Greek · 1 min 23 s · animated short

The Flight and Fall of Icarus

Trapped on the island of Crete by King Minos, the inventor Daedalus crafts a way to escape using only feathers and wax. He warns his son, Icarus, to follow a careful path between the sea and the sun, but the thrill of flight may prove too great to resist.

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The telling

A genius inventor found himself a prisoner within a golden cage. The clever Daedalus was trapped on the island of Crete. King Minos held absolute power over the land and the sea.

To escape, Daedalus crafted a way to touch the clouds. He gathered many feathers and bound them with sturdy thread. He used soft wax to hold the great wings together for himself and his young son, Icarus.

Before they took flight, Daedalus gave a stern warning. He told Icarus to fly the middle way. He must not fly too low, or the sea spray would weigh the wings down. He must not fly too high, or the sun would melt the wax.

They leapt into the air and flew out over the vast sea. Below them, simple fishermen and shepherds watched in awe. They believed the two figures were gods descending from the heavens.

But Icarus felt the thrill of the wind. He climbed higher and higher toward the bright sky. Suddenly, the heat of the sun softened the wax. The feathers began to fall away into the breeze.

Icarus fell into the sea, crying out his father's name. Daedalus looked down and saw only feathers floating upon the water. He found his son and buried him in the earth.