Hercules
Once upon a time there was a great Greek hero， Hercules. He was taller and stronger than anyone you have ever seen. On his shoulder he carried a club and in his hand he held a bow (弓). He was known as the hero of a hundred adventures.
Hercules served a king. The king was afraid of him. So again and again he sent him on difficult tasks. One morning the king sent for him and told him to fetch three golden apples for him from the garden of the Singing Maidens (歌女). But no one knew where the garden was.
So Hercules went away. He walked the whole day and the next day and the next. He walked for months before he saw mountains far in the distance one fine morning. One of the mountains was in the shape of a man， with long， long legs and arms and huge shoulders and a huge head. He was holding up the sky. Hercules knew it was Atlas， the Mountain God. So he asked him for help.
Atlas answered， "My head and arms and shoulders all ache. Could you hold up the sky while I fetch the golden apples for you?"
Hercules climbed the mountain and shouldered the sky. Soon the sky grew very heavy. When finally Atlas came back with three golden apples， he said， "Well， you are going to carry the mountain for ever. I'm going to see the king with the apples." Hercules knew that he couldn't fight him because of the sky on his back. So he shouted：
"Just one minute's help. My shoulders are hurting. Hold the sky for a minute while I make a cushion (垫子) for my shoulders."
Atlas believed him. He threw down the apples and held up the sky.
Hercules picked up the apples and ran back to see the king.
