The Trojan Horse

This is the story of a war between the Greeks and the Trojans. It started because the Trojans stole from the Greeks and the Greeks weren’t happy.

Hear how the battle rages on. Discover the amazing plan that the Greeks have. What is that thing in the field? Enjoy the Trojan’s victory celebrations.

But are they celebrating too soon?

This story actually happened! It is a good action story. We love the idea the Greeks had!

Download this mp3 Greek myth audio story of The Trojan Horse now!

 

The Trojan Horse

A Tales of Time adaptation of the legend.

 

There was once a man called Paris. He was a very strong, handsome man and he was also very clever. He had once done a favour for the God Aphrodite who, in return, had promised him the most beautiful woman in the world! The only problem was…the most beautiful woman in the world was already married! To Menelaus of Sparta! Her name was Helen and she really was beautiful.

So Paris went to Sparta, and stayed in Menelaus’ house as a guest. And when Menelaus was out…he kidnapped his wife, stole some gold and ran off back to Troy where they got married!!! Well as you can imagine, Menelaus was not a happy man. He called on all his friends and soldiers to help get Helen back. 

But none of his friends wanted to go to war…so they all came up with excuses. One of his friends was the King of Paphos in Cyprus who said instead of going to war, he would give Menelaus fifty ships!!! Unfortunately, when they arrived, one was a good strong ship and forty-nine were toy ships made of clay with tiny little painted soldiers on them. Again, Menelaus was not happy!

One very clever man pretended to go crazy so that he didn’t have to go to war – that was Odysseus, but he was caught out.

A huge army was built and a thousand ships were sent. And so began the Trojan War.

The Greeks fought with the Trojans for years and years and years – well ten years to be exact and they were getting tired and fed –up!

The Trojans fought with the Greeks for years and years and - well you know! And ten years on, they were also getting tired and fed-up. The Greeks were camped outside the city walls and every day they attacked. All because of some woman and a bit of gold! Some Trojans didn’t want to be fighting anymore.

Nobody was winning the war. The Trojans and the Greeks were an equal match! Many soldiers just wanted to pack up and go home.

Then, one day – that is exactly what the Greeks seemed to be doing. The Trojans watched from the wall as the Greeks packed up their camp and left! Was the war really over? Had Menelaus’ army given up?

The Trojans carefully squeaked open the gate of the wall and some soldiers went to have a look. When they got to the camp – they were very surprised indeed.

It was empty except for, in the middle of the field, there was an enormous wooden statue of a horse!!  It was absolutely huge and it took a hundred men to push it from the field back to the City.
Horses were very important to the Trojans so they thought perhaps it was a gift from the Gods? So they left it near the Temple of Athena and started organising an ‘End of War’ party.

Everyone came out to celebrate the end of the war. There was dancing and singing and lots of chat about the mysterious wooden horse. The party went on very late and people started falling asleep. Pretty soon, every one in the whole of Troy was asleep.

Did I say everyone? Oh no...

Deep inside the belly of the huge wooden horse, was a small army of Greek soldiers, sword in hand, armour on chest, sitting quietly waiting...ready. Anticipating the moment when all the Trojans finally fell asleep.
Then they opened the secret door in the underbelly of the wooden horse, and they silently crept out.

Each soldier headed off in a different direction, killing every Trojan soldier they could find. The Trojans were ambushed! Drunk and sleepy, they had no chance as the Greeks slaughtered them.

The Greeks found Helen and the stolen treasure and they ran off, back to Greece. Menelaus was so pleased to have his wife and treasure back that, even though he was cross with Helen, he forgave her for marrying Paris.

The Greeks had won the war. Thanks to some very clever thinking.

Whose idea was it to build the giant horse? Why Odysseus' of course, the man who pretended he was crazy so that he didn’t have to go…well at least he was on his way home now!

And, so ended the Trojan War.

 

The End.

©Tales of Time 2008