Once up on a time in the kingdom of Sidon - a place near Phoenicia - there lived a beautiful princess, Europe, the daughter of king Aginoras.

She was so beautiful that when Zeus saw her one day, he fell in love with her at once!... he tried to come close to her and to confess his great love, but she wasn't interested in him at all even though she knew he was the king of Gods.

Zeus got the message that trying like this no way out for his love. So he decided to try a new trick! He liked such tricks because they always worked...

Thus, he transformed himself into a pure white, proud and beautiful bull and one day he appeared in the field where Europe and her friends were playing and collecting wild flowers... At once the girls stopped playing and with great admiration they turned around to look at this amazing animal which was coming closer and closer... He was so nice and calm when the girls touched him; when he came close to Europe he lowered himself waiting... She couldn't resist this unexpected temptation and she rode on his comfortable wide back.



So Bull -Zeus with the beautiful Europe on his back started running slowly at first, faster later, and traveled over the open sea. After a long journey they arrived in the island of Crete where Zeus and Europe united and had 3 children, one of them was Minoas, the future king of Crete, and Europe gave her name to the continent where Crete belonged.
She left her country and her own family without leaving any message... and of course her people were very upset about her... So her dearest brother, Kadmos, decided to look for her and fetch her back home.

He chose the best soldiers and after a long - long and exhausting journey he arrived in Greece and he visited the Oracle of Delfi asking for his sister.

Pythia, the prophetess, told him: " Kadmos, it is the Gods' will that you never find your sister, but I will let you know this: she is alive, well and safe... Now you go on to the valley and at the place you will find a flock of cows build your kingdom" These were Pythia's words; So he did what she said...

From Delfi, Kadmos arrived at the area of Thiva where he sent his soldiers to the spring to fetch him water... But seeing that none came back, he decided to go himself to find out what the matter was.

He went to the spring and what a view he saw!! A big, terrible Dragon standing and all his soldiers around dead. Without a second thought Kadmos started fighting against the big Dragon with his sword... the battle was unequal... But suddenly he managed to strike deeply the Dragon with his sword and killed him! Kadmos, couldn't believe his own eyes...
Then he heard a secret voice saying: " Kadmo, Goddess Athena is speaking: I helped you kill the Dragon. Listen to me carefully: take out all the Dragon's teeth and throw them behind you... From each tooth a new soldier will be born... let these soldiers fight with each other and let the bravest survive... with them you will construct your kingdom".

So it happened. Kadmos established the first kingdom, "Kadmia". He married Armony and they had 3 children; one of them was Dionysos. When Zeus saw Armony he fell once more in love with her too... and Armony got pregnant bearing Dionysos. Ira, Zeus' wife was very much jealous of Armony. She suggested him to go to Armony to demonstrate his full power, with all his thunder; in order to impress her! So he did... But Armony was so afraid of Zeus that she aborted her baby... Then Zeus took it and put it into his leg for 3 months.

So Dionysos, the God of wine, was born from Zeus' leg like Athena was from Zeus head.