Which item did Rhea substitute for Zeus to protect him?

Which item did Rhea substitute for Zeus to protect him?

• A. A cloak
• B. A loaf of bread
• C. A jewel
• D. Stone

Answer: (D)

In this myth, the trick that protects Zeus is a substitution: Rhea hides Zeus and gives Cronus a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes to swallow instead. Cronus feared a prophecy that one of his children would overthrow him, so he devoured each newborn. Rhea’s ruse buys Zeus time to grow and eventually confront Cronus, freeing his siblings and becoming king of the gods. The stone fits the story because it’s the exact object Cronus swallows in place of the child, and none of the other items—like a cloak, bread, or a jewel—play that role in this tale.

In this myth, the trick that protects Zeus is a substitution: Rhea hides Zeus and gives Cronus a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes to swallow instead. Cronus feared a prophecy that one of his children would overthrow him, so he devoured each newborn. Rhea’s ruse buys Zeus time to grow and eventually confront Cronus, freeing his siblings and becoming king of the gods. The stone fits the story because it’s the exact object Cronus swallows in place of the child, and none of the other items—like a cloak, bread, or a jewel—play that role in this tale.