"Long ago, in ancient greece, the great hero god Heracles was invited to the cave of the centaur Pholos. Chiron, a wise beneficent centaur and great master of healing, was also present. As a token of appreciation and hospitality, Heracles brought a flask of heady wine to the gathering. The rich fragrant liquid attracted other centaurs who, unaccustomed to wine, became drunk and then began to fight. In the ensuing melee Chiron was struck in the knee by an arrow shot by Heracles.
Then Chiron instructed Heracles in the art of treating the wound. But because the arrow had been tipped with poison from the Hyrda-- a many-headed monster nearly impossible to slay-- the wound would never fully heal. Capable of healing others, the greatest of healers was unable to completely heal himself; and being immortal, Chiron lives forever with this wound as the archetypal wounded healer."
