In Greek mythology Pegasus was a beautiful, winged horse. He sprung from Medusa's body when her head was chopped off by the Greek hero, Perseus. Without a mother, Pegasus roamed free and wild.
Taming the Beast - The Capture of Pegasus
While drinking from a well, Bellerophon managed to slip a golden bridle over Pegasus and capture the horse. The golden bridle had been a gift from the goddess Athena. Bellerophon tamed Pegasus and used the horse during his adventures. One of these adventures was the slaying of Chimera. Chimera had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a snake. It killed and ate humans. Many brave men had tried slaying Chimera on foot but without any luck. Bellerophon used Pegasus to fly to the monster and kill it.
Heavenly Pegasus
Bellerophon made the foolish decision to try and fly Pegasus to Mount Olympus (heaven, according Greek mythology). Zeus quickly put a stop to Bellerophon by throwing him from Pegasus. Bellerophon survived the fall, but he was crippled. As for Pegasus, he made it into heaven where he spent his days carrying lightning bolts for Zeus. When the stars are out, you might be able to see the Pegasus' constellation, which was named after him.
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