I am currently reading "Odysseus in the Serpent maze", by Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris. Odysseus is the young prince of Ithaca, who is quite brave,because not only has he stolen a great spear,but also attempted to kill a boar with it. Odysseus finds himself leaving on a ship,off to Ithaca. "They walked down toward the ship, a black-tarred beauty with a red and white eye painted on it's side". During the voyage,the run into a storm,great enough to knock both Odysseus and his Mentor off the ship,and the next thing you know they are on another ship,stuck behind bars. It was a pirate ship. While he was there,he met to women,
Helen,the princess of Sparta,and Penelope,daughter of Icarius,who were prisoners as well.


                                                                               John Normann