The Eleven Labors of Hercules - Labor # 3

O.K., so we're finally on the third labor.  Finding time to write these is a labor in itself!

For Hercules' third task, he is assigned a very boring one.  I say boring from my point of view.  Researching this was meh at best.  Hercules' has to capture the Cerynean Hind.  For you deer hunters out there, this is the ultimate hunt.  This deer has antlers made of pure gold and hooves of brass.  The problem with this task for Hercules is that the hind is sacred to Artemis, goddess of wild things.

Hercules, in a rare display of intelligence, decides NOT to kill the hind, as he task is to bring it back.  So he decides to catch it.  He chases this animal for a whole year until finally just shooting it with an arrow.  He aimed only to wound it, not to kill it.  It's a good thing he didn't accidentally use one of those Hydra blood arrows he got on the last trip.

This, however gets the attention of Artemis, who comes down ready to kill Hercules for this affront, but gives him a chance to explain.  Once she hears the story and can clearly see that he did not shoot to kill, she heals the deer and lets him take the animal with him as long as he promises to let it go.

That's it.  There's no great back story about why there is a deer with golden antlers.  There's no constellation.  There's no alternative version.  I did find a blog titled this, but it had absolutely nothing to do with mythology.  The author refers to herself as the Fifth Cerynean Hind.  I have no clue what that means.  See!  I told you.  Meh at best.

The only thing remotely interesting is the picture, which I only find interesting because I am a nerd.  I found it on http://artwars52.blogspot.com/ and it is a storm trooper helmet with antlers attached to it painted gold.

I'm positive that the next labor will be better.