Most of you know the famous Icarus story, but here is the rest of the story.            

When King Minos found out that Daedalus had given his daughter the sword and string that Theseus used to kill the Minotaur, he imprisoned Daedalus and his son in a tall tower.  All the genius had to do all day long was watch the birds flying around.  This gave him the idea of making wings and he and Icarus flew away.  As everyone knows, Icarus flew too close to the sun and died, but daddy made it to another island where he lived in secrecy.  Minos really wanted Daedalus back in his prison, but how to locate him?  Someone suggested that a puzzle to be solved for a reward might intrigue Daedalus and get him to reveal his location.   Minos had a guard go to the beach and find the most intricate sea shell.  The challenge was to make a necklace out of the shell without doing anything to the shell.  Many tried, but no one succeeded.  Until Daedalus heard about the contest.  He poured honey into the shell until it was dripping out of the tiny hole at the other end.  Then he tied a string to the back leg of an ant and put the ant in the shell.  The ant ate the honey from the front to the back hole while pulling the string behind him.  When the ant exited the small hole, the shell had been strung and was a necklace.  Daedalus sent the necklace to Minos, but because he was not interested in the prize, he kept his location secret.  Minos never did get his hands on him.

Categories: Anecdote

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