Have you ever wondered about what is a minotaur? Here are five magical minotaur facts for kids.
The Minotaur is a mythical creature from Greek mythology, said to be a creature with the head of a bull and the body of a human. It was said to dwell in the Labyrinth, a maze-like structure built for King Minos of Crete by the famous inventor Daedalus. The Labyrinth was so complex that it was said to be impossible to escape from once entered, and the Minotaur was placed in the center of the Labyrinth to guard it.
According to the legend, the Minotaur was born from the union of Pasiphae, the queen of Crete, and a bull. King Minos was said to have been so ashamed of the creature that he had it locked away in the Labyrinth and ordered it to be fed with human sacrifices.
Every nine years, seven Athenian youths and seven maidens were sent as sacrifices to the Minotaur as punishment for the death of Minos’ son Androgeus, killed by the Athenians. The Athenian prince Theseus, with the help of the princess Ariadne, was able to kill the Minotaur by entering the Labyrinth with a ball of thread and finding his way out by following it back.
The Minotaur is often depicted in art and literature as a fierce and savage beast, but some versions of the story also describe it as being more tragic and pitiable, as a being who was punished and locked away due to no fault of its own. Some versions also describe it as a misunderstood creature that was actually gentle but was feared and killed because of its appearance.
In some versions of the myth, it is said that the Minotaur had the ability to breathe fire, which made it even more terrifying. The mythological creature’s bull-like nature was thought to have given it this ability, as bulls were believed to have the power to breathe fire or smoke from their nostrils. The addition of this unique ability makes the Minotaur even more intriguing and mysterious, as it would have made the creature even more dangerous to those who dared to face it. The idea of a creature with such a fearsome power adds to the rich tapestry of Greek mythology and the enduring legacy of the Minotaur as a formidable opponent.
Now you have learned about minotaur you can colour this photo of minotaur
We hope you enjoyed learning more things about minotaur as much as we loved teaching you about them. Now that you know how majestic these mythical creatures are, you can move on to learn about other ones like: Norse Mystical Creatures, Celtic Mythology, Zodiac Myths, Cats in Egyptian Mythology, Snakes in Egyptian Mythology, Greek Mythology Books, Greek Mythology Stories, Hideous Creatures, Medusa and Legendary Norse Mythology.
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