3 Run, Hercules, run

Chapter 3 Run, Hercules, run "That last task doesn't count!" shouted Eurystheus. "lolaus helped you, and that's cheating." But secretly, Eurystheus was impressed. "You've proved that you're strong and brave, but are you quick enough to catch the Erymanthian boar?"

The boar was a large, unfriendly creature that lived at the bottom of Mount Erymanthus. Hercules chased the boar all the way up the mountain, but he couldn't catch it.

After a whole day, Hercules was exhausted, but he didn't give up. At last, the boar jumped to the very top of the mountain. It landed in a patch of snow and slipped. Hercules pounced on the boar, and quickly tied it up. He proudly dragged it back to Tiryns.

"Take it away!" screamed King Eurystheus, jumping into a giant pot to hide. "Boars are foolish creatures, anyway. Your next task will be much tougher. Catch the Ceryneian deer -the fastest animal on earth!"

Hercules chased the deer from one end of the world to the other, but he couldn't catch it. He tried shooting arrows at it, but the deer was so fast, it outran every arrow.

Finally, after an entire year of running, the deer stopped for a drink. Hercules hid in a bush. Very quietly, he fired an arrow. At last! The arrow stuck fast into the deer's back leg. Hercules pounced on it to tie it up, and carried the deer back to Tiryns.