The Boy and the Minotaur
The Boy and the Minotaur — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.
Page 1
"Psst, Leo!" Maya whispered, tugging at her friend's sleeve. "Did you see that painting move?" Leo, ever the skeptic, scoffed. "Paintings don't move, Maya. It's just your imagination running wild again in this dusty old museum."
Page 2
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed through the hall, "Foolish mortals! You dare disturb my slumber?" Maya gasped, clutching Leo's arm. "Did you hear that? It came from... the painting!" Leo, finally convinced, stared wide-eyed at the artwork. He noticed a small plaque beneath the painting, detailing the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur, and that the Minotaur always succumbed to riddles.
Page 3
Leo stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly. "W-we didn't mean to disturb you, Minotaur. We just... admire the art." The Minotaur snorted. "Admiration will not save you! Only a worthy riddle will!" Maya, remembering something she read in a dusty book, said, "'The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.' Socrates said that, and maybe we can use what we don't know to our advantage!"
Page 4
"Very well, humans. Answer this," the Minotaur bellowed. "What has an eye, but cannot see?" Maya and Leo exchanged panicked glances. Time seemed to slow as they racked their brains, the pressure of the riddle weighing heavily on them. Leo pointed to a tapestry hanging on the wall. "Quick, Maya, maybe the answer is in one of the paintings!"
Page 5
As they frantically searched, Maya stumbled upon a hidden alcove behind a large statue of Zeus. Inside, she found a collection of old maps and navigational tools. "Leo, look!" she exclaimed. "An old sea chart! And... a needle!" Leo rushed over, noticing the needle was part of an old compass. "Maybe the answer is nautical?"
Page 6
"Hurry, mortals! Time is fleeting!" roared the Minotaur, shaking the painting frame. Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. Cracks appeared in the walls. "This can't be good," Leo gulped. "If we don't answer soon, he might break free and destroy the whole museum!"
Page 7
"Think, Leo, think! What has an eye but cannot see?" Maya cried, desperation in her voice. "The compass!" Leo shouted, pointing at the needle in Maya's hand. "The needle is the 'eye', but it can't actually 'see'!" He turned towards the painting. "Minotaur, we have an answer! A needle!"
Page 8
The Minotaur paused, its fiery eyes narrowing. A moment of tense silence hung in the air. Then, a slow grin spread across its monstrous face. "Correct! You have solved my riddle!" The shaking stopped. The cracks vanished. The Minotaur began to fade back into the painting. "'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds,'" the Minotaur boomed. "And you, little mortals, have saved the museum!"
Page 9
Leo sighed in relief, wiping sweat from his brow. "We did it, Maya! We actually did it!" Maya grinned. "I knew that compass would come in handy somehow." They gazed at the now-still painting, marveling at their adventure. "I think I'll stick to admiring art from a distance from now on," Leo chuckled.
Page 10
"Me too," Maya replied, linking her arm with his. "But at least we learned something new about ancient mythology... and riddles!" As they walked towards the exit, Maya glanced back at the painting one last time. The museum, once a place of quiet stillness, now held a secret adventure, forever etched in their memories.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)