Cleaning the Way

Theseus was on his way out of Peloponissos and into the Attica area. Just before he reach Megara he had the choice to circle around and take the long road to go there or to go through a footpath at the edge of a tall cliff leading down to the sea and that its other side where giant high rocks. Theseus decided to follow the shortcut trail so that he will clear the way for the travelers. This trail it's still there today and it's called "the evil ladder".

Sciron the brigand

On that trail there was giant man that looked remarkably like Sinis holding a battle-ax and sitting at the edge of the tall cliff. He was the notorious robber of travelers named Sciron. Sciron would command his victims to wash his feet, and when they were stooping down to do so, he would kick them over the edge of a cliff and down into the sea below where they were devoured by a man-eating turtle.

Theseus was walking on the trail when  he encountered the bandit blocking his way.

- I am Sciron and these are my cliffs. To pass you must wash my feet as a toll! he said.

- What would happen if I don't?, replied Theseus.

- I will chop of your head with this ax, and don't think that puny little twig you're carrying will save you, said Sciron.

Theseus smart as he was he pretended to be afraid of the bandit and plead for his life.

- Wash my feet and I promise to spare your life and let you pass.

So Theseus sat down and started to wash Sciron's feet.
Theseus looked over the side of the cliff, there was a
monstrous turtle at the bottom. Theseus knew that
this was the Sciron that kicked people off
the cliff where a man-eating turtle
waited.
When Sciron's foot came towards
him, Theseus jerked aside and hurled
Sciron off the cliff to feed to his
own turtle.

At Eleusis, then he met Cercyon, who compelled passers-by to wrestle, and in wrestling killed them. But Theseus lifted him up and dashed him to the ground. And after killing him Theseus ravished his daughter, like he had done previously with Sinis' daughter.

Procrustes "he who stretches"

Perhaps the most interesting of Theseus's challenges on the road to adventure came in the form of an evildoer called Procrustes, whose name means "he who stretches." This Procrustes kept a house by the side of the road where he offered hospitality to passing strangers.

Theseus was on his way and near Athens (today's Dafni area) when it got dark and saw a large house up ahead of him. He decided to ask the owner for a bed for the night. He walked up to the door and knocked. A man came to the door and said:

- Welcome young man. Come in, you look tired. My name is Procustes. I have a magic bed for you to stay the night on. It is exactly six feet long, but can fit anyone, be they short or tall.

Theseus had been warned about a man named Procustes. His so called "magic" bed did fit anyone, but in an unpleasant way. If you were too short he would fasten chains on to your arms and legs and stretch you. If you were too tall he would chop of your legs until you were just right.

Procustes led Theseus into the room where the bed was. Theseus wrestler Procrustes for some time preventing the evildoer from pushing him into the bed. Then our hero grabbed Procrustes and fit him into his own bed. Theseus lived up to his do-unto-others credo, fatally adjusting Procrustes to fit his own bed he chopped off his legs.
So Procustes wouldn't feel pain Theseus sliced his head off too.