This paper retells the Norse myth about the first story of gold and as a Greek myth, adding a few characters. The list of ten characters is as follows:

Icelandic god in original story	Played by Greek god in story below
Loki	Hermes
Sif	Hera
Thor	Zeus
Odin	Hercules
Brokk	Cyclops
Eitri	Cyclops
Frey	Apollo
AEsir	Demeter, Poseidon, Hades
Frigg	Aphrodite
Freyja	Persephone

Zeus and Hera were enjoying an early morning breakfast on Mount Olympus. The sun was shining gloriously. Zeus had been off cavorting with Apollo -- playing war with the mortals from Athens and Sparta. Hera was annoyed with Zeus. It was unusual that he and Apollo went out together. She suspected Zeus was trying to win Artemis' favor. But rather than get Zeus angry with accusations, she suggested they enjoy the sunrise over breakfast. The sun, with its brilliant rays, was just beginning to appear over the top of Olympus, when a sweet, crystal clear voice broke the silence.

Hera felt her muscles tighten and the vein on the side of her temple began to throb. Only one individual would be up this morning so early -- Aphrodite. Zeus hastily got up and offered her a chair so she might stay and watch the beautiful sunrise. He gave her his breakfast that Hera had taken time to prepare so late the night before. Hera felt her blood begin to boil, but reminded herself not to invoke Zeus' wrath. Aphrodite politely declined Zeus' offering, saying she did not want to deprive him of his breakfast. Zeus immediately ordered Hera to go bring Aphrodite some breakfast. She glowered at him but obliged just the same.

While Hera was inside, Hermes brought Zeus a message from Apollo. Zeus thought this strange, since he had not heard from Apollo since the Trojan War, but decided it would help support the story he had told Hera. What Zeus did not know was that Hermes had fabricated the message from Apollo. Hermes had seen Aphrodite heading towards Zeus' place, but she did not see him. Knowing how jealous Hera was, he decided he would invite himself over and watch the sparks fly. When he got there, Zeus and Aphrodite were sharing breakfast, but Hera was not around. He could not believe he came all the way to Zeus' place and that Hera was nowhere to be found.

Just as he was about to leave, Hera emerged from the house carrying a tray -- she did not look happy, but she did not look angry either. "Well," he thought to himself, "I can rectify this situation. Maybe I can have some fun after all!" Zeus paid no attention to Hera -- he was hanging on Aphrodite's every word. Aphrodite was a beautiful goddess, and all the other goddesses became more conscious of their appearance when she was around. Hermes took advantage of this. Hera put the tray on the table and noisily began to clear the table. At that moment, Hermes swiftly grabbed the knife used to cut the fruit, and in one sweeping gesture, he seized hold of Hera's hair and lopped it off. Hera screamed in a furious rage, and lunged at Hermes. But of course, he, the swiftest of all the gods, easily got away and left Hera standing there with most of her hair scattered on the ground.

Zeus and Aphrodite had seen none of this, but when he saw Hera (sans hair) he began to laugh. She was an amusing sight, but when Aphrodite let a chuckle escape from her lips, Hera's anger turned toward Zeus. She flew into a rage, throwing the breakfast plates and food at him. She threatened to invoke terrible pain and suffering among the mortals in the name of Zeus himself. Although he liked to play with the lives of the mortals, he did not want to see them suffer unnecessarily. So, in order to calm Hera down, he told her he would find Hermes and make him repair her hair so that it would be even more beautiful than ever before, more precious than even Aphrodite's hair. That seemed to satisfy her, and she turned around and stormed into the house.

Hermes had not fled far. By Hera's reaction, he knew there would be some excitement to follow. When she turned on Zeus, Hermes could not help but break into laughter. He was crouched behind a rock, but fell onto his side, tears streaming down his handsome face. When Hera left and it became quiet, Zeus heard a commotion off to the side of the patio. Immediately he knew Hermes witnessed the whole event and that he had purposely instigated the scene between Hera and Aphrodite. Zeus went over to the rock and picked up Hermes by the back of his neck and ordered him to stop laughing. Hermes tried but a guffaw still managed to get past his locked lips. Zeus threw him to the ground and wielded his thunderbolt. When Hermes saw the flash of anger in Zeus' eyes, he knew he was serious and immediately sobered up. Zeus told him that Hera was furious and she was going to cause havoc on the mortals and make them turn from Zeus. He ordered Hermes to find a way to make Hera's hair more beautiful than Aphrodite's hair. At this, Hermes laughed, but when Zeus rose his thunderbolt, he said he would ask the Cyclops to help him with his task.

Hermes took his time to get to the Cyclops' island. He was mad that his prank had gone so wrong. It was bad enough that he had to find new hair for Hera, but to find something more beautiful than Aphrodite--that was downright impossible! He sat down on a rock and began to figure a way out of this predicament. Hercules, on his way back from slaughtering the Hydra, happened to walk by the same rock that Hermes was brooding. Knowing that Hermes was either plotting something or figuring how to get out of doing something, Hercules sat beside him and asked him what was wrong. So Hermes related the story about going to Zeus' place and stirring up trouble with Hera and Aphrodite.

