Features of Myths and Legends UNIT

5 Perseus is Given the Quest Long. long ago, there lived a young man called Perseus. He lived with his mother Danae. A cruel and wicked King wanted to marry Danae but she refused. The King thought that Danae would change her mind if she were all alone in the world. He thought of a test for Perseus - a quest that was so dangerous that Perseus was sure to be killed! The King held a great feast. He invited a lot of rich people and he also invited Perseus. The rich people brought him gifts. Perseus was poor and had nothing to give the King. He was so ashamed that he promised to find the thing the King most wanted and bring it to him.

The King smiled slyly to himself. This is just what he wanted. He turned to Perseus and said, 'Young man, the thing I most want would take you on a long and dangerous journey. Other people have tried but no one has succeeded.'

'I will succeed,' cried Perseus. 'It does not matter that the journey is long and dangerous. I will go and bring you back what you most want. Tell me, what is it that I must bring you? '

·1 wont you to bring me the head of the gorgon, Medusa!' said the King .

Everyone in the room fell silent.

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Everyone in the room knew about Medusa. She was one of three horrible sisters. Her head was covered in hissing snakes instead of hair. Anyone who looked into her eyes would be turned to stone!

Perseus knelt before the King. 'I will bring you the gorgon 's head,' he promised.

Everyone in the room began to laugh. No one thought that Perseus could succeed. He would fail in his quest and be killed!

Perseus left the feast and went to sit by the sea to think about what he had promised. He knew that he had been foolish . How could he bring back the gorgon's head?

Just then, two strangers came to him. The man was tall and slim with winged sandals on his feet. The beautiful woman wore a shining helmet and smiled kindly at Perseus.

'We have come to help you,· the man said. 'I will give you the sharpest sword in the world.·

_'And I will give you my gleaming shield,' said the woman. ' look at Medusa's reflection in the shield and you will not be turned to stone. Others will help you in your quest. You must visit the Grey Sisters and the Nymphs who live at the back of the North Wind.· th 'Begin your quest. Perseus,' said

e man. 'Be bold and brave and you will succeed.·

Retold by Wendy Wrtf1

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Understanding the text

1 Who was Danae?

2 Why did the King give Perseus such a dangerous quest?

3 What was the quest?

4 What did Medusa look like?

s Who helped Perseus and what did they give him?

Looking at language

6 Explain the meaning of these words as they are used in the passage. Use a dictionary to help you.

a cruel b quest c ashamed d reflection

7 Find adjectives in the passage that describe these words.

a people b journey c sword d shield

8 Which word tells you that the snakes were fierce?

Exploring the characters

9 Most myths and legends have a hero and a villain. In this story: a who is the hero? b who is the villain?

10 Why can Perseus be described as both brave and foolish? 11 What sort of person do you think the King was? 12 I · n most myths and legends, the main character 1s

helped along the way. What advice did the woman give Perseus?

13 If you were Perseus. would you have gone on the quest? Why? Why not?

Taking it further ( RB. Unit s. Extension J 14 Do · · h ' t7 you think Perseus will succeed in 1s ques · 15 Wh . . at do you think will happen 1f he brings

back the head of Medusa?

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II The Quest Begins -.., -~r ,._ _,,~ With the gleaming shield and the sharpest sword in the world. Perseus set off on his quest.

The tall. slim man had told him to go to a lonely cave where he would find the Grey Sisters. They knew where the Nymphs lived. The Grey Sisters were very strange. They had one eye and one tooth between them. Perseus found them sitting at the mouth of their cave. talking and passing the eye from one to another. Quickly. Perseus stretched out his hand and took the eye.

'Sisters,' he said. 'I have your eye. You must tell me what I want to know or I will go away and leave you in darkness.·

·we will tell you, we will tell you.' they cried. ·anything you want to know but give us back our eye!'

·1 need to know where I can find the Nymphs. ·

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The Grey Sisters told him immediately how to get to the special land at the back of the North Wind. Perseus gave them back their eye and went on his way.

Soon he reached the lovely garden where the Nymphs lived. He told them about his quest and asked for their help. They lent him shoes that would carry him quickly away from Medusa's sisters and a bag that he could use to carry the gargon's head.

'You will also need this,' said one of the Nymphs. 'This is a special cap. If you wear this you will be invisible.'

Perseus now had everything he needed. He said goodbye to the Nymphs and thanked them for their kindness. He left the beautiful garden and began his journey to the wild. stony land where Medusa and her sisters lived.

d wrtfl Retold by wen Y

Understanding the text

1 Where did Perseus journey to first?

2 What was strange about the Grey Sisters?

3 How did Perseus make the Grey Sisters tell him where the Nymphs lived?

4 Why did the Nymphs give Perseus shoes, a bag and a cap?

5 What was the place where Medusa lived?

Looking at language

6 Explain the meaning of these words as they are used in the passage. Use a dictionary to help you.

a gleaming b darkness

7 Find the adjectives that describe: a the garden where the Nymphs lived. b the land where Medusa lived.

c immediately

8 What impression of each place do these adjectives give you?

Exploring the quest

9 Why did Perseus have to visit the Grey Sisters?

d invisible

out ink Perseus should have taken the eye? Why? Why not? 10 Doy h'

