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Hey friends, welcome to Get Sleepy where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. I'm your host Thomas. Thanks so much for listening. Tonight we'll be joining Hercules for his 10th quest. He's travelled to the faraway island of Erythia in what would be modern day Spain. His mission is to find a herd of cattle that belongs to a giant named Geryon and then Hercules will have another challenge to transport the cows across the sea all the way back to Greece. The story begins with Hercules asleep on the beach, having just arrived on the island of Erythia. Thank you as always to Alexandra for writing this series. We really hope you've all been enjoying Hercules adventures so far. The continued production of Get Sleepy relies on your listenership and support and the very best way you can support to the show is by subscribing to Get Sleepy Premium. As well as having all of our love and appreciation, you can enjoy over 800 full length stories and meditations on the premium feed, including dozens of long length episodes to keep you company throughout the night. Of course we also rely on our sponsors to cover our production costs, but on Premium there are no ads whatsoever keeping your sleep undisturbed. Also, every Thursday night we release a brand new bonus episode just for our Premium supporters. Tomorrow Jessica will be reading a beautiful story centred on mindfulness called A Journey with your inner Child. So be sure to join us for that one. Try Get Sleepy Premium with a 7 day free trial to begin, visit getsleepy.com support or just follow the link in the show notes to learn more. Thank you so much my friends. Now it's time to get settled in and Prepare for our story. Make sure you're as comfortable as can be, sinking into the support of your bed and enjoying the soft embrace of your pillow beneath your head and the duvet covering your body. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in, letting your mind clear. Now, imagine that you're lying on a beach. The sand is soft and warm. You move your hand ever so slightly, and you can feel the silky grains sifting through your fingers. You're resting in the shade of the trees, but you're not so far from the water's edge. You can hear the calming rhythm of the ocean waves, the tide coming in and then going out. As you listen to the waves, your breathing becomes slow and deep. You breathe in and out, feeling deeply relaxed. There's nothing you need to do but enjoy the peace and tranquility of this moment, breathing slowly, unsteadily, while you listen along. And it's in a place just like this, a peaceful, sandy beach, that we find Hercules as we begin our story. Hercules lay in the sand, fast asleep. He was covered by the cool shade of the trees. Specks of sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating shifting patterns across his body. But Hercules was hardly aware of the shade, the sun, or even the sound of the nearby waves. He was in deep dreams, tired after his long journey. And his dreams were filled with memories of that surreal voyage. He saw himself gliding across the blue waters of the Mediterranean, not in a boat, but in a golden cup. It was like a huge bowl, carrying him safely and swiftly across the sea. This strange vessel had been a gift from the sun God, Helios. It was the cup that he used himself to travel across the sea, sailing from west to east every night, taking pity on Hercules as he set off on yet another long journey. The God had given him the cup. Bright, beautiful images flashed through Hercules mind. He saw the golden edges of the cup rising up around him. He saw the waves transformed into a white blur as he moved faster and faster. And ahead, he saw the hazy outline of the island shimmering on the horizon like a mirage. It was a dream. Yet it was not a dream. Even in his sleeping state, Hercules knew that somehow it had really happened. The images became softer and fainter, like gradually dissipating waves. For a while, Hercules sleep was dreamless, blissful. He experienced the deep rest he'd been craving. When he finally awoke in the late afternoon. It took him a while to remember where he was. He came to his senses slowly, becoming aware of the soft sand beneath him. Then the rhythmic sound of the waves lapping on the shore at Last, he opened his eyes and saw the trees. They were just like the trees that grew along the coast in his homeland, with the same fragrant scent. For a moment, he thought he was back in Greece. But then he remembered his dream. And he knew where he was. He was on the island of Erythia in the western Mediterranean, the furthest west he had ever travelled. And he had arrived here, not by boat, but by a magical golden cup, a gift from the God Helios. Sitting up, Hercules shielded his eyes from the sun and looked along the coastline. The vessel was nowhere to be seen. Still feeling a little groggy from his sleep, Hercules yawned and tried to recall his mission. The king had sent him to the island for his 10th quest. The island was home to someone. Hercules closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths until his mind cleared. Now he could remember his conversation with the king. He could even hear his voice. Geryon is no ordinary giant. That was what the king had said. Hercules remembered because it made him laugh. The distinction between ordinary and extraordinary giants. It was all coming back to him now. Geryon, the giant, lived on the island with his herd of red cattle. Hercules had been sent here to take the cows from Geryon and transport them all the way back to Greece. This