A long, long time ago, in the land of Greece, there was a man named Hercules. He was born with extremely powerful strength, which made him stand out from others. However, his strength also brought him a great deal of trouble because sometimes he couldn't control it well and would accidentally do some reckless things.
One day, an oracle came, saying that he needed to complete twelve extremely difficult tasks to atone for his sins and prove his worth. Hercules didn't flinch at all. He bravely accepted this challenge because his heart was full of the desire to become a true hero.
The first task was to kill the Nemean Lion. This was no ordinary lion; its fur was impenetrable. Hercules came to the place where the Nemean Lion lived, which was a gloomy forest. He searched everywhere for the lion's trail and finally found this fierce beast. The lion opened its gaping maw and pounced on him. Hercules wasn't afraid. Relying on his strength and agile skills, he launched into a fierce battle with the lion. In the end, he tightly strangled the lion's neck with his strong arms, suffocating it to death.
The second task was to slay the Hydra. The Hydra had nine heads, and whenever one head was cut off, two new ones would immediately grow in its place. Hercules and his nephew Iolaus went to the Hydra's lair together. When the battle began, Hercules cut off the snake heads with his sword, but just as the legend said, new heads kept growing. At this time, Iolaus came up with an idea. He used fire to burn the newly - grown snake heads to prevent them from growing further. Thus, after a tough battle, Hercules finally killed the Hydra.
The third task was to capture alive the Ceryneian Hind. This deer was very agile and could run extremely fast, and it was the sacred animal of the goddess Artemis. Hercules chased this deer for a whole year, crossing mountains and ridges, and passing through countless forests and rivers. Finally, when the red doe was crossing a river, he shot an arrow into its leg and captured it alive.
The fourth task was to capture alive the Erymanthian Boar. This boar was causing destruction everywhere on Mount Erymanthus. Hercules climbed the mountain. While being careful of the rugged roads on the mountain, he also had to avoid the boar's attacks. He drove the boar into the snow. The boar had difficulty moving in the snow, and Hercules took the opportunity to catch it.
The fifth task was to clean King Augeas' stables within one day. There were countless cows in Augeas' stables, and the cow dung was piled up like a mountain. Hercules came up with a clever method. He changed the course of the river, allowing the river water to directly rush into the stables and wash away all the cow dung at once.
The sixth task was to drive away the Stymphalian Birds. These strange birds had sharp claws and beaks, and they often attacked the surrounding villagers. With the help of Athena, Hercules used bronze castanets to make a huge noise, scaring the strange birds to fly out of the woods one after another. Then he shot and killed many of them with his bow and arrow.
The seventh task was to subdue the Cretan Bull. This bull was very fierce and could breathe fire. Hercules launched a thrilling battle with the bull. He tightly grasped the bull's horns with his strength. After a lot of effort, he finally subdued the bull.
The eighth task was to bring Diomedes' mares to Mycenae. Diomedes' mares were man - eating horses and extremely cruel. Hercules first subdued the guards of the mares and then drove the mares to the seaside. On the way, the mares constantly tried to attack him, but Hercules skillfully avoided the attacks and finally successfully brought the mares to Mycenae.
The ninth task was to seize the girdle of Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons. The Amazons were a tribe of all - female warriors, and Hippolyta's girdle was a symbol of her power. Hercules came to the Amazon tribe. He didn't directly snatch it but communicated with the queen. However, Hera interfered and made the Amazon warriors think that Hercules had come to rob. So the two sides launched a battle. Finally, Hercules defeated the female warriors and got the girdle.
The tenth task was to bring back Geryon's herd of cattle. Geryon was a very powerful giant. He had three bodies and also raised a fierce herd of cattle. Hercules traveled a long distance to reach Geryon's territory. He defeated the giants guarding the herd and then drove the herd back. On the way, he encountered many difficulties, but he overcame them one by one.
The eleventh task was to pick the Golden Apples of the Hesperides. The Golden Apples of the Hesperides grew in a very remote place, and there was a huge dragon guarding them. During his search for the Golden Apples, Hercules got the help of Prometheus and Atlas. Atlas helped him deceive the dragon away, and Hercules successfully picked the Golden Apples.
The twelfth task was to bring Cerberus, the three - headed dog of Hades, to the world of the living. Cerberus was a very terrifying three - headed dog, guarding the entrance to the underworld. After entering the underworld, Hercules fought and subdued Cerberus after a battle, and then brought it to the world of the living. After completing these twelve tasks, Hercules became a true hero. His name has been praised forever, and his courage and perseverance have become an example for people to learn from.
