Oedipus was the son. Having been childless for some time, Laius consulted the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi. The Oracle prophesied that any son born to Laius would kill him. <u>In an attempt to prevent this prophecy's fulfillment</u>, Laius had his ankles pierced and tethered together so that he could not crawl; Jocasta (his queen) then gave the boy to a servant to abandon on the nearby mountain.
In short, King Laius of Thebes wished to thwart a prophecy, so he sent a servant to leave Oedipus to die in the wilderness. However, the shepherd took pity on the baby and passed him to another shepherd who gave Oedipus to another King.