Long, long ago, in a greek city called Pylos lived a beautiful woman, named Helena. Helena was like flowers in the morning dew, a fresh new snowfall, or a love story waiting to be told. Nobody thought that anyone could be any more beautiful. She was praised throughout the land, and some thought her more beautiful than Aphrodite. Aphrodite hated this, for was she not the goddess of beauty? Her power seemed to be undermined by this one girl, who didn’t even care about what she had!

One day, as Helena was tending to the fields outside her father’s home, a young woman who smelled of flowers and the ocean came up to her. “I wish to challenge you to a contest of beauty,” the woman said, her eyes glimmering with distaste and anger.

“Are you sure? I’m not very beautiful at all, I don’t want to lose” Helena nervously twisted her hands. The woman smiled at her, and said,

“Do not fear, for whomever may win shall receive a handsome reward. It shall be in one week, if you accept my challenge.” Helena thought long and hard about that offer. She considered herself in no way beautiful, but she would not be the judge. But this woman seemed to have an almost... Godly glow about her. She would proceed, but with caution. Helena felt that refusing an offer from her could be dangerous.

The days went on and on, and soon enough, the day of the contest had arrived, and Helena was more scared than ever. If this was who she thought it was, she didn’t want to win, not at all. But, she could not forfeit this far in. It was already much too late for her.

Meanwhile, the young woman was primping and preening, preparing for her victory. She knew it would be her, for how could they find a wretched farm girl lovelier than her? It simply couldn’t happen.

The judges were men from all around Greece, and no matter how hard the young woman tried, they always picked Helena. As the day went on, the young woman grew more and more angry, until finally...