Way back, when the world was fresh and new, there was a big, grumpy sky god named Uranus. He wasn't always kind to the Earth, a gentle goddess named Gaia. One of their sons, Cronus, got very tired of Uranus being mean. So, he did something quite surprising! He used a special sickle, and a part of Uranus fell into the big, blue sea.

Where it landed, the water bubbled and fizzed, like a giant fizzy drink! And out of all those lovely, white sea bubbles – *aphros*, they called it – a beautiful goddess appeared! She was so lovely, the most beautiful being anyone had ever seen.

The gentle waves carried her on a giant seashell, like a queen on a sparkly boat. First, she floated near an island called Cythera, and then she stepped onto the sunny shores of Cyprus. As soon as she arrived, some lovely nature spirits called the Horae, who looked after the seasons, rushed to meet her. They giggled with delight and dressed her in the prettiest, shiniest clothes and put flowers in her hair.

And because she came from the sea foam, everyone called her Aphrodite. She was the goddess of love and beauty, and oh, she was so, so lovely!

News of this amazing new goddess reached Mount Olympus, where the other gods and goddesses lived. Everyone who saw Aphrodite thought she was the most wonderful being they had ever seen. All the gods on Mount Olympus wanted to be her special friend and marry her.

Zeus, the king of the gods, worried they might start squabbling over her. So, he decided she should marry Hephaestus. Hephaestus was a very clever god who made amazing things with fire and metal, like jewelry and weapons. He was strong and a hard worker, but he wasn't quite as flashy as some of the other gods, and he had a bit of a limp from an old accident.

Aphrodite wasn't super happy about this. She liked shiny, exciting things, and Hephaestus was often busy in his workshop. Even though she was married to Hephaestus, Aphrodite’s heart fluttered for Ares, the brave and bold god of war. Ares was handsome and exciting, and they liked to spend time together, even though it was a bit of a secret.

Aphrodite often had a little winged helper with her, a cheeky boy named Eros – you might know him as Cupid! He had a tiny bow and arrow, and when he shot his arrows, people (and even gods!) would fall in love.

So, Aphrodite, with her dazzling smile and her little helper Eros, spread love and beauty wherever she went. Sometimes her choices made things a little complicated, but she filled the world with a lot of sparkle and romance!

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