Bedtime stories

Each time before bed I tell the kids a story.  Some times it is a story from a book, other times a story from memory, or other times a story that I make up as I go.

Tonight, I paraphrased the story of Icarus to Rivka.  Greek mythology is one of my favorites sources for stories.  Icarus was given a pair of wings made of feathers and wax by his father, Daedalus, so he could escape from the island of Crete where the two of them were being held captive by King Minos. Daedalus warned his son not to fly too close to the sun or his wings would melt and he would plummet to his death in the ocean.  Of course Icarus did not mind his father, flew too close to the sun, and fell to his death in the sea.  I then told Rivka that Icarus fell to his death because he did not mind his father (every good story tells about some disastrous consequence which happens to those who do not mind their parents).

The significance of the moral of the story did not escape Rivka.  "If we ever go flying with a pair of wax wings, and I start flying close to the sun, and you start yelling for me to come back down, I will mind you and not fly too close to the sun......".  And then she added, "Even if you didn't tell me, I wouldn't fly too close to the sun....Because I don't want to die in the ocean".

oh and on a side note, here is some architecture geekiness for you:

The Minoans of Crete had flushing toilets and an air conditioned palace in the 19th century B.C.  At least that is what my high school history teacher taught me...does anyone know if this is true?