# The Pygmies explained — Bulfinch’s Mythology

> Chapter companion for Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch.

## What happens

This chapter describes the Pygmies, a mythical nation of dwarfs about thirteen inches tall, who lived near the Nile's sources or in India. It recounts their annual war with migrating cranes and their futile attack on the sleeping Hercules, who captured some of them. The chapter concludes with Milton's simile comparing fallen angels to Pygmies.

## Themes in this chapter

### Mortality and Immortality

The Pygmies' small stature and vulnerability contrast with the heroic, near-immortal Hercules, highlighting the theme of mortality versus legendary strength.

## Character check-ins

### Hercules

Hercules is attacked by the Pygmies while asleep; he awakens, laughs, wraps some in his lion's skin, and carries them to Eurystheus.

## Key lines

> The Pygmies were a nation of dwarfs, so called from a Greek word which means the cubit or measure of about thirteen inches, which was said to be the height of these people.

The Pygmies were a race of tiny people, named after a Greek term for a thirteen-inch measure, which was their supposed height.

_Explains the origin of the name and the size of the Pygmies._

> Homer tells us that the cranes used to migrate every winter to the Pygmies’ country, and their appearance was the signal of bloody warfare to the puny inhabitants, who had to take up arms to defend their cornfields against the rapacious strangers.

According to Homer, cranes migrated to the Pygmies' land each winter, prompting the tiny people to fight to protect their crops from the hungry birds.

_Describes the annual conflict between Pygmies and cranes._

> Later writers tell of an army of Pygmies which finding Hercules asleep made preparations to attack him, as if they were about to attack a city. But the hero, awaking, laughed at the little warriors, wrapped some of them up in his lion’s skin, and carried them to Eurystheus.

Later stories say a Pygmy army planned to attack the sleeping Hercules like a city, but he woke, laughed, bundled some in his lion skin, and took them to Eurystheus.

_Recounts the humorous encounter between Hercules and the Pygmies._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/bulfinch_s_mythology_se/chapters/the-pygmies
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/bulfinch_s_mythology_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/bulfinch_s_mythology_se/chapters