Hercules and his Twelve Labors

The Fifth Labor: The Augean Stables Part II

This turn of events ruined the plan
He made to simply scour the land.
And rinse the stables clean of waste
By working calm at steady pace.

A day the hero had to rinse
The cattle grounds enclosed by fence.
A mess that thirty years had made
A crime for which the godling pays.

For long the hero ponders plight
He gained by some unknowing slight.
So hero's plan begins to form
From anxious mind a plot is born.

To stable hero goes with spade
On ground he many trenches layed.
And cut a hole in side of fence
To open stables up to rinse.

And after work the man completes
A task itself no easy feat.
To river Alpheus hero goes
For cryptic plan alone he knows.

The river hero swift approached
When nymphs did block the path he broached.
"We Nerieds see in godlings eyes
Some plan he's made we'll sure despise.

We guard this river Alpheus fair
And keep it clean from worldly care.
So leave this land you wretched fiend
For only trouble hero brings."

Then hero's face did grow yet dark
And godling readies killing arts.
When youngest nymph from crowd does break
To speak her mind for all their sakes.

"Recall our kin in Lerna's lake
How Hydra's poison skin did bake.
Transforming sisters graceful forms
To twisted bodies venom torn.

This demi-god did break that spell
And freed the lake from beast so fell.
A debt we owe to Zeuses son
Whose tale the fates have surely spun.

To bring him here to Alpheus creek
Where spirits work in labor meek."
And tension broke at Nymphlings words
Rememb'ring debt so peace was spurred.

Then elder nymph with elder grace
Did step to meet the heroes face.
"This river nereids hold so dear
So please be kind to lessen fear

And think of guarding spirits home
This creek we call our loving home"
And hero nods his deep assent
And makes a vow the river rent

Returns to course by end of day
Or demi-god himself will pay.
Then mighty godling boulder heaves
From stony cliff he roughly cleaved.

And hurls the stone to river bed
Where water over sand was sped.
Diverting creek from nature's path
A feat befitting Heras Wrath.

And water flows to cattle yard
Replacing months of labor hard.
By sweeping all the waste away
In less than even single day.

And after yard was swept by creek
A task that's fit for many weeks.
Then demi-god removes the stone
Returning nereids lovely home.

And Augeas calls the man to court
Rejoicing great in clever sport.
The hero made of wretched chore
His hall for godling feast now bore.