurried over to step between the boy and Aphrodite. “Can we help you?” they asked the nosy mortal.
“No, but maybe I can help you,” the boy replied. “I overheard you and your friends talking about hairy snakes.” Zeus and the other two Olympians looked at him.
“You heard us?” Zeus’s guard went up.
“Eavesdropping, huh?” Ares demanded, taking a fighting stance. “What are you, a spy for King Cronus and the Titans or something?”
“Nuh-uh. I’m Perseus,” the boy said, holding out his hand to shake theirs. By now, all twelve Olympians had gathered around him. All except Aphrodite appeared suspicious, and none shook his hand. He shrugged and dropped it. “Those snakes you’re looking for are dangerous. You might need some help from the Gray Triplets before you go off trying to find them.”
“The Gray Triplets?” Zeus repeated. “Who are they?”
“Three sisters who live on an island far from here,” Perseus replied. “They are said to know all things, so they could tell you anything you want about those hairy snakes you seek. I’ll lead you to their island if you want.”
Hera stepped up. “That’s a nice offer, but can’t you just tell us where they live instead?” Like the others in his group, Zeus sensed she didn’t trust this guy.
“Well, I have a question for them too, actually,” Perseus replied. “But the thing is, I don’t have a boat. You have gold, though, so you can buy one. And if you’ll let me hitch a ride with you, I’ll lead you there. ”
“Why don’t you just fly?” Zeus asked, gesturing pointedly at the boy’s sandals.
Perseus frowned down at his sandals. “Oh, these things? They don’t work.” Then he muttered, “I never should have taken them in the first place.”
“Taken them?” Hera snapped. “So you stole them?”
“No way!” Perseus protested. “I meant I never should have taken them in trade. The guy I got them from, well, let’s just say he wasn’t completely honest.”
Hera turned to Zeus. “What do you say, fearless leader? Should we buy a boat and go sailing off with this complete stranger? Or should we go wandering off to find curly haired mountain snakes or snakes with long shiny locks?”
CHAPTER FOUR
Three Teams
Excuse us a minute,” Zeus told Perseus. The Olympians moved far enough away from the boy that he wouldn’t be able to hear them. Zeus held Chip in his hand.
“Chip, can you tell us if the hairy snakes Pythia told us about are up north in the mountains or south in the hot springs? Or do we need to sail away to the island where the Gray Triplets live and ask for their help?”
A glowing green arrow appeared on Chip, and for a moment Zeus had hope of an answer. But then the arrow disappeared.
“Let me try my feather,” Hera suggested. She held it in her hand and spoke a rhyme. “Feather, before we travel forth, can you point us—south or north?” She gazed into the peacock feathers’ eye, hoping to see a helpful vision—but there was nothing.
Hephaestus thumped his cane against the ground impatiently. “Your magic trinkets aren’t going to help us,” he said. “I say we split up into three groups. One can go south, one north, and one to that island with Perseus.”
Zeus frowned. Hephaestus had once tried to overthrow him as leader of the Olympians. He’d given up on that but still often argued with Zeus’s commands. “I don’t like it when we split up,” Zeus insisted. “Something bad always happens. We’re stronger when we stick together.”
“Even so, Hephaestus may have a point, Bro,” Poseidon put in. “I mean, not so long ago there were only four of us—you, me, Hera, and Hades. Yet we still managed to outwit the Titans and Creatures of Chaos and complete our first quest.”
Zeus nodded thoughtfully. “And checking out all three possibilities at once would save us some time.”
“We could meet back at this village again after each group checks out a place,” Athena suggested.
“Good plan,” agreed Demeter.
“All right,” Zeus said slowly. “Let’s do it. My group will go with Perseus to the island.” Because I don’t trust him, he added to himself.
“I’ll go with you,” Athena said, giving Zeus a look that told him she didn’t exactly trust Perseus either.
