theseus

The story of Theseus and the Minotaur

Characters

• Grover as Aegean the King of Athens

• Elmo as Prince Theseus

Characters

• Cookie Monster as the Minotaur

• Big Bird as the Princess of Crete

Characters

• Snuffleupagus as the captain of the ship

A long long time ago in a place far far away…

The Minoans had become so powerful that they demanded a tribute of 7 boys and 7 girls from all the Greek cities who were thrown into the labyrinth (giant maze).

The Minotaur was a half man, half bull who lived in the labyrinth and ate all of

the boys and girls who were thrown into the maze.

King Aegean of Athens, like most Greek kings, became sick of

sending 14 of their people to die every year.

So the king’s son Theseus volunteered to be one of the 14 to

go to Crete and try to kill the Minotaur.

The ship sailed away with black sails (because all were sad).

The king told the captain of the ship that if his son was successful he was to sail back

with white sails (because everyone would be happy).

When Theseus got to Crete he secretly fell in love with the

princess of Crete.

The princess didn’t want Theseus to die so she gave him a sword and

some string.

When he was thrown into the labyrinth Theseus used the string to make sure he didn’t get lost and the sword to kill

the Minotaur.

With the Minotaur dead Theseus had freed the Greek people from having to send human sacrifices.

Theseus hurried home to tell his dad (King Aegean) the good news.

But as they got close to home they forgot to change the sails from

black to white.

King Aegean was up on a cliff watching for the boat and from a ways off he saw the black sails.

Thinking that his son had died King Aegean committed suicide by jumping off the cliff

into the sea (which was called the Aegean

Sea from then on).