Maia Martin’s entry

A long time ago, in the area now known as Wimberley, Texas, the inventor and architect Daedalus killed his nephew, Perdix. He did this terrible deed because of jealousy. Daedalus was jealous of the fact that his nephew, who had been his apprentice, was becoming a better inventor and architect than he. The idea that his nephew would become a better inventor was a terrible thought that drove him mad. So, Daedalus decided to murder his rival, by pushing his nephew into the sea.

As Perdix was falling, Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, quickly turned him into a partridge. She was so mad at Daedalus, that as she changed Perdix’s form, she beat her hand on the ground. That impact forced the piece of land that was under her fist underground. Then, it traveled below the surface, eventually being forced upwards, where it pushed the land up on the surface close by, forming the Beaten Hill. A shrine for Athena was later built atop of this hill to remember this event.

This monument has crumbled over time, but the enchantment of the shrine to the goddess has prevented trees from growing upon the top of the hill. Beaten Hill is now known as Mount Baldy, which sits high atop the Wimberley Valley. The hole where Athena beat the ground later became known as Jacob’s Well and it was filled with her tears of sadness and anger, at what Daedalus had done. These tears formed the stream called Cypress Creek, that flows from the well. Still today, if you look carefully, you may find some remains of the shrine of Athena.