Adults

Stories for the Adults age group:

• The Judgment of Paris Jul 25, 2025

  

  The Judgment of Paris

  Long before the great walls of Troy fell to Greek warriors, before the legendary heroes of the Trojan War made their names immortal through courage and cunning, a seemingly minor incident set in motion the events that would lead to one of the most famous conflicts in mythology. This incident, known as “The Judgment of Paris,” demonstrates how even the smallest decisions can have world-changing consequences when gods and their vanities are involved.

• The Birth of Dionysus Jul 24, 2025

  

  In the ancient city of Thebes, where the walls had been built to the music of Amphion’s lyre and the streets echoed with the footsteps of heroes, there lived a princess whose beauty was renowned throughout the mortal world. Her name was Semele, daughter of King Cadmus, and she possessed a grace and loveliness that seemed to make the very flowers bloom brighter in her presence.

  Semele had hair like spun gold that caught the sunlight in its waves, eyes as blue as the summer sky, and a voice so sweet that birds would pause in their singing to listen when she spoke. She was beloved by her people not just for her beauty, but for her kind heart and generous spirit.

• The Labors of Heracles Jul 24, 2025

  

  The Labors of Heracles

  Among all the heroes celebrated in Greek mythology, none achieved greater fame or accomplished more astonishing feats than Heracles, known to the Romans as Hercules. His twelve labors stand as the pinnacle of heroic achievement—tasks so dangerous and seemingly impossible that no ordinary man could have survived them. Yet these legendary exploits, impressive as they were, began not as quests for glory but as penance for a terrible crime committed in a moment of divine-induced madness.

• Cassandra and the Gift of Prophecy Jul 23, 2025

  

  Cassandra and the Gift of Prophecy

  In the ancient city of Troy, with its imposing walls and towering gates, there lived a princess whose beauty was matched only by her intelligence and devotion to her people. Her name was Cassandra, daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, sister to the brave Hector and the impetuous Paris. Her early life was one of privilege and promise, but her story would become one of the most tragic in all of Greek mythology—a tale of divine gifts turned to torment, of terrible knowledge that could never be shared.

• Medea and Jason Jul 22, 2025

  

  In the distant kingdom of Colchis, at the eastern edge of the known world where the Black Sea met mysterious lands shrouded in legend, there ruled a king whose power came not just from armies and gold, but from magic itself. King Aeëtes was the son of Helios, the sun god, and possessed knowledge of sorcery that made him one of the most feared rulers in all the world.

• Pygmalion and Galatea Jul 22, 2025

  

  Pygmalion and Galatea

  On the island of Cyprus, sacred to Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, there once lived a gifted sculptor named Pygmalion. His hands could coax such lifelike forms from marble and ivory that people often joked his statues might step from their pedestals and walk among the living. Despite his artistic success and the admiration of his fellow citizens, Pygmalion lived a solitary life, finding more joy in his workshop than in the company of others.

• The Myth of Adonis Jul 21, 2025

  

  The Myth of Adonis

  Beauty can be as much a curse as a blessing—a truth known well to mortals who have caught the eye of the gods. In Greek mythology, few stories illustrate this better than the tale of Adonis, whose extraordinary beauty captivated goddesses but ultimately led to his tragic fate. His story weaves together themes of forbidden love, divine jealousy, death, and rebirth, reflecting the ancient Greek understanding of seasonal cycles and the fragile nature of youth and beauty.

• The Tale of the Moon Goddess and the Woodcutter Jul 10, 2025

  

  In the mountains of northern Vietnam, where ancient forests whisper secrets to the wind and streams cascade down rocky slopes like silver ribbons, there lived a young woodcutter named Cuoi. He was known throughout the mountain villages for his honest heart, his incredible strength, and his skill with an axe—but most of all for his contentment with the simple life he had chosen.

  Every morning, Cuoi would venture into the deep forest to gather wood, always taking only what was needed and never cutting down healthy trees that still had many years of growth ahead of them. He lived in a small bamboo hut that he had built himself, surrounded by a garden where he grew vegetables to share with elderly neighbors who could no longer work their own land.

• The Tale of the Coconut Monk Jul 9, 2025

  

  In the lush Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam, where countless waterways weave through emerald rice paddies and tropical fruit orchards, there stood an ancient Buddhist temple called Chua Dua—the Coconut Temple. It earned this unusual name because of the hundreds of coconut palms that surrounded it, their fronds rustling like gentle prayers in the river breeze.

  The temple was home to many monks, but none was more beloved than a humble brother known simply as Thay Dua—the Coconut Monk. His real name had been forgotten long ago, even by himself, for he had given up all attachments to worldly identity in his quest for spiritual truth.

• The Story of the Jade Emperor's Daughter Jul 7, 2025

  

  In the highest realm of heaven, where jade palaces float among golden clouds and immortal beings dwell in eternal splendor, there lived Princess Ngoc Nu, the beloved daughter of the Jade Emperor himself. She was the most beautiful of all celestial beings, with skin like polished pearl, hair that flowed like liquid starlight, and eyes that held the wisdom and compassion of the ages.

  Princess Ngoc Nu possessed many divine gifts. She could weave clouds into magnificent tapestries, transform dewdrops into precious jewels, and sing with a voice so lovely that it could make flowers bloom out of season and bring peace to the most troubled hearts. But despite all her privileges and powers, the princess felt a deep loneliness in her perfect celestial existence.