In this way, we got to know the great story-teller Esopos whose fairy tales that involve animals as their heroes, have the purpose of teaching us.

Learning about Esopos and reading his myths

We read the legend about Kalikanjarus (Christmas sprites) which are ugly creatures and live under the earth and saw the tree trunk that supports the Earth.

We admired the intelligence, persistence and patience of Odysseus, Homer’s famous hero. He participated in the Troyan war and after many adventures he managed to reach Ithaki, his beloved homeland.

The Troyan horse in childrens point of view

We got enthusiastic with Hercules and Theseus’ achievements that managed to do deeds beyond human power.

We read the legend of Alexander the Great and his sister’s who was a mermaid and caused rough sea whenever she was told that her brother is dead.

All the above were just a specimen of legends and myths from the many we collected. Afterwards, having done a statistical study about who is the most favorite hero of the pupils, we chose Odysseus whose adventures thrill and move the readers. We are going to present Odysseus and we are certain that you will get involved and love him as much as we did!

… Odysseus was the King of Ithaki and after the war of the Greeks against Troy, he sets off to go back to his homeland with twelve ships. On his return voyage he lived many adventures for ten years …

He fought with Kikones in Trace but many of his fellow- warriors were killed. In the country of the Lotofagi, some of his fellows were in danger of forgetting their home land, but he took them with using violence. In the country of the savage Cyclopses, the son of Poseidon, Polyphimos ate six of his fellows, so Odysseus blinded him to save the rest of them. In his way however, he caused the wrath of the God of the sea.

Cyclopses in childrens sight

In Eolia, he was provided with hospitality for one month and when he left he was given a sack with the unfavorable winds.

However when his fellows opened them a storm broke out and were taken to the country of the savage Lestrigones who sank his eleven ships and ate up the ship-wrecked sailors. Odysseus having only his own ship and his sailors, arrived in the island of Kirki, who transformed his fellows into animals but Odysseus made her give them. back their human form.

Kirki in children's sight

He also went down to the underworld (Hades) to take an oracle from the foreteller Tiresias. He listened to the song of the Sirens, - tied up on his ship’s mast, passed through Skilla, losing again some of his fellows and reached Thrinakia where the Helios’ oxen were grazing. There, despite his advice for the contrary, his fellows killed and ate some of the oxen.

Sirens in children's sight

As a result of this, in the shipwreck that followed, all of them were lost except Odysseus himself. He alone, passed through Harivdi and reached, shipwrecked, Ogigia the island where Kalypso lived.

Skilla in children's sight

He stayed there for seven years- without wanting it- feeling homesick for Ithaki and his wife Penelope.

Meanwhile in Ithaki, Penelope’s suitors where feasting over his fortune, trying to get married to his wife. One day however, when Poseidon was absent from mount Olympus, the other Gods decided to help Odysseus return to his homeland. So goddess Athena went down to Ithaki, to encourage Odysseus’ son Tilemachos to look for his father.

Meanwhile Calipso helped Odysseus to make a raft for his return journey. On this raft, Odysseus travelled for 17 days, without sleeping. On the 18 th however, Poseidon noticed him and made a storm that destroyed the raft.

The revenge of Poseidon

Our Hero, after fighting with the waves for three days, went out shipwrecked for one more time, in the country of Feakes, Sheria, where he met the King’s daughter Nafsika, who led him to the palace. Feakes provided hospitality to him, listened to his adventures with interest, gave him many presents and with one of their ships sent him to Ithaki.

In Ithaki, Odysseus found Athena in front of him and she helped him to face the situation in his palace with success: She transformed him into a beggar and she advised him to go first to the hut of the pig-shepherd Evmeos. Then, the goddess made Tilemachos go to the same hut after his return from Sparta.

There father and son made a plan to kill the suitors. After that, they went to the palace where the beggar was insulted by the suitors, while Tilemachos protected him.

Odysseus, still in disguise, talked with Penelope who announced him she intended to proclaim an archery competition among the suitors and marry the winner. So the competition was held and Odysseus took part in it.

The archery competition

He beat the suitors and then moved against them. With the cooperation of Tilemachos and a few loyal servants, he killed them all and promised to rule with wisdom.

Odysseus is the symbol of courage, intelligence, patience and infinite love for his homeland. Having fought against thousands of hardships he didn’t take out of his mind his only wish: to return to his homeland.