island was small, Hercules reasoned, so finding a giant and his cattle should be easy. The challenge would be getting the cows off the island without having to fight their owner. But if he had to fight, well. As always, Hercules was prepared. He had his shield and spear. Having fought the lion, the Hydra and countless other opponents, he was sure he could take on the giant. Now, feeling fully awake, Hercules decided to get ready. First, he took a refreshing dip in the sea and dried off walking along the sand. Then he returned to the cluster of trees where he'd slept and foraged for berries. The fruit was unlike anything he'd ever seen, or taste it. The round orange berries had a rough texture and a sweet flavour. It was a humble meal, but it would give him the energy he needed. Hercules continued through the trees until he found a kind of path leading up the side of the rock face. Up and up he went until the land levelled out and he found himself in a field. There were sheep grazing in the field, and goats too. These weren't the cows he was searching for, but it was a good sign, he thought. Perhaps there was more farmland nearby. And sure enough, after walking a little further, Hercules spotted the cattle. There were at least 40 of them, if not more, and they were beautiful creatures with red glossy coats. Hercules could understand why? The king wanted them. Still, he thought it was a long way to travel just for some cows, no matter how lovely their coats. Seeing Hercules, some of the cows started to moo. Soon all the cattle were mooing in un. Whether it was a greeting or a warning, Hercules couldn't tell. But he held his spear tightly, ready for the appearance of the giant. Or at least Hercules thought he was ready. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight. The creature that emerged from the trees was, as the king had said, no ordinary giant. Gerion stood at least nine feet tall. He had two legs, but three bodies, three sets of arms and three heads. As if that wasn't enough, he also had a pair of grey feathered wings like those of a goose. The three headed giant wasn't alone. As he came closer, Hercules saw, but he was accompanied by a large black dog with not one, but two heads. The three heads of the giant and the two heads of the dog stared at Hercules. Their expressions weren't particularly friendly. Who are you? Asked Gerion, speaking with just one of his heads. What do you want? Hercules hesitated for a moment, weighing up his options. Somehow he doubted that Gerion would be open to negotiation. My name is Hercules, he said, and I've come to take your cattle. To his surprise, the giant laughed, a bellowing sound that echoed through the field. Then let us fight, said Gerion. The giant armed himself with three shields, three spears and of course, three helmets. They were old and rusty and looked as though they'd seen better days. The giant himself was also rather old, Hercules now realised. He moved slowly and his three beards were flecked with white. Nonetheless, he seemed to relish the prospect of a battle. The hero and the giant faced each other and raised their spears. They hesitated for a moment until one of the cows let out a long, reverberating moo, like a starting signal. Fearlessly, Hercules lunged forwards. There was a brief clashing of metal as they fought. But then, in no time at all, Gerion found himself without weapons. Hercules had knocked all three spears out of his hands. The giant looked perplexed. It had all happened so quickly. This arrogant young human moved with the speed of a God. Huffing. Geryon picked up his fallen spears as fast as he could, then turned to face Hercules once again. This time, the giant managed to hold onto his weapons for a little longer, but Hercules was so quick ducking and diving that hitting him was out of the question. Gerion could only do his best to keep a firm grip on his spears as his heads looked around in bewilderment at last beginning to feel slightly dizzy, Geryon called out, enough. Hercules took a few steps back and lowered his spear. Enough. Gerion replied. Let us talk for a moment. Hercules considered teasing him. Just minutes ago, the giant had presented himself as a warrior and already he had surrendered. But Hercules decided to have mercy. There was no need to humiliate Geryon by pointing out the obvious, that his fighting days were far behind him. Strangely, Hercules could see a bit of himself in the giant. He could imagine what it might feel like to be past your prime, no longer capable of winning battles or achieving heroic feats. One day, many years from now, Hercules would find himself in a similar position. For now, at least, he could fight a giant, but nobody could fight time. Looking Gerion up and down, Hercules nodded. Then he glanced at the dog, who was still watching him intently. He wasn't usually nervous around animals, but it was a very big dog and it did have two heads. This is Orthrus, said the giant. He does whatever I tell him. Looking at his dog, Gerion uttered a few words. Instantly, Orthrys sat down and his expression changed. He now looked relaxed, almost friendly. The giant explained that the dog had a brother, the three headed Cerberus who guarded the gates of the underworld. Hercules considered asking for more information. He was curious as to why a three headed giant had a two headed dog and how a two headed dog had a three headed brother. Just thinking about it was making Hercules own head spin. He reminded himself to focus on his mission. The giant's cattle. Hercules suggested that that they sit and talk. Geryon nodded and said he knew just the spot. As