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MEDUSA
Medusa
The ancient Greeks were wonderful storytellers. This
is the tale of Medusa.
Medusa was once a beautiful, mortal woman living in Athens,
Greece. There were many
women living in Greece, but Medusa was considered to be the
most attractive of them all. Medusa was always boasting about
her beauty and she was very proud of her looks. Everywhere
she went, Medusa would brag that her hair was as golden as
the sun, her skin as fair as fresh fallen snow, and her eyes
were as green as the spring grass.
Poseidon, the great god of the sea, quickly fell in love
with Medusa’s beauty. One night, Medusa and
Poseidon traveled to a temple and were married. It wasn’t long before Athena, the
goddess of battle and wisdom, found out about their marriage. She became very
angry and turned Medusa into a terrible monster. The golden strands of Medusa’s
silky hair were transformed into slithering, venomous snakes. Her once gentle eyes
became red and piercing, and now had the power to turn men into stone. Medusa
was so devastated by her hideous transformation that she ran away from Greece.
Medusa took refuge in Africa, dropping baby snakes out of her slithering hair.
Legend has it that she is the reason Africa is now plagued with large, venomous
snakes.
Many years later, a young man named Perseus found himself in a bit of trouble. King
Polydectes sent Perseus on a mission to slay Medusa. He was ordered to return her
head as proof of his bravery. Perseus was given a sword, winged sandals, and a
glistening shield to protect himself.
Perseus waited for night to fall in Greece. He traveled for miles searching for
Medusa. Finally, he came upon an island that was surrounded by stone statues –
statues of men who were unsuccessful in slaying the hideous beast. Perseus tied his
winged sandals on his tired feet, raised his heavy golden shield, and quietly flew into
a dark cave. He found Medusa sleeping and beheaded her in one quick move. Her
serpent hair hissed and gnawed at Perseus as he tossed Medusa’s frightful head into
his cloth bag. Perseus narrowly escaped Medusa’s furious sisters as he flew out of
the dark, shadowy cave.
As Medusa lay in her cave slowly dying, a great, white, winged horse was born from
her ugly head. The horse was named Pegasus. Legend has it that Poseidon was
Pegasus’s father.
Perseus began his journey home to Polydecte’s kingdom, carrying Medusa’s head in
a bag thrown over his shoulder. He stormed into the palace, pulled Medusa’s head
out of his cloth bag, and instantly turned King Polydectes into stone. Perseus would
go on to marry Andromeda and have many children. Perseus, Andromeda, and
Pegasus are constellations living in the night sky.
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