Cadmus and the Dragon’s Teeth - Level 5 (120 Words PP) (29 pages)+illustrations (7 pages) Page 1: Princess Europa 115 A very long time ago, there lived a princess named Europa. She lived in the ancient country of Phoenicia with her brother, Prince Cadmus, and her father, King Agenor. One day, Europa was picking flowers surrounded by her father’s cattle, which were grazing in the field. She knew each and every one of the cow’s names, as they were gentle and timid creatures. As Europa gathered daisies, she sang softly to the herd without a care in the world. She did not mind the farmer who was resting under an apple tree. King Agenor had watched Europa play alone in the field hundreds of times before, and had never once worried about her getting …show more content…
“The Oracle is a wise woman, who lives inside the temple,” said the man. “She knows everything about the past, present and future. Anyone who has a question can visit the wise woman and ask. She takes a stool and puts it over the crack in the floor, and then she sits down and inhales the strange smell. Instead of losing her balance like other people, she talks with Apollo, the sun god. It is he who tells her how to answer the questions. Sometimes her answer is clear, sometimes it is a riddle, and sometimes it may not be what you want to hear, but her answer is always …show more content…
It was so far down, it took Cadmus and Ares’ servant nine days to reach it. The prison was guarded by three terrifying giants, who each had fifty hands and one hundred heads. When Cadmus arrived in Tartarus, he was thrown into a cell squirming with rats, and given only a piece of mouldy bread to eat. For what seemed like an eternity, Cadmus spent each day dreaming of fresh air, good food, a warm bed, and kind friends. After eight miserably long years, Cadmus heard a sound he had been wishing for. A lock, turning in his cell door. Page 32: ILLUSTRATION FOR PAGE 31: This is a spooky page, but could be made to look a little fun by making the giants look dumb. They have fifty hands from their arms, and one hundred dozy looking heads. The giants are standing outside Cadmus’ dark cell. Cadmus is playing with a rat, as they are his only friends. He could also be drawing a picture on the wall of the sun and grass, to show he is dreaming of his home. Page 33: The Special Gift