1 Picture, 1 Story Week # 3

PHAETON AND THE CHARIOT OF THE SUN

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Phaeton sprang lightly into the chariot, stood erect and grasped the reins. He laughingly shouted thanks to Apollo who stood by sadly. The horses snorted impatiently and stamped their feet. The bars were let down and the boundless plain of the universe lay before him. The horses sprang forward, cleaving the dense clouds and they outran the morning breezes. It was not long before the steeds realized that the load they carried was lighter than usual and as a ship without ballast is tossed about on the sea, so the chariot without it's accustomed weight was dashed about as if empty. They rushed headlong and soonleft the travelled road.

Phaeton became alarmed and tugged at the reins. But the arms were not strong enough to pull in the maddened horses. They sped past the Great Bear and Little Bear, scorching them so badly that they would have plunged into the water if that had been possible. Phaeton looked down at the earth and he grew lale and his knees shook with terror. He wished he had never touched his father's horses, never learned his percentage, never begged to drive the chariot. He wanted to kneel and pray but he did not dare loose the reins. He looked vainly around back to the goal where he had begun his mad ride and ahead to the realms of the sunset. They seemed very far away. In his fright, he forgot the names of the horses. He saw scorpion extending his two great arms, his tail and crooked claws stretching over two signs of the Zodiac. His courage failed at the sight of the creature reeking with poison and menacing with his fangs. The reins fell from his hand.

When the horses felt the slack on their backs, dashed off into the unknown regions of the sky, in among the stars, hurling the chariot over pathless, now high up in the heavens, now down almost to the earth. The cloud began to smoke and the mountain tops broke into flames. Below, the fields are parched and the plants withered and the trees ablaze. The fire spread and great cities burned. People were trapped in their houses and perished in flames. The people of Ethiopia became black because of the blood being forced so suddenly to the surface of their skins and the Libyan desert was dried up to the condition in which it remains to this day. The sea shrank up and where there had once been water was now a dry plain and the mountains that lay beneath the waves lifted their heads and because islands.

Jupiter, calling to witness all the gods including Apollo who had lent the chariot and showing them that all was lost unless something was done immediately, mounted the high tower from which he sends the clouds abroad and hurls the forked lightening. He thundered, and brandishing a lightening bolt in his right hand, launched it against Phaeton and struck him from the seat. Phaeton, with his hair in fire, fell headlong like a shooting star. Apollo caught the reins of the runaway steeds and led then to their stable. Clouds gathered once more and the rain fell to refresh the rivers.

THE END

I invite
@patjewell
@joseoha
@ridwant
to also participate in this contest.

Appreciation to @suboohi the organizer of this exciting contest.

@tigerix