Hercules and his Twelve Labors

The Second Labor: The Lernean Hydra Part I

To Lerna Hero's quickly sped
To meet the drake he'll render dead.
And test the beast with all his might
In deadly swamp where foes shall fight.

At shore of lake the hero finds
A gaseous swamp with many vines.
With cypress knees that surface dots
And bilious smoke in many spots.

There spying lonesome shack at edge
That's bared with gnarled and thorny hedge.
With elder crone that peers outside
When hero coming close she spied.

In water hero quickly wades
To fight the foe where beast be laid.
From surface burst the many heads
On flesh of many men they've fed.

And seek to add yet nother feast
Inside the bowels of deadly beast.
But hero quickly smashes heads
And renders serpents soundly dead.

From lake he turns to leave the chore
He finished fast with might he bore.
But sudden hears the water churn
To face the sound the hero turns.

With twice the heads the beast does rise
From swamp that's marked with poison dye.
And strikes with dripping venom fangs
With whistling speed the movement sang.

Then sinking fangs in hero's arms
To bring the demi-god alarm.
From swamp he pulls his weaken form
By fangs of beast that's raged torn.

And slowly gives to dying light
Embracing fast the last of nights.
And wakes to find himself in shack
With herbs and potions the home is packed.

He sets to see the elder crone
In chair by fire all alone.