“I do not like the cold, you see, so hot springs are the place for me,” rhymed Apollo.
“Then I’ll go to the hot springs too,” Artemis said quickly. “I’m not going to be separated from my brother again.”
When the twins were just three years old, they had been kidnapped by a Titan. They had eventually escaped, but had grown up apart. Only recently had they met again when the Olympians found Artemis asleep under a magic spell.
Hera spoke up. “I’ll lead a third team north to the mountains.”
“I’ll back you up, Sis,” Poseidon offered.
Demeter and Hestia whispered to each other. Then Demeter spoke. “We’ll go with Hera and Poseidon,” she said.
Zeus nodded. It figured that his sisters would all want to stick together. The three of them were pretty tight. “All right. We’ve got our mountain team set of four, and not counting Perseus, two people each on the hot springs and Gray Triplets teams,” he summarized. “Since there are twelve of us, not counting Perseus, let’s make it four on each team.”
“The hot springs sound bubbly!” said Aphrodite. “I’d like to go there.”
“I’ll go too!” Ares said quickly, obviously wanting to hang out with Aphrodite some more.
Hephaestus glared at him. “But I want to go to the hot springs,” he said.
“I called it first!” said Ares.
“Ares did call it first,” Zeus said. “So, Hephaestus, you’re coming with me and Athena to visit the Gray Triplets. Hades, guess you’re with us too.”
The decision made, Zeus waved Perseus over.
“You know I like hot places,” Hades said to Zeus as Perseus joined their group. “I would have preferred the hot springs. Still, going to visit a few ladies on an island sounds pretty easy.”
“Ha!” Perseus laughed a little too loudly. What is that about, wondered Zeus. Does he know something he isn’t telling?
Hephaestus sidled over to Zeus. “Why can’t I go to the hot springs?” he pressed.
“Four Olympians on each team,” Zeus said firmly. Although, believe me, I’d be happier if you weren’t on my team, he thought. Hephaestus could be whiny and bossy. He wasn’t the easiest Olympian to get along with.
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Perseus went over to Aphrodite. “We’ll need a lot more coins to buy a boat. Got any more?”
Aphrodite gave him her dazzling smile. “I can make all the gold we need!” she said happily. She pulled her golden apple from her pocket and proceeded to do just that. Perseus watched, amazed.
With the additional gold Aphrodite made, the Olympians were able to get supplies for all three separate journeys. They bought food for all, plus warm clothing for the mountain team, lightweight clothes for the hot springs team, and a small boat for Zeus and his crew.
The other Olympians gathered at the dock as Perseus, Hades, Athena, and Zeus loaded their boat. (Hephaestus stubbornly refused to help. Instead, he just watched the others do it with a scowl on his face, impatiently poking the tip of his cane into the sand.)
“Well, I guess this is good-bye for a while,” Hera said to Zeus. “Good luck, Boltbrain. If you do find the hairy snakes, don’t mess things up.”
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t,” Hephaestus declared pompously.
“Yeah, right,” Ares muttered.
Hephaestus whipped around, whacking his cane against the side of the boat. He glared at Ares. “What did you say?”
“Nothing,” Ares answered innocently.
Demeter and Hestia each hugged Zeus. “Be careful, Brother,” Demeter said.
“May the fire from Bolt keep you warm,” Hestia added with a grin.
Poseidon punched his shoulder. “See you soon, Bro.”
Zeus felt tears begin to well in his eyes, but he held them back. I have to be strong! he reminded himself. And anyway, it was silly to be sad. He’d miss the Olympians on the other two teams, but they’d all see one another again soon. When his team and Perseus were onboard, they pushed off, and the boat pulled away from shore.
As the eight Olympians left behind on the sand grew smaller and smaller in the distance, Zeus felt a lump in his throat. He had to see them again. He would see them again, no matter what. But for now, he and his crew had a job to do.
He turned to Perseus. “Okay. How do we get to the island?”