Greek mythology

Atalanta

"After Atalanta participated in the hunt and received the pelt, her father claimed her as his offspring and wanted her to get married. Although a very beautiful maiden, Atalanta did not particularly want to marry after an oracle told her that she will gain bad luck if she marries. In order to get her a husband, her father made a deal with Atalanta that she would marry anybody who could beat her in a foot race. Atalanta happily agreed, as she could run extremely fast.

She outran many suitors. The one that finally became her husband accomplished this through brains, not speed. Hippomenes (also known as Melanion) knew that he could not win a fair race with Atalanta, so he prayed to Aphrodite for help. The goddess gave him three golden apples (sometimes the fruit was quince instead) and told him to drop them one at a time to distract Atalanta. Sure enough, she quit running long enough to retrieve each golden apple. It took all three apples and all of his speed, but Hippomenes finally succeeded, winning the race and Atalanta's hand. Unfortunately, Hippomenes forgot to thank the Goddess and she turned them into lions"

The Garden of the Hesperides

The Garden of the Hesperides was Hera's orchard in the east, where either a single tree or a grove of trees bearing immortality-giving golden apples grew. Hera placed in the garden a never-sleeping, hundred-headed, dragon, named Ladon, as an additional safeguard. The eleventh Labor of Hercules was to steal the golden apples from the garden.

The Judgement of Paris

Main articles: Judgement of Paris, Apple of Discord

Zeus held a banquet in celebration of the marriage of Peleus and Thetis. Left off the guest list was Eris (goddess of discord), and upon turning up uninvited she threw or rolled a golden apple into the ceremony, with an inscription that read: καλλίστῃ or, "for the fairest one". Three goddess's claimed the apple: Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. Zeus remembered Paris of Troy as being the most beautiful of mortal men and was aware of the bull judging contest which was soon to come, in which Paris would be judge. So Zeus sent Ares, who disguised himself as a bull which was one of his symbols. Ares accepted this duty given by Zeus humorously. Being a God he appeared perfect in all respects and therefore was awarded the Golden Laurels. Zeus deemed Paris as the judge as he knew that Paris would be a fair and equal judge. He gave the apple to Hermes, and told him to deliver it to Paris and tell him that the goddess's would accept his decision without argument, and so the goddess's appeared. Each of the goddesses offered Paris a gift as a bribe in return for the apple. First approached Hera who offered to make him a famous, powerful, king, next came Athena, who offered to make him wise, above even some of the Gods, and last of all came Aphrodite who said she would give him the most beautiful woman in the world as his wife, Helen of at that time, Sparta (later to be titled Helen of Troy). Paris chose Aphrodite, which would ultimately lead to the start of the Trojan war. Paris soon went to celebrate the Marriage of Helen and Menelaus with his brother. They spent the night there and Menelaus was called to Agamemnon and thus Helen and Paris were left alone. In this time they made love and Helen left Menelaus and sailed to Troy with Paris, thus commencing the Trojan War.

Norse mythology

In Norse mythology, golden apples grant immortal life to the gods. They are cultivated by the Goddess Iðunn.

One day, Loki, Odin and Thor go on a camping trip. An eagle (a giant in disguise) takes Loki and makes him promise to hand over Idun so that he might wed her and also have eternal youth. Loki agrees and takes Idun to him. The gods don't miss the apples at first but then start to demand where Idun and her apples went. Loki confesses and agrees to get her back under pain of death. He succeeds after a risky flight, and the gods rejoice that they have the apples back.

The golden apples play no role in the lives of Norse mythology. The Norse gods have their immortality for the duration of the life of their worshippers, so as long as there is worship happening to them, they contain immortality.

Golden apples are associated with a leitmotif. It is first sung by Fafner, when he explains to his brother Fasolt why they must take Freia away from the gods.

Fairy tales

Many European fairy tales begin when golden apples are stolen from a king, usually by a bird. These include:

• Tsarevitch Ivan, the Fire Bird and the Gray Wolf, Russian
• The Golden Bird, German
• The Golden Mermaid, German
• The Nine Peahens and the Golden Apples, Bulgarian
• Prâslea the Brave and the Golden Apples, Romanian, where the thief is not a bird but a zmeu

Modern literature

I will find out where she has gone

And kiss her lips and take her hands;

And walk among the dappled grass,

And pluck till time and times are done

The silver apples of the moon,

The golden apples of the sun.

Discordia

Golden apples in other languages

Identity

References

• Golden Apple (TV series), a South Korean television drama series
• Golden Apple Comics, a California-based chain of comic book stores
• Golden Apple Award, an American award for entertainers
• Golden Apple Award (education), a teaching award presented by various schools
• The Zlaté jablko, a Slovakian award for illustrators
• A common literary device, particularly in fairy tales; see golden apple
• A tropical fruit tree, Spondias dulcis
• A type of snail, Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck, also known as the Golden Kuhol
• A nickname for Westchester, New York