11 Daedalus and Icarus

CHAPTER 11 Daedalus and Icarus Daedalus was the great architect and inventor who worked for King Minos. He had made a labyrinth of bushes that housed the terrible Minotaur. King Minos learned that the Athenians had escaped from the labyrinth and killed his Minotaur. He was in a rage. He also knew whom to blame. Only Daedalus could have helped them escape. Only he knew the secret to escaping the maze. As punishment, King Minos trapped Daedalus and his son Icarus in the labyrinth.

They had only the clothes on their backs and a pair of candles to light their way. Daedalus tried to lead his son through the endless paths of the maze. But he could not. Not without the ball of string he had given to Ariadne. "Father, it is no use," Icarus said with a sigh. "You have invented a maze that is too winding. Not even you can find your way out." Daedalus was about to give up when he looked up to the gods for an answer. And then it came to him! The labyrinth had many walls, but no ceiling. "I have an idea, my son!" Daedalus told him with excitement. "If we can't escape by land, we can escape by flying!" "We are not birds, Father. We cannot fly," Icarus pointed out. But Daedalus didn't listen. He was too

busy gathering branches and leaves from the labyrinth's bushes. Daedalus began stringing them together. "Icarus, see these bird feathers that have fluttered down from the sky? Gather up as many as you can," Daedalus told his son. In a few minutes, Daedalus had made two pairs of wings. There was one set for each of them. He fastened a pair onto Icarus's arms. Then he put on the other pair of wings. "Listen carefully, Icarus," Daedalus said. "These wings are fragile. They are held together only with candle wax. You must not fly too high in the sky. Stay away from the sun. If you get too close, the wax will melt. Your wings will come undone and drop off," he warned. But Icarus wasn't listening. He was too excited and busy flapping his new wings. Daedalus took off into the sky. At first,

Icarus followed closely behind his father.

For a while, father and son flew side by side. They easily escaped the labyrinth and Crete. They flew over land and sea. Soon they were far away from King Minos's kingdom. "Father, look at me!" Icarus cried. He did a somersault through the air. He swooped down one minute. Then he soared high up the next. Flying was such a thrill to Icarus. "See how high I can fly!" Icarus called. He flew closer to the sun. "Icarus! The sun! Stay away from the sun!" Daedalus cried. Feathers from Icarus's wings began drifting down past Daedalus. "Come back!" Daedalus shouted. But Icarus did not hear him. Icarus did not see the feathers fall from his wings. He did not see the wax melt and drip. He was too excited to be flying. Icarus's wings came apart. He could fly no longer. He

fell down, down, down into the sea. "Icarus!" Daedalus cried out. He flew down to try to catch him. But Icarus plunged into the sea. The water closed up around him. Daedalus could no longer see his son. Daedalus flew to the spot he had last seen Icarus. He called out his name till his voice was hoarse. He stayed there for hours, hoping Icarus would come to the surface. Finally, he knew Icarus would never come up again. Daedalus flew away and eventually landed in Sicily. He lived there for the rest of his life. But he was so heartbroken over Icarus that he never invented another thing again.