Iphis

In Crete, there was a man named Lidgus who desperately wanted a son, a man of humble family from the city of Phaestus. His wife Telethusa was pregnant. Lidgus declared that if his wife gave birth to a daughter, he would put the girl to death.

Her husband's declaration upset Telethusa, but the Egyptian goddess Io, daughter of Inachus (or Isis, wife of Oriris), appeared to her in a dream. Io gave her advice on how to save her daughter.

When she gave birth to a daughter, Telethusa had the nurse (midwife) declare that she had a son. Lidgus was overjoyed at having a son, calling her Iphis (Ἶφις). Iphis was a name that could be used for a boy or a girl.

Only Telethusa and the nurse knew of Iphis' secret sex, so the daughter was brought up as a boy.

When Iphis reached the age of thirteen, her father arranged the marriage between Iphis and Ianthe (Ἰάνθη), the beautiful daughter of Telestes. The two girls immediately fell in love with one another.

However, Iphis began to despair, as the coming wedding approached. Iphis wondered, 'How she could love another girl? How could they start a family?'

Likewise, Telethusa was terrified that her husband would find out their secret, so she postponed her daughter's wedding time after time, by making Iphis fake some sort of illness.

Finally the wedding could not be postponed any longer. Telethusa and Iphis feared that Lidgus and Ianthe would find out about their secret. So Telethusa and her daughter prayed to Io or Isis for help. The goddess answered.

As Iphis walked down the aisle towards her bride, the goddess gradually transformed the girl into a man. Iphis married Ianthe as man and wife, and Telethusa's old secret was kept safe.