The Singing Scoutmaster: Heracles and the Apples of the Hesperides

As Heracles neared the end of his grueling labors, King Eurystheus gave him one of the most mysterious and perilous tasks yet: to retrieve the golden apples of the Hesperides. These were no ordinary apples—they were gifts from Gaia to Hera, kept in a hidden garden at the edge of the world. Guarding them were the Hesperides, nymphs of the evening, and a monstrous hundred-headed dragon named Ladon.

Even Heracles, son of Zeus, did not know the way to the garden. So he set out to find someone who did. His journey took him across distant lands, through deserts and over icy mountains. Along the way, he encountered many creatures and heroes, even briefly meeting Prometheus, the titan bound to a rock for stealing fire from the gods. Heracles freed him and, in gratitude, Prometheus told him where to find the garden—and warned him of its deadly guardian.

Eventually, Heracles reached the edge of the world and came upon the titan Atlas, who held up the heavens on his shoulders. Heracles made a bold offer: 'Atlas, if you fetch the apples for me, I will hold up the sky in your place.'

Atlas, eager for a break after millennia of carrying the celestial dome, agreed. With a groan and a stretch, he handed the sky over to Heracles and strode off toward the garden. Heracles strained beneath the crushing weight of the heavens, his knees shaking, but he did not waver. Time passed slowly until Atlas returned with three shimmering golden apples in hand.

'Thank you,' said Heracles. 'Now, please take back the sky.'

But Atlas grinned. 'Why should I? It's not so bad out here, and you're doing a fine job. I think I'll just take these apples to Eurystheus myself.'

Heracles, thinking quickly, kept calm. 'That's fine,' he said. 'But could you hold it just for a moment while I adjust the padding on my shoulders?'

Atlas, unsuspecting, stepped forward and took the sky back onto his shoulders. The moment he did, Heracles picked up the apples, thanked him politely, and strode away with a triumphant grin.

And so, Heracles returned with the golden apples. Some say Athena herself returned them to the garden, for no mortal was meant to possess them for long. But Heracles had succeeded—through strength, patience, and cleverness, he had completed the eleventh labor, with only one more to go.