the night of the horse
the soldier came down the stairs two at a time
captain they ve gone he cried
they ve disappeared all of them the plain is
but the captain was no longer listening
he was going up the stairs three at a time
seconds later the captain stood on the high wall of the city of troy
he looked down at the empty plain and beyond it at the empty sea
they ve gone and we ve won he said
the greeks have tried for ten years to capture our city
now they sailed away
and they ve taken everything with them
not everything the soldier said
they ve left their horse
outside the main gates of the city stood a huge wooden horse
ah yes the captain said that wooden horse
its so big that they couldnt take it with them
well its ours now
get some help and pull it into the city
that wont be difficult its on wheels
but why is it on wheels the soldier asked
i think that maybe the greeks want us to
the captain interrupted him
youre a soldier he said
you dont have to think
you have to obey orders and im giving you one now
move that horse
so the trojans dragged it into the city with ropes
that night in the main square
all the citizens of troy celebrated
they sang and danced around the horse
and made jokes about their enemies the stupid greeks
then the trojans made sure all the gates of the city were securely locked
and they all went to sleep including the gate guards
by midnight the square was empty except for the giant horse
the six greek soldiers waited for another hour to be sure
then very quietly they opened the secret door on the side of the horse and climbed out
no guards stopped them as they opened the main gates
outside stood the greek army
it had returned in the darkness when the citizens were celebrating inside
now the army entered the city
the greeks seized the captain
for ten years they could not capture the city by fighting
but in one night they succeeded in capturing it through a trick