World Athletics Day is celebrated on May 7, and SARA BUBBER shares a story from Greek Mythology on how the Olympic Games came into existence.
Once upon a time in ancient Greece, there lived a king called Oenomous. He was powerful and undefeated in war. He rode his horses swiftly and could leave all the enemy soldiers far behind.
After many years, he was finally blessed with a daughter. He gave her all the comforts of the palace. She loved to draw and roam in the vast gardens. She climbed trees, plucked fruits, and drew what she saw during the day. But above all, she loved to draw moments with her father, the king: on his throne, riding his chariot and strolling in the garden with her.
Every night, the king would tuck her into bed and tell her stories of lands far and wide, and how he turned his horse in the nick of time when we went to war with the king of Mesopotamia. The princess was awed by her father’s wisdom in administration and warfare. She asked him many questions and he answered them all patiently.
Years later, the princess grew up and finished her studies. The king was looking for a suitable man to wed her. One such day, when he was riding his chariot, wind in his hair and head held high, he knocked over an old man. The angry old man yelled at the king, “Oh king, you are so proud of your skill that you don’t notice helpless people in your path. As punishment, you will be defeated by the man who will be your daughter’s suitor.”
The king was so upset that he stopped looking for a husband for the princess. He didn’t want to be defeated by a young man. Meanwhile, one day the princess was out for a walk and saw a kind young man helping a blind woman walk. She took a liking to him. She knew the man who would marry her had to defeat her father in chariot riding, so she decided to play a trick. She replaced the metal screws on her father’s chariot with wax screws. As the race ensued, the wax melted and the chariot wheels detached. The skilled king jumped off the chariot just in time, and the race was won by Pelops, the kind man the princess liked.
The king declared that Pelops was a better charioteer than himself and brought him to the palace to marry his daughter. They lived happily. Pelops then started the Olympics Games to honour king Oenomous, a great charioteer.
About the Olympic Games
- The ancient Olympic Games were one day events to honour Zeus, the king of the Greek Gods.
- The winners of the ancient Olympic Games were gifted olive wreaths.
- The Olympic flag, with its five interlocking rings of blue, yellow, black, green, and red represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes at the Olympic Games.
- The Paralympic Games, a set of events for athletes with disabilities, started in Rome in 1960 and are held after the Olympic Games.
Activities
Who is your favourite sportsperson?
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What are three things you like about them?
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What qualities of sportspeople would you like to see in yourself?
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Watch this video of artistic swimming and see how diverse sports can be!
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpCM-1iyE6I)
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Sara Bubber
Sara is a storyteller, Montessori consultant, and a children’s book author. She is also a naturalist, doing her doctoral work in eco-consciousness in childhood. She has been practicing Heartfulness for eight y... Read More