the sun began to set, Hercules sat down at a wooden table near the giant's house. It was a beautiful place. From where he sat, Hercules had a view of the fields, the trees, and the sun setting over the sea. While he had seen many beautiful sunsets in his life, he'd never seen one quite like this. It turned everything red. The sky, the sea, the earth. Even the cows seem to have a greater vibrancy, their coats reflecting the light of the setting sun. While Hercules admired the scenery, Geryon set the table with plates of bread, goat's cheese, meat and vegetables glistening in oil. He then sat down with evident relief, easing himself into a solidly built chair and tucking his feathered wings behind him. During their brief battle, Hercules had been so focused on the giant's many heads and arms that he'd almost forgotten about his wings. Now he couldn't help but ask, could the giant fly? Not anymore, said Gerion. In his youth, he had been able to fly short distances. He would beat his wings, leap from the edge of the land and hover over the sea. Hercules followed the giant's gaze towards the water, now gleaming with dazzling red light. Gerion's expression was wistful. Once again, Hercules found himself feeling a little sorry for the giant who could no longer fight or fly. And now he was about to lose his cattle. As if reading his mind, Gerion said, you can have the cows. Hercules was taken aback. But before he could ask why the giant was willing to give up so easily, Gerion continued. He wanted to know Hercules plans, where he would take the cows and what their living conditions would be like. The king said Hercules had specifically requested the cows. He already had quite an impressive collection of animals, most of which had been captured by Hercules on previous quests. There was the boar of Erymanthos, the white bull of Crete, and the wild horses that had once belonged to Diomed. Now the king wanted to add Gerion's cattle to his collection. They would be well looked after, Hercules promised, living in a specially built enclosure. Gerion looked pensive and his three heads nodded. That was all that mattered to him, that the cows had a good home. Nearby, the cows were starting to shuffle across the field towards the barn. In the last rays of the sun, they looked like a single undulating wave of red. The creatures were clearly important to Gerion for that reason, said Hercules. It was surprising that the giant was so willing to say goodbye. Gerion sighed. It came as a surprise to him as well, he said. But something had happened during his short fight with Hercules. The truth had finally dawned on him. Something that he'd already known deep down, but had been unable to admit until that moment. Gerion was old and he was tired. As much as he loved the cows, soon the day would come when he could no longer care for them. At last he accepted that he was ready to enjoy his retirement. He would live a simpler life from now on, just him and his dog. He would tend to his crops, go for walks along the beach and take long, leisurely naps in the afternoon. Without the responsibility of caring for the cows, Geryon could finally relax. Hercules felt reassured by this response. He was not depriving the giant of anything, but relieving him of his burden. They continued their meal. Companionable silence. When there were just a few scraps of food left, the two panting heads of the dog popped up from under the table. It seemed that Orthrus was expecting a treat. Watch this, said the Giant. He picked up a piece of meat and tossed it towards the dog's two heads. Each mouth caught one of the ends, resulting in a brief tug of war. Orthrus ate twice as much as other dogs, said Gerion. And the giant also had quite an appetite in proportion with his three heads and bodies. In fact, this meal was just a snack. Later on, Gerion would have another dinner. Hercules was fascinated by the giant and his dog. He had so many questions to ask, but at the same time, he was starting to feel sleepy. Despite his nap on the beach earlier that day, he still hadn't fully recovered from his journey. Hercules was starting to lose track of time. He couldn't remember when exactly he had left Greece or how long the journey across the sea had taken him. But then again, perhaps it didn't matter. That was all in the past. And now he was here, enjoying this tranquil moment on the island, watching the first stars emerge. Hercules let out a contented sigh which turned into a yawn. And to his relief, Gerion said that he could stay for the night. The giant was not used to receiving visitors. And the house, well, Hercules would see it for himself. But it would do for one night. Hercules was curious, wondering what Gerion meant. If the house was dirty, he could cope with that. For his fifth labour, Hercules had cleaned out those stables, so nothing could shock him now. If the giant's house was humble, that was no problem either. Hercules was used to being a guest in modest dwellings. But Gerion's house was neither dirty nor humble. It was, in its own peculiar way, a palace. As he stepped inside, Hercules looked around in wonder. There was just one floor and one room. The ceiling was at least 20ft high and the walls were lined with tall wooden shelves. But nothing was in a straight line. The planks of the shelves had been carved into sinuous shapes, so the wood itself seemed to fl. Hercules admired other details. A patterned rug, an ornately carved wine rack and a bed the size of a ship. Everything was large, designed for Gerion's proportions. But it wasn't just the size of things that struck Hercules. It was the detail. All the