For ten long years, the Greek army had been fighting a war against the city of Troy. Troy was protected by massive stone walls that were too high and strong for the Greeks to climb or break down. The Greek soldiers were tired and missed their families, but they did not want to leave without winning. They realized that they could not defeat Troy with brute force alone. They needed a clever plan.
A clever Greek leader named Odysseus came up with a brilliant, sneaky idea. First, the Greeks built a giant, hollow wooden horse. A small group of brave Greek soldiers climbed inside the belly of the horse and hid in the dark, holding their breath. The rest of the Greek army burned their camp, packed up their things, and sailed their ships away. They wanted the Trojans to think they had finally given up and gone home.
When the Trojans woke up the next morning, they were thrilled to see the Greek camp completely empty. Outside their city gates stood the magnificent wooden horse. A Greek spy, who had been left behind on purpose, told the Trojans that the horse was a harmless gift to the gods to ensure a safe journey home for the Greeks. Believing the war was finally over, the excited Trojans pulled the heavy wooden statue inside their city walls to celebrate.
That night, while the people of Troy were fast asleep after a giant celebration, the Greek ships quietly sailed back under the cover of darkness. Inside the city, the soldiers hidden inside the wooden horse opened a secret hatch and climbed down ropes. They crept to the city gates and opened them wide for the returning Greek army. Through this famous trick, the Greeks captured Troy and finally ended the long war.
