Labor Four - Trap The Erymanthian BoarEuryntheus was a cruel man who enjoyed watching his cousin suffer, so for his fourth task Hercules was sent to bring back the boar of Mount Erymanthus.
This boar had two weaknesses. His first weakness was that he had terrible eyesight, and the intelligent creatures of the mountain knew that if they stood extremely still the boar could not see them nor catch them The other was that he was severely lactose intolerant. His disease was so severe that a single jug of milk could render him helpless. Without delay Hercules left on his quest. Hercules' first stop was into a nearby village. He stopped there for a mighty gauged chain, a plump rooster, a cow's belly and a jug of fresh milk. As Hercules walked, he plucked the feathers from the captive rooster, which was very risky because this bird soon got very irritated. Across the country farmers were bewildered by the excited and fearful cock-a-doodle-doo's. As each feather was taken from the fowl Hercules had stuck them into the bovine's stomach. As he added more and more feathers the belly began to change shape. From a normal belly came one that had feathers in it, his decoy looked nothing like the actual thing. Hercules was not upset with the lack of likeness his decoy had compared to a real chicken, but he did not care. Hercules knew that no matter how bad his decoy looked, the poor eyesight that the boar had could not tell the difference. When the supply of feathers ran out, Hercules figured he had journeyed enough for the day. He sat down by a fire and ate the featherless fowl and drank some milk. The remaining milk he poured into his feathered decoy.
Hercules made a quick stop at his camp to dress in his lion-skin armor, grab his thick chain and his "poisoned" decoy. The trail that the boar had left was easy to follow, fallen tree after fallen tree marked the charging path of the angry boar. Hercules chased the bull for three days, he finally caught up to it while it was sleeping. He crept slowly towards the boar and placed the decoy in front of it's nose. Hercules than leaped into the boughs of a nearby tree to wait until the morning. Sunlight forced Hercules to open his eyelids, he rolled over and crashed to the ground below, only then did he realize where he was. He looked around and did not see the boar or his decoy. He had awaken up to late to catch the boar, if he was lucky he could catch the boar before the milk had worn off. He looked for any indications that the boar had been around and saw some trampled hedges up ahead. Hercules felt that this was the most probable place that the boar had gone. As soon as this trail grew He dragged the boar by his chains and left for his cousins home. It took him one day to return to his brothers village, more than half the time it took him to get there. The heavy burden he carried was easily compensated by the enormous pride that lifted him so high. As Hercules approached his cousin's house he noticed all of the village people running away from him. Loud gasps were heard from the elders and little children cried. Hercules was ashamed, he started to blush. Hercules thought he had disgusted the entire village because he had not showered or shaved in a little less than a week. Hercules blush started to disappear as he realized that he had scared the townspeople because he carried a boar on his shoulder. They were in awe of him, and Hercules felt just a little bit happier. When Eurystheus discovered that the boar was on his own yard he ran into his cellar and locked the door. Hercules let out a hearty chuckle.
Written by Mike Pierorazio |
Mount Erymanthus was filled with scrawny chickens. Though they were unpleasant to eat the boar was forced to eat them by the flock-ful. It's smell was that of dying cattle and the boar was stronger than a steroid packed college lineman.
That morning he was awaken by the the loud grunts of the boar. He quickly realized that this was not where he had set down camp. He wondered how he had gotten here, had the boar dragged him here? The boar now had the upper hand, Hercules had no armor or weapons. He was without his only hope. Even his secret weapon, the milk filled decoy was left at his camp. Before he could think any more the boar charged at him at a tremendous speed. The boar got closer and closer but right before the boar hit him Hercules tumbled to the side in fear that without his armor he would be injured. The boar cleared a huge pathway through the forest unable to stop himself. Hercules ran speedily after him.
cold he heard a light groan. He saw the boar lying on the ground, ill and fatigued. Hercules thought to himself, "Am I ever going to have another chance to do this? Nah!" So he proceeded to lift the boar over his head and slam him into the ground. Hercules quickly wrapped the heavy chains around the boar so tight that the animal could not move a muscle.
