FREEThe Three Golden Apples (From: "A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys")
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864
"The Three Golden Apples" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a short story that is part of the children's collection titled "A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys," written in the late 19th century. This narrative draws from classical mythology, weaving a tale centered around the quests of the hero Hercules as he seeks three golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides. The story encapsulates themes of adventure, strength, and the nuances of human character, making it an engaging read for both young audiences and adults alike. In this tale, Hercules embarks on a quest to procure golden apples for his cousin, the king, facing numerous challenges along the way, including a hundred-headed dragon that guards the apples. His journey takes him to meet various characters, including the Old Man of the Sea, who provides guidance, and Atlas, the giant who supports the heavens on his shoulders. Ultimately, with determination and strength, Hercules manages to obtain the golden apples after an exchange of burdens with Atlas. The story is not only an adventurous retelling of a myth but also explores elements of kindness, sacrifice, and the innate human desire to prove oneself against seemingly insurmountable odds. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Automated conservative edition review 2026-10-20T13:09:17.591Z (historical-original-en-v2), Philippines scope. English historical author Hawthorne, Nathaniel, died 1864; original-language author allowlist, matching sole EPUB/catalog creator, no credited contributors, no extra artwork, no flagged editorial/translation/copyright cues in isolated text. US public-domain source label and retained Gutenberg license; EPUB CRC passed. This is rule-based screening, not a worldwide rights opinion or a claim of manual review. Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9257; Philippine term reference https://www.ipophil.gov.ph/copyright/. EPUB SHA256 35c350ea296a29fac9ae5d4e08118f8ff76ec6964b465f755e52e545145a57e7; RDF SHA256 f43e5bf89b30371be1a676469c34651dcd43df740c8e2f3a9be0c8e38db6aa51.
View source & edition information ↗