Daedalus was a skilled Athenian craftsman who built a cavernous and twisting labyrinth where King Minos could keep his minotaur. Theseus, who was an enemy of King Minos was sent to wander around this labyrinth and defeat the minotaur, Daedalus know he would not find his way through the labyrinth, took pity on him. He gave King Minos' daughter, Ariadne, a ball of string to give to Theseus so that he could find his way out after going into the winding caverns. Daedalus was caught and sentenced to life long imprisonment on the island of Crete.
Daedalus had a son named Icarus. Icarus was beautiful and pure, he brought good fortune to everyone he met. Not wanting his son to live his life imprisoned on Crete and being a gifted builder, he began assembling two great pairs of wings. They would fly away from Crete forever. When Daedalus finished the wings were wondrous and large, made of wax and feathers, they were also quite delicate. Finally, the day had come when the would leave. As Daedalus fashioned the wings to Icarus he warned him not to fly too close to the sun or the sea. The sun would melt the wax and the sea would wash away the feathers.
Finally, they took off, flying up into the sky they looked down at the island of Crete below them and felt the freedom they had longed for. Caught up in the excitement of being free and flying, Icarus forgot his father's warning and flew too close to the sun. Icarus began flapping his wings harder, but looked up to see only his arms waving frantically. He let out a cry as he fell down out of the blue sky and into the sea.
