the mouth were strewn the bones of creatures it had killed and
carried there. Heracles looked upon them when he came to the cavern. He
went within. Far into the cavern he went, and then he came to where he
saw the lion. It was sleeping.

Heracles viewed the terrible bulk of the lion, and then he looked upon
his own knotted hands and arms. He remembered that it was told of him
that, while still a child of eight months, he had strangled a great
serpent that had come to his cradle to devour him. He had grown and his
strength had grown too.

So he stood, measuring his strength and the size of the lion. The
breath from its mouth and nostrils came heavily to him as the beast
slept, gorged with its prey. Then the lion yawned. Heracles sprang on
it and put his great hands upon its throat. No growl came out of its
mouth, but the great eyes blazed while the terrible paws tore at
Heracles. Against the rock Heracles held the beast; strongly he held
it, choking it through the skin that was almost impenetrable. Terribly
the lion struggled; but the strong hands of the hero held around its
throat until it struggled no more.

Then Heracles stripped off that impenetrable skin from the lion's body;
he put it upon himself for a cloak. Then, as he went through the
forest, he pulled up a young oak tree and trimmed it and made a club
for himself. With the lion's skin over him--that skin that no spear or
arrow could pierce--and carrying the club in his hand he journeyed on
until he came to the palace of King Eurystheus.

The king, seeing coming toward him a towering man all covered with the
hide of a monstrous lion, ran and hid himself in a great jar. He lifted
the lid up to ask the servants what was the meaning of this terrible
appearance. And the servants told him that it was Heracles come back
with the skin of the lion of Nemea. On hearing this Eurystheus hid
himself again.

He would not speak with Heracles nor have him come near him, so fearful
was he. But Heracles was content to be left alone. He sat down in the
palace and feasted himself.

The servants came to the king; Eurystheus lifted the lid of the jar and
they told him how Heracles was feasting and devouring all the goods in
the palace. The king flew into a rage, but still he was fearful of
having the hero before him. He issued commands through his heralds
ordering Heracles to go forth at once and perform the second of his
tasks.

It was to slay the great water snake that m