He set forth on a quest to find one father known,
And earn his name, before meeting father king.
Compelled by fate to perform heroic deed alone,
Theseus cleansed Athen's road from its thieving.

Periphetes met his fate at Theseus' own hand
And with the club he had dispatched passers-by.
With club as trophy he met Sinis on his land,
Who had thrown victims by bended tree up high.

Both thieves now dispatched by karmic methods.
He set forth again to clear the path to Athens.
And met the Crommyonian Sow of bardic ballads.
Her death proving his the strength of legends.

Sciron was then fourth, a most treacherous knave.
Kicking passers into sea after they wash his feet.
Thus he threw Sciron off a cliff to a watery grave.
Still did Theseus keep from any hint of conceit.

He then met Cercyon who wrestled passers to death.
And challenged his freedom to pass the great thief.
Dashing Cercyon to ground and stealing his breath,
Theseus passed on down the road without any grief.

Last was Procrustes who killed without compassion
Sawing the tall short and hammering the short long.
Thus known, Procrustes method of death was chosen.
Theseus compensated Procrustes' lifetime of wrong.