Daedalus was famous for being a sculptor, architect and inventor. Unfortunately, he made the king mad one day. He and his son Icarus were locked up in a tall tower. Daedalus used candle wax and feathers from birds to make a pair of wings. He was able to fly around inside his cell.

Daedalus made another set of wings for Icarus. They were going to escape from the tower. He warned Icarus to fly high enough to avoid the dampness of the sea. However, if he flew too high, the sun would melt the wax in the wings. They flew out the window to freedom.

Icarus was having so much fun flying that he forgot his father's warning. He flew too close to the sun and his wings melted. He plunged into the sea and died. Daedalus looked for him but could only find a handful of feathers.

In this story, someone is able to fly using an invention, not the powers of a god or spirit.

Explore Space ... Not Drugs!
Hear what astronauts have to say about staying drug-free.
Last modified: Sat Aug 16 09:11:55 PDT 1997