Once there was a god named Orpheus who had a better singing voice than any mortal and almost any god. One day a mortal came to Orpheus to ask if he could have singing lessons to help him find a friend that had been unfairly taken to the Underworld. Orpheus had been in a situation much like the mortals, and gladly offered help. Soon the mortal’s singing was amazing,for Orpheus was the son of one of the nine muses, the muse of music, and left happily.

A couple weeks later, Orpheus was walking in the gardens of Olympus, when he heard a terrible screeching noise. The noise sounded like it was coming from Zeus’s bedroom. Knowing that something must be wrong, Orpheus ran up to Zeus’s tower and shouted, “ ZEUS, IS EVERYTHING OKAY!!!!” As Orpheus flung open the heavy wooden door, he saw Zeus standing in the middle of the room with a paper in his hand. Zeus seemed a little embarrassed when he said, “ Was I so loud and terrible that you heard me all the way in the farthest garden?” Orpheus answered him saying,
“Yeah, I did hear you doing... what were you doing?”
“I was practicing my singing, but as you can see, it’s not very good.”
“ Well, if you want help practicing your singing, then you should get Apollo to help you.” “Actually, Apollo can’t help me with my singing because he is down on earth paying a visit to a friend who recently visited the underworld and was in need of cheer.”
“ Well, I guess I could help you.” Orpheus said after thinking for a few seconds.
“Wonderful! Let’s start now!” Zeus said, looking as excited as a young child on their birthday.

After a couple days Zeus’s singing was magnificent, for Orpheus would always try to be on the good side of the King of the Gods, so he tried his hardest with Zeus, so that Orpheus would not be punished. Then Apollo got back from his friends’ house. Apollo was raging mad! He could not get over the fact that Zeus had chosen Orpheus to help him learn to sing, instead of Apollo. Orpheus, a foolish god, could not help, but rub it in. on Tuesday morning he mentioned to Apollo that Apollo might be losing his voice, and that maybe he should let Orpheus take over as god of music.This made Apollo even angrier, but being the god of reason, Apollo knew that he was still a young god, and he was just having some fun. Then on Wednesday, Orpheus said to Apollo, “
Apollo, I know you think you’re the best musician, but you’re not.” That was the last straw, Apollo was really angry now, and he let it show as he said to Orpheus,
“ Okay hotshot, you think you’re the best then prove it! I challenge you to a singing contest, RIGHT NOW!”

Orpheus, decided that this was an easy contest, so he accepted with a foolish air of dignity, but inside he felt a twinge of regret, yet he pushed it away, and ignored it. In fact once Apollo had finished talking, he said,
“I accept your dare, like I really care!” So, a few minutes later Apollo and orpheus were in the garden warming up. The judges were the nine muses,except for Orpheus’ mother because that would not be fair. They decided that if Orpheus lost he would have to serve on the earth for 300 years, but if Apollo lost Orpheus would take over as god of music. Orpheus was going to sing first, and sung he did. His voice was like honey, it sounded as if angels were singing, not a young god. Next, it was Apollo’s turn. As he started to sing the animals of mount Olympus came out, and sat down to listen. Mortals turned their heads in wonder, and the fiercest animals were frozen. Obviously the judges chose Apollo as the winner, but Orpheus disagreed. He said that the muses were only voting for Apollo because he was a major god, and he, Orpheus, was only a minor god. This was heard by not only Apollo and the muses, but also by Zeus. Hearing this made Zeus angry, so he came up to Orpheus and said,
“For your foolishness in accepting the contest, and in objecting in such a rude way, not only must you serve in the mortal world for 300 years,but you also must serve Apollo for 200 years.

Orpheus thought about refusing Zeus’ orders, but decided against it, seeing that Zeus had a rather large lightning bolt in one hand, and his other was clenched in a fist. So, Orpheus, disguised as a mortal, went down to Earth, and found a job at a nice; rich woman’s house, where he learned never to disagree with someone, or else you will get into trouble.Orpheus learned this lesson harshly, refusing to forgive Apollo, until the day 300 years after he was sent to earth. Orpheus happily returned to Olympus, until he remembered that he must serve apollo for 200 more years, and bashfulness filled himself from head to toe. He decided to try to slip away unnoticed, but as soon as he got to the mighty staircase of Olympus, Apollo came up to him, and he said,
“I believe that you think you have learned your lesson, and that you deserve to be let back into the other gods’ life, but the lesson you learned is not complete yet. In order for you to complete your lesson you must know how it is to serve both mortal and immortal, so it is now the time for you to serve me.”
Orpheus now very abashed, just nodded his head meekly, and went off to his bedroom to prepare for the coming two-hundred years.

This is why Orpheus is thought of as one of the most foolish immortal beings, for he disagreed with the right choice, and was punished for it in a way he never expected.