Chapter Four

Bulls were sacred on Crete, but the Minoans did not immolate the beasts to the gods. To laud their gods, adolescent people risked their lives by grabbing the horns of a charging bull and turning a somersault over its backbone. The Minoans lauded the funambulists who effectuated and lived this act. Bulls were beneficial in divers other civilizations. To please their gods, the archaic Egyptians intermittently immolated bulls that had been carefully cleaned and decorated. But other kinds of bull were never slain. They inhabited special fanes and were cherished by clergymen.

Gann's eyes were wide as he and Europa sat at the arena watching the funambulists somersault over a bull. Europa's eyes were wide as well. The bull in the arena was a new one and it did not look like any of their bulls here in Crete.

The bull's head, neck and chest were black. On the forehead of the bull was a white triangle pointing towards the nose. The rest of the body was white with a black marking on the back that resembled the outline of a saddle as well as a black marking on the bull's rear that caused it to look like it had sat in soot. And the horns! They looked almost golden!

"I've never seen a bull that looks like that." Observed Europa. "It cannot be from Crete, all of our bulls either black or white not both." Europa then pointed to the royal box. "Look there is Minos, his daughters and his younger sons Catreus and Glaucus. I wonder why Deucalion is not up there."

"Maybe Minos disowned him." Suggested Gann. The next thing Gann knew was that he had been pushed over the edge and into the arena.

From behind Gann heard Deucalion's voice say: "And so it ends!"