"That is not the worst of it," he told Hercules. "The only place I can get hair that beautiful is from the Cyclops." Hermes shuddered at the thought. Hercules couldn't understand why Hermes was so reluctant to go see the Cyclops. "Sure, they attacked Odysseus and ate some of his men," replied Hercules,"but they were friendly with Zeus--they helped him in the war with the Titans. They would help you if it meant helping Zeus." Hermes looked at Hercules and said, "Yes, probably they would have, but you never heard about what happened with Demeter, Poseidon, and Hades. I'm lucky the Cyclops did not eat me!" This statement caught Hercules' attention. He asked Hermes to tell the story.

"As you know, Hades kidnapped Persephone and Demeter was very angry. Well I thought I'd be nice and try to do something to cheer Persephone up during her stay with Hades..." Hermes went to Demeter and said that if she wanted to give Persephone a gift to make her feel better, he would personally deliver it. He suggested that the Cyclops could make a beautiful cloth to give to Persephone since they own the finest sheep in the land. Hermes went to the Cyclops and asked them if they would do him a favor and spin a flaxen thread to make a fine cloth for dear Persephone. They asked him what he would give them in return so he told them Demeter would give them good weather throughout the growing season and they would have the best harvest in all the land. Since the Cyclops were known for the best meats, cheeses, and other provisions, this offering pleased them. They began to work on Persephone's cloth and within a week they were finished. When Hermes looked at it, he was very happy with his cunning. He immediately brought it down to Persephone who was sitting placidly next to Hades on the throne.

Hermes presented the package, saying only that it was made by Polyphemus and his brothers. Persephone opened the package, and when she took one look at it, she immediately burst into tears. Hades, sensitive only when it came to Persephone, grabbed the cloth from her and shook it at Hermes, screaming,"What is this?!" Hermes had told the Cyclops not to just make a cloth, but to embroider beautiful scenes of the earth and all its natural glory--knowing this would remind Persephone of what she missed during the time she spent in the Underworld. Hermes immediately told Hades that the Cyclops made it and then he darted away from Hades to return back to the surface.

Hades, who never concerns himself with the dealings of the gods, was in a furious rage. He stormed off to the Cyclops to punish them for their "gift" to Persephone. The Cyclops, unaware of what transpired, were tending to their flocks when they felt an unusually cold chill in the air. Their animals became very unsettled and nervous. Hades showed himself to the Cyclops and said that their gift made young Persephone very depressed. He was going to take all of their animals to the Underworld to punish them for inflicting sadness upon Persephone. They told Hades that Hermes had asked them to make it and pleaded with him to not harm their flock. But he would not listen, he said he knew all about Polyphemus and Galatea. It was time for them to pay the price. The Cyclops, knowing they were innocent of these accusations, knew Hades would punish them. They cried out to their father, Poseidon, to save them. Poseidon, hearing their plea for help, appeared to Hades and told him not to take his anger out on the Cyclops. He would find Hermes and bring him here to Hades to be dealt with. In the meantime, Hermes raced across the great ocean to get far away from Hades.

All of a sudden an enormous wave came out of nowhere and knocked Hermes down into the water. Then a large serpent came up and trapped Hermes in its mouth. The serpent brought Hermes to the island of the Cyclops where Hades was waiting. Hermes knew he was in trouble. Before Hades could say anything, Hermes revealed his intentions to Hades. He had wanted to do something nice for Persephone to cheer her up while she stayed in the Underworld. He was going to tell her that Demeter wanted her to have it, but when she began to cry and Hades got angry, he decided it was best not to stick around. Hades looked at Hermes as though he did not believe him and was about to recompense Hermes for his prank.

All of a sudden, the chill left the air and a mild breeze began to blow. The sun began to peek out from behind the clouds, and the Cyclops' flock began to settle down. Hades realized that Persephone was not sad anymore. Since he really never liked dealing with the gods any more than he had to, he left to go back to his throne. "The Cyclops can deal with Hermes," he thought. Hermes gave a big sigh of relief and was about to turn to leave when he heard Polyphemus give a loud yell. "You," he said, "almost got us killed!" Polyphemus lunged at him, but Hermes,the swiftest god, took off towards Olympus--far from the Cyclops...

"So you see, that is why I can not go to the Cyclops and ask for their help. They will think that I am trying to trick them again." Hercules then said, "Well, if I go with you they will have to believe you because they know that I am a man of my word. Besides if I help you find hair for Hera, maybe she'll look favorably upon me." So Hercules and Hermes set off to the island of the Cyclops. They arrived at the island not long after noon. The Cyclops were tending to their flock. Hermes called out to Polyphemus, who recognized that voice as soon as he heard it. Polyphemus replied, "I thought you were never to come back here!" Hermes said that he needed the Cyclops' help. Polyphemus refused, saying he would never help Hermes again and ordered him to leave the island. Hermes began to ask again when Polyphemus dashed towards the voice bellowing an emphatic,"NO!" Before he knew what happened, Polyphemus fell to the ground and he was pinned down. Hercules commanded Polyphemus to help Hermes. Stunned, but able to recognize Hercules' voice, Polyphemus said he would never help Hermes. Hercules threatened to stab him in the eye socket if he did not do as Hermes asked. Remembering the pain Odysseus caused him the first time, Polyphemus reluctantly obliged. It took one week, but soon the hair was finished. The Cyclops spun a beautiful wig made from the wool of their flock and they added rays from Orion so it shone like gold. Without so much as a thank you, Hermes grabbed the hair from Polyphemus and raced off to Olympus to present it Hera.

Hendricks, Rhoda. Classical Gods and Heroes. New York: Morrow Quill Paperbacks, 1974.