{Taken, without permission, from Mythology, by Edith Hamilton; Little, Brown, 1942}

Atalanta was born to that kind of father: when he discovered that his child was female, he exposed her on a mountainside and left her to die. Atalanta was found by a she-bear, and raised as her own. Eventually she was found by kind hunters, and raised by them. She became more than their equal in the arduous feats of a hunter's life.
 

"A shining buckle clasped her robe at the neck; her hair was simply dressed, caught up in a knot behind. An ivory quiver hung upon her left shoulder and in her hand was a bow. As for her face, it seemed too maidenly to be that of a boy, and too boyish to be that of a maiden."

Some of the heroes resented her presence, and felt it beneath them to go hunting with a woman, but Meleager (who was in love with her, unrequited) insisted that she be included. When they surrounded the boar, it rushed upon them so quickly that it killed two men before the others could react, while a third was killed by a misdirected javelin. In the confusion that followed, only Atalanta kept her head, and calmly wounded the boar. Meleager then rushed in and stabbed it to the heart. He insisted that Atalanta be given the skin, and full honors for the kill, even though technically the honor was his.
 

Pelias was the uncle of Jason, leader of the Argonauts. He was killed by Medea, just because she did that sort of thing to heroes. At the games held in his honor, Atalanta appeared (after many years' absence) and engaged in the wrestling event. There she conquered the young man who would later become the father of Achilles, the great hero Peleus.
 

Marriage held no great interest for Atalanta, though men were always hanging around, asking for her hand. As a way of disposing of them easily and ageeably, she announced that she would marry whoever could beat her in a foot race, knowing full well that there was no such man. She had a delightful time. Fleet-footed young men were always arriving to race with her and she always outran them.

At last, however, came Melanion, who, with help from Aphrodite, brought with him three wondrous apples made of pure gold. No one alive could see them without wanting them.

As the race began, Atalanta was easily out-stripping the challenger, when he rolled one of the apples in front of her. She quickly swept it up, but the delay brought him abreast of her. He then threw the second, and she swerved to pick it up. He surged ahead, but she quickly caught up with him, near the finish. He then threw the last apple to the side of the course, and as Atalanta rushed after it, he stumbled across the finish line ahead of her.

True to her word, Atalanta married Melanion, and by all accounts they spent many pleasant years together. Atalanta bore a son, Parthenopaeus, who was one of the Seven against Thebes. She and Melanion, however, ended their lives as lions, be transmuted by Zeus for some perceived affront.