A/N: This story is yet another assignment my Mythology teacher gave me. This is a rivalry with the gods style story loosely based off the story of Arachne.
Just a warning, this story has a pretty sad/violent theme when it comes to Apollo's punishment for Pedian. So if this sounds like too much, read no further.
Pedian – The Archer
In Greece there was once a skilled young archer. The young bowman was not only bold in spirit but was also noble in birth. The boy's name was Pedian and was the son of Queen Liothus and King Revno. Brought into a world of wealth and power, there was no bottom to his confidence. Not just that, but the prince was also beautiful. Pedian had shining black hair that fell to his shoulders and the beginnings of muscles that would someday make him a great strong man. But the boy could care less about either. The prince was devoted to archery that was sure he would become famous for it someday day.
One morning that wish came true. Young Pedian was honing his skills with a golden bow when a pheasant from the kingdom spied the prince. The man was shocked when he saw the boy shoot two dozen arrows, one after another onto a bullseye. But it was not the number of arrows or the distance they traveled that stunned the pheasant, it was with the precision and speed that they hit their mark. So accurate was Pedian's aim that when they hit the bullseye, they cut right through each other as they hit the center of the target.
The man who witnessed the event was enchanted by what he saw. The pheasant told every person he knew about the boy. In almost no time at all word about the prince spread and the youth became the most famous archer in all of Greece. Spectators gathered by the dozens, each standing back in awe as the adolescent propelled arrow after arrow onto the center of a target. When Pedian was asked how he learned such a great skill and if Apollo had taught him, the prince replied. "I gave this gift to myself. My father and brothers may be great bowmen and I honor them for it but it is I who is the supreme archer of the family. I learned this skill not from Apollo, but by my own practice. I am greater than him. I am greater than any immortal archer." The youth always held his head high and wore a smug grin in response to this question no matter how many times it was asked.
When King Revno heard of his son's arrogance and that the boy claimed skills were above that of immortals, he became gravely worried. Pedian's father knew well what happened to men who tried to defy the gods. At the next day's first light, Revno rushed hastily to his son's chambers. Already, the overambitious prince was getting his wooden arrows ready for a long day of archery practice. Pedian was about to run through the doorway when his father blocked his path, stopping the boy in his tracks.
"Oh, precious son of mine, you are making a terrible mistake: saying you are above the gods. It is thoughtless and downright rash! You must apologize to Apollo at once and beg for his forgiveness if you are not to suffer terrible consequences."
But the youth paid his father no heed. "You are wrong father!" cried Pedian. "I am better than Apollo. I am a greater bowman than he will ever be. I should be known as the greatest archer of all, the most accomplished and respected."
At that, Pedian dashed past Revno and took an axe to a laurel sapling in the royal gardens to express his hatred for the archer god. As soon as boy was done, he ran to the field people gathered to watch him shoot arrows at everyday. Among the people gathered, there was a thin old man with a stooped back. The elder stood at the front of the crowd with a frown and furrowed eyebrows. Pedian noticed the elder at once and took no time telling him to leave.
"Stupid old coot! I don't need a deformed creature like you in my presence! Get lost or else!" the prince spat.
"Watch what you say. You may find you are talking to a god." the frail man said sternly almost as if warning the boy. Pedian just crossed his arms in response.
Suddenly a dazzling light appeared around the elder. The crowd stood back in shock as the man grew in stature, his rags turned into a snow white robe, and his cane transformed into a silver bow. It was the most Greek of all the gods, Apollo. The crowd drew back and turned to look at the newly transformed god with great respect. Even Pedian looked somewhat bewildered for a moment. But the bold youth didn't stay surprised for long. Any fear he had quickly melted into anger and disgust.
"Crazy god. All you do is use your beauty and reputation to instill fear in mortals. You are no better than that worthless man standing here a minute ago!" the youth shouted.
Apollo already felt like more mercy had been given to the prince than was deserved. The archer god was not in the best of moods today and Pedian had already shown his arrogance when he cursed the gods in front of his father. The archer god pulled out the golden arrows that never missed their mark. "I have given you enough time to prove yourself and you have failed. I will see to it that you pay!" Apollo declared.
The boy's eyes widened when god placed an arrow in his silver bow. But rather than run or beg for forgiveness, the foolishly overconfident boy got his own bow ready. Faster than the boy had ever anticipated, four arrows stuck him, two on the arms, and the others on each leg. The onlookers gasped as Pedian fell to the ground and each of his limbs turned into wooden arrows.
"This is how you will be from now on. Not only will you not be able to be an archer as but you will no longer be able to walk or eat. This is your punishment for disrespecting the gods."
From that point forward, that was how the Pedian lived. The youth discovered that he could no longer grasp anything. The prince couldn't even stand without fearing that one of his wooden limbs would break. What's more, the crowd walked away and Apollo left the boy in the field. There the poor prince lay on the ground alone, rotting away until he was nothing but a pile of bones. When at last death claimed him, Pedian became known as the most selfish and foolish archer there ever was. That is why men in Greece never miss Apollo's festivals and honor him as the greatest bowmen of all time. And most of all, they never claim their skills are above that of immortals.