furniture and furnishings, all the contents of this eccentric house had been made with love. Gerion was clearly a giant of many talents. Hercules made sure to compliment his host, who smiled bashfully. Yes, said Gerion. He had built and designed it all himself. Now that he was retiring, perhaps he would have time to start on another project. Looking around the room, Hercules wasn't sure that there was space for a new project. But Gerian, with all his creativity would surely find a solution. While the giant pottered around his home, the dog settled down in his favourite spot on the rug. Meanwhile, Hercules made himself comfortable in his bed for the night. The cushioned bench in the centre of the room. Like everything else in the house, it had been built for a giant. And it was not only the largest bed Hercules had ever slept in, but also one of the most comfortable. His back was completely supported, yet at the same time he seemed to sink into the spongy cushion beneath him. It was heavenly. The only source of light was an oil lantern in the far corner of the room, creating a cosy glow. It provided just enough illumination for Hercules to be able to gaze up at the ceiling. Or at least he thought he could see the ceiling, it was so high up. With half closed eyes he had the sensation of looking up and up, searching for a ceiling that merged into the night sky. Or it was like being in a temple. He thought he might be drifting off beneath the high ceiling of a temple, breathing in the calming scent of incense. Hercules thoughts wandered and his breaths deepened and soon he was fast asleep. Hercules slept well and awoke in a good mood. The next morning. He felt victorious as he bid goodbye to the giant and his dog before leading the cattle towards the waiting ship. Now all he had to do was travel back to Greece and bring the cows to the king. But in the days that followed, Hercules realised that his quest was only half complete. The goddess Hera had other plans for him. She had tried to thwart Hercules before. On numerous occasions during his battle with the Hydra, Hera had sent another monster to attack him. And most recently, during Hercules travels to the land of the Amazons, the goddess had whipped up storms at sea. This time Hercules voyage went smoothly. He and the cows travelled in various ships, stopping off at islands along the way. For a week they stopped in a village not far from the coast. A humble settlement scattered over some hills. Although it didn't look like much, centuries from now it would be known as the city of Rome. After this stopover, Hercules and the cattle boarded another ship, and then another, until they finally arrived in Greece. Hercules was so grateful to finally be back home. After stepping out onto the shore, he knelt down, kissed the sand. And it was in this moment that the vengeful goddess Hera decided to act. Her intervention was a subtle one. No monsters, no storms, but a little gatfield. She sent the fly towards the cattle where it bit each cow in turn. Mooing in discomfort, the cows began to wander off in different directions. Hercules called out Begging them to come back. He needed the herd to stick together, but with surprising speed. The cows scattered and it didn't take long for Hercules to lose sight of them. Some walked along the beach, others moved towards the town, and others still went around in circles, swatting their tails. It was too coincidental, thought Hercules, to lose the cattle just when he thought his task was over. He was sure that Hera was behind it. Over the following weeks, Hercules roamed all over the land, trying to gather the herd. It was frustrating at times, but he consoled himself with the fact that at least he was not alone. He was reunited with his beloved horse, Ianthe, so he could travel more quickly. And he had some help from unexpected sources. When news spread that Hercules was looking for the cattle, people were keen to come to his aid. Especially the people of Noumea, where Hercules had defeated the lion. And the residence of Lake Stymphalia, where the hero had chased away the bronze beaked birds. The people in these places remembered Hercules and were still grateful for his help. So they formed search parties to look for the missing cows and assisted him in reuniting the herd. At last, after weeks of searching, Hercules succeeded in finding all the cows. And one cool autumn afternoon, he found himself on a familiar road, riding towards the palace. A crisp breeze rustled through the trees, some of which had turned red. The smell of the sea blew towards him, mingling with the floral scent of the cyclamen that grew on the roadside. On a nearby farm, men were making wine with freshly harvested grapes. And it was then that Hercules realised it's been over a year, he thought. More than a year had passed since he'd set out on his journey, beginning his 10th labour. When he left, it was summer. The summer of a previous year. Although it was a long time, in a way it seemed like nothing. Returning to the palace, it felt as though he'd been here only yesterday. This was the sensation of homecoming. The king was delighted to see Hercules at long last and to have a beautiful herd of cows to add to his collection. It created the perfect enclosure, he told Hercules. There was a huge field and a newly built stable with a high ceiling. Hearing this, Hercules smiled. He was reminded of another building with a high ceiling. The house of Geryon the giant. The king asked Hercules why he was smiling. Its a long story, said Hercules. He would tell the king all about his adventures later, but now it was time to rest.