Actaeon (ak' tee un) smiled as he looked across the forest. It was a fine day for hunting. The sun was shining brightly, and the air was crisp and cool. The hounds at his feet leaped about in excitement. They were eager for the chase. "Let's begin the hunt!" Actaeon called to his friends. "I think the dogs smell something already. We will surely feast well on deer meat tonight!"

Hunters and hounds started off through the forest. It was not long before the dogs picked up the scent of a deer. Howling madly, the dogs ran off. Actaeon and his friends followed. Soon they saw the deer. It was lying helplessly on the ground. The dogs were tearing at its legs. "We've got it!" Actaeon cried. He smiled as he drew his bow and arrow. "Back," he ordered the dogs. His arrow flew straight to its target. In a moment the deer was dead.

"Good work," he said, as he patted the dogs. Actaeon walked away from the others. He was hot and tired from the hunt and wanted to find a stream to cool off in. He pushed through the thick bushes and trees until he heard the sound of running water. He followed the sound and soon came to the bank of a river. There Actaeon stopped suddenly. He was unable to believe what he saw.

The goddess Artemis was bathing in the stream. Actaeon stared at her. He had never seen a goddess before. Artemis turned quickly. She looked at him with fury. "How dare you disturb me? Do you think a mortal may watch a goddess as she bathes?" But Artemis didn't give Actaeon a chance to answer. It didn't matter to her that he had come to this stream by accident.

"Do you think that you can sneak up on me like one of the forest animals? Very well, that is what you will be!"

As Actaeon slowly backed away, Artemis splashed him with water. Almost immediately Actaeon felt himself begin to change. Strong antlers grew from his head. His feet became hooves. He was turning into a deer!

In terror, Actaeon ran away. Soon he heard the barking of dogs. It was his hounds! Surely his friends were near. They would help him! From the cries of the dogs, Actaeon knew they were after a deer. But as the barking grew louder, he realized the awful truth. He was the deer they chased.

In seconds they were on him. They tore at his body just as they had been trained to do. He saw his friends laughing and urging the dogs on. "Please, it's your friend Actaeon," he tried to say. But no words came from his mouth".

As the blood poured from his body, Actaeon heard his friends talking. Won't Actaeon be surprised! He thought we had one deer, but now we have two. What a feast we'll have tonight!"

Write what these sentences from the story mean.

1. It was not long before the dogs picked up the scent of a deer.



2. In seconds they were on him. They tore at his body just as they had been trained to do.



3. But no words came from his mouth.



4. Do you think that Artemis was fair to Actaeon? Was the punishment fair? Did Actaeon even do anything wrong?



5. Put yourself in Artemis's place. What would you have done?



6. Pretend that you are Actaeon as he is being chased by his hounds. What thoughts are going through your mind?



7. An ironic situation occurs when a series of events brings about the reverse of what might have been expected. In what way is The Hunt an ironic story?



8. Do you think there is a lesson to be learned from this story? If so, what is it?