英文幽默故事：Hercules

Hercules was a strong and brave man. He lived in Greece. The King was jealous of Hercules. People might make Hercules the King. Therefore he wanted to get rid of Hercules. He set difficult tasks for Hercules to keep him away from the country so that he would not be a possible threat to him (the King). 

 

Once he asked Hercules to get three golden apples. Some trees were said to bear golden apples. These trees were said to be in a place called Hesperides. But no one knew the way to Hesperides. So the King thought of Hesperides. Hercules would be away for a longer period. 

 

Hercules set out on the journey. At first he met three maidens¹ during the journey. Hercules asked them the way to Hesperides. They told him to ask the old man of the sea. But they also warned him, “Hold the old man of the sea tightly². Otherwise he will escape. No one else knows the way." 

 

Hercules saw the old man. He was sleeping on the shore. He was looking strange. He had long hair and a beard. Hercules walked to him without making any noise. Then he seized him very firmly. 

 

 

 

The old man of the sea opened his eyes. He was surprised. He changed himself into a stag. He tried to free himself from the grip of Hercules. But Hercules held him tight. Then the old man changed himself into a sea-bird and then to other animal forms. But he could not free himself from the clutches³ of Hercules, because Hercules was making his clutches tighter and tighter. Finally the old man said to Hercules, “Who are you? What do you want from me?" 

 

Hercules replied, “I am Hercules. Tell me the way to Hesperides." 

 

The old man said, “It is an island. Go along the sea-shore. You will meet a giant. He will show you the way to Hesperides." 

 

Hercules continued his journey. He met the giant. The giant was very huge and strong. He was sleeping on the shore. Hercules woke him up. The giant was angry. He struck Hercules with a club. Hercules charged at the giant. He lifted the giant and threw him down. But the giant got up immediately. He had become ten times stronger. Hercules threw him down again and again. But each time the giant rose up much stronger. Then Hercules lifted the giant high up in the air. But he did not throw him down. The giant slowly lost all his strength. He now pleaded⁴ with Hercules to put him down on the earth. Hercules asked him to tell the way to Hesperides. The giant asked Hercules to meet Atlas⁵. He told him the way to the place where Atlas was. 

 

Hercules continued his journey. He, at last, met Atlas. 

 

“Why do you want the golden apples?" asked Atlas. 

 

“My King has ordered me to get him these three golden apples," said Hercules. 

 

“It is a long way from here to that place. Only I can go there. Hold this sky for me. I shall get them for you," said Atlas. 

 

Hercules agreed. He held the sky on his shoulders. Atlas walked away. He was back in a short time. He put down the three golden apples at the foot of Hercules. Hercules thanked Atlas. He requested Atlas to take back the sky from him. 

 

“Take back the sky!" said Atlas cunningly⁶. “I have held it for a thousand years. I shall come back after another thousand years!" 

 

Hercules was astonished at what Atlas told him. But he did not express his astonishment⁷. He recovered his senses and replied, “Oh! In that case, will you please hold the sky for a little while? I shall make a pad for my shoulders to support the sky. Then I shall take back the sky from you." Thus Hercules talked very quietly. 

 

Atlas agreed. Atlas took back the sky from Hercules. Hercules immediately collected the three golden apples. He bid Atlas goodbye with a mischievous⁸ smile on his face. The he walked away towards Greece leaving Atlas speechless and surprised. 

 

Hercules reached his homeland Greece after many days of travel. He gave the three golden apples to the King. The King was surprised to have got the golden apples from Hercules. He was happy. But he pretended not to have been satisfied. But he secretly, he was planning to send away Hercules away on another perilous⁹ adventure.  

1 maidens   

处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• Transplantation is not always successful in the matter of flowers or maidens. 花儿移栽往往并不成功，少女们换了环境也是如此。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

2 tightly   

adv.紧紧地，坚固地，牢固地

参考例句：

• My child holds onto my hand tightly while we cross the street.横穿马路时，孩子紧拉着我的手不放。
• The crowd pressed together so tightly that we could hardly breathe.人群挤在一起，我们几乎喘不过气来。

3 clutches   

抓住，紧紧抓住( clutch的第三人称单数 )； （因害怕或痛苦）突然抓住

参考例句：

• He fell into the clutches of the criminal gang. 他落到了犯罪集团的魔爪中。
• He clutches at every opportunity to practise English conversation. 他抓住一切机会练习英语会话。

4 pleaded   

恳求，请求( plead的过去式和过去分词 )； 提出…为借口[理由]； （向法庭）陈述案情； （在法庭）申辩，认罪，辩护

参考例句：

• She pleaded with him not to go. 她恳求他不要离开。
• She wept and pleaded until he agreed to do as she wished. 她哭着恳求他，一直到他答应按她的愿望去做。

5 atlas   

n.地图册，图表集

参考例句：

• He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。
• The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图，其中包括3幅英国地图。

6 cunningly   

adv.狡猾地；巧妙地

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace. 他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The technique he chose cunningly-was to blatantly insult his audience. 而他精心选择的方式就是：肆无忌惮地大骂观众。 来自互联网

7 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

8 mischievous   

adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的

参考例句：

• He is a mischievous but lovable boy.他是一个淘气但可爱的小孩。
• A mischievous cur must be tied short.恶狗必须拴得短。

9 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。