According to Greek and Roman mythology, Pegasus sprang forth from the sea when drops of blood from the severed head of the horrible Medusa mixed with sea foam. He was befriended by a young man named Bellerophon and together the two performed many heroic deeds. But as so often happens with mortals, Bellerophon let his reputation get the better of him, and decided to ride Pegasus all the way to Mount Olympus, to join the gods. This would not do, so Zeus, king of the gods, sent a horsefly to sting Pegasus, who bucked and threw Bellerophon to earth. Pegasus was then allowed to join the gods in the sky, where we see him today. Bellerophon, on the other hand, was doomed to wandering the earth, lame and blinded, as punishment for his impudence.