Erysichthon (ur i sik' thon) was a vain and boastful man: He paid little attention to what other people said or thought. He paid even less attention to the gods. Erysichthon always did exactly as he pleased.

One day he and his servants went into the woods to look for; firewood. In the middle of a small grove, he spotted a fine, strong oak tree. "That's the tree I want!" Erysichthon shouted. He turned to his servants. "Cut it down right now!"

But the servants would not even go near the oak. "Master, we cannot cut that tree," one of them said. "It belongs to the goddess Demeter. You cannot take her tree."

Erysichthon laughed at them. "Foolish, frightened little men! Give me that ax! We will see who's afraid of Demeter!"

Erysichthon picked up the ax and swung it. He made a deep cut in the trunk of the oak. As he pulled the ax out of the tree, the servants screamed in terror. Bright red blood was pouring from the cut! But Erysichthon ignored the strange blood. He continued swinging his ax. In a short time,the oak fell to the ground. "This will be enough firewood for a week," said Erysichthon proudly. He then carried the blood-soaked wood home with him.

It wasn't long before Demeter found out what had happened to her favorite tree. In anger she called upon the terrible Famine to punish Erysichthon.

"Stay with Erysichthon day and night Demeter commanded. "No matter how much he eats, it will never be enough. He will starve even as he fills himself with food." Famine did as Demeter ordered. She went to Erysichthon that very night and breathed her hunger into his body.

The next morning Erysichthon noticed that he was very hungry. He ate four dozen eggs, eight cheeses, and six legs of lamb. But the more he ate, the more he wanted. Erysichthon spent the entire day eating, yet he could not fill himself.

Each day passed in the same way. Erysichthon ate all of the time, but still he starved. He sold his land, his animals, and everything else he owned to buy food. But it was never enough. In desperation, he sold his daughter to a ship's captain as a slave. The frightened girl pleaded with her father, but he would not listen. "Do as I tell you, go down to the shore and wait for the captain. Don't bother me any more with your crying."

As the daughter stood on the shore, she prayed to Poseidon for help. "Great god of the sea, please save me from this terrible fate."

From deep in the ocean, Poseidon heard the girl. He was angered that she should have to pay for her father's mistake. In pity, he turned her into a fisherman. When the ship's captain arrived, all he found was an old man with a bucket of fish. Believing his slave had escaped, the captain quickly left.

The girl soon regained her own form. She returned to her father and told him what had happened. "My daughter, that is wonderful news!" the starving man cried. "Now I can sell you again for even more money!"

Erysichthon sold his daughter many times. Each time Poseidon turned her into something else and she was saved.

But Erysichthon could still not buy enough food to fill himself. His body grew weaker and weaker. He ate all day, but he was starving to death.

One day all the food in the house was gone. Erysichthon began to go insane with hunger. In desperation, he turned upon his own body. He chewed hungrily at his arms and legs until at last Death freed him from his torture.

Write what these sentences from the story mean.

1. Erysichthon was a vain and boastful man.



2. He was angered that she should have to pay for her father's mistake.



3. Erysichthon spent the entire day eating, yet he could not fill himself.



4. In desperation, he turned upon his own body. He chewed hungrily at his arms and legs until at last Death freed him from his torture.



5. Why do you think that Erysichthon cut down Demeter's tree? Why wasn't he afraid of her?



6. A famine is a great shortage of food in an area or a counby. In this story, Famine is a creature who causes starvation. Explain how Famine made Erysichthon starve.



7. Why did Poseidon help Elysichthon's daughter over and over again?



8. Why do you thinkthe girl continued to return to her father?