The Singing Scoutmaster: Odysseus and the Cyclops

After the long and bloody siege of Troy, Odysseus, the cunning king of Ithaca, set sail for home with his loyal crew. But the gods had other plans for the hero of the Trojan War. A fierce storm, whipped up by Poseidon himself, drove their ships off course, pushing them to the shores of a mysterious island shrouded in mist. Little did they know, this island was home to one of the most fearsome creatures in all of Greece—a monstrous Cyclops named Polyphemus.

Curious and hopeful for supplies, Odysseus and his men disembarked and ventured inland. They came upon a massive cave, its entrance littered with sheep and goats. Inside, they found great racks of cheese and jars of fresh milk. Tempted by the bounty, the men urged Odysseus to take what they could carry and leave before the owner returned. But Odysseus, curious and bold, decided to stay, thinking he could negotiate with the inhabitant for gifts or more provisions. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the land, the ground began to tremble with the sound of heavy footsteps.

Polyphemus, the giant Cyclops, stomped into the cave, his single eye glaring in the firelight. Standing as tall as a tree and twice as broad, he carried an armful of firewood and a great sack of provisions. Odysseus and his men, hidden in the shadows, watched in horrified silence. With a grunt, the Cyclops rolled an enormous boulder across the entrance, sealing them in. There was no escape.

Polyphemus sniffed the air and, with a bellow, spotted the intruders. "Who are you?" he roared, his voice echoing off the cavern walls. "Strangers dare to enter my home? Do you not know that I am Polyphemus, son of Poseidon?"

Odysseus stepped forward, his heart pounding but his mind racing with a plan. "Great Polyphemus, we are but humble travelers, blown off course by the winds. We seek your hospitality, as is custom among all civilized beings." But Polyphemus had no intention of following such customs. With a horrifying grin, he reached down and snatched two of Odysseus's men, lifting them as effortlessly as one would lift a piece of fruit. Before the others could react, he devoured them whole, bones and all. Blood stained his lips as he laughed at their terror.

Odysseus knew they had to escape, but how could they move the massive boulder that sealed the entrance? He needed to outwit the brute. "Polyphemus," he called out, "we have brought a gift for you." From his pack, Odysseus produced a flask of wine, rich and potent, a treasure taken from the sack of Troy. "Taste this, mighty one. It is unlike any drink you have ever known."

Curious, the Cyclops took the wine and gulped it down, his lips smacking with pleasure. "More!" he demanded, and Odysseus poured him another, and then another, until the Cyclops was swaying on his feet, his single eye drooping heavily. "What is your name, stranger?" Polyphemus slurred, his voice thick with drunkenness.

With a sly smile, Odysseus replied, "My name is Nobody."

"Nobody, eh?" Polyphemus laughed, the sound rumbling like distant thunder. "Well, Nobody, I'll eat you last." With that, the Cyclops collapsed onto the floor, his snores shaking the very walls of the cave. This was the moment Odysseus had been waiting for. He motioned for his men, and together they lifted a long wooden stake they had sharpened earlier. Quietly, they heated its tip in the fire until it glowed red-hot.

With a shout, they drove the stake deep into Polyphemus's single eye. The Cyclops awoke with a scream of agony, thrashing and clawing at his face as smoke and the stench of burning flesh filled the air. "Help!" he bellowed, stumbling blindly around the cave. "Help me, brothers! Somebody is hurting me!"

The other Cyclopes on the island heard his cries and rushed to the entrance of the cave. "Polyphemus, what's happening?" they called. "Who is hurting you?"

"Nobody!" Polyphemus howled in pain. "Nobody is hurting me!" The Cyclopes, confused, looked at each other and shrugged. "Well, if nobody is hurting you, then you must be fine!" They laughed and walked away, leaving the blinded giant roaring in rage and frustration.

Odysseus wasn't finished yet. He knew that Polyphemus would be feeling for his captives, trying to catch them as they escaped. So he came up with a daring plan. He tied his men beneath the bellies of Polyphemus's sheep, using the thick wool to hide them from the Cyclops's searching hands. At dawn, Polyphemus, still writhing in pain, unblocked the entrance to let his flock out to graze. He felt the tops of each sheep as it passed, but never thought to check underneath. One by one, Odysseus and his men slipped out, clinging to the sheep's bellies, and made their way to freedom.

They ran for their ship, breathless and battered but alive. As they pushed off from the shore, Odysseus, unable to resist one final act of defiance, stood at the bow and called out, "Polyphemus, it wasn't Nobody who blinded you—it was I, Odysseus of Ithaca!"

The Cyclops roared in fury, his voice shaking the island. Blindly, he hurled great boulders after the fleeing ship, his curses filling the air. "Father Poseidon, hear me!" he bellowed. "May Odysseus never reach his home! May his journey be long and full of suffering!"

The sea churned, and a dark shadow seemed to fall over the waters. Odysseus and his men shuddered, knowing that the wrath of Poseidon had been unleashed. Though they had escaped the Cyclops, the journey home would be far longer and more dangerous than they could have imagined. And so, with the curses of the blinded giant echoing in their ears, Odysseus's voyage continued—a tale of adventure, hardship, and the price of pride.