Heracles stayed to feast another day, and then,
with the lion's skin across his shoulders and the great
club in his hands, he started off. But this time he did not go
alone; the boy Iolaus went with him.
Heracles and Iolaus went on until they came to the vast swamp of
Lerna. Right in the middle of the swamp was the water snake that
was called the Hydra. Nine heads it had, and it raised them up
out of the water as the hero and his companion came near. They
could not cross the swamp to come to the monster, for man or
beast would sink and be lost in it.
The Hydra remained in the middle of the swamp belching mud at the
hero and his companion. Then Heracles took up his bow and he shot
flaming arrows at its heads. It grew into such a rage that it
came through the swamp to attack him. Heracles swung his club. As
the Hydra came near he knocked head after head off its body.
But for every head knocked off two grew upon the Hydra. And as he
struggled with the monster a huge crab came out of the swamp, and
gripping Heracles by the foot tried to draw him in. Then Heracles
cried out. The boy Iolaus came; he killed the crab that had come
to the Hydra's aid.
Then Heracles laid hands upon the Hydra and drew it out of the
swamp. With his club he knocked off a head and he had Iolaus put
fire to where it had been, so that two heads might not grow in
that place. The life of the Hydra was in its middle head; that
head he had not been able to knock off with his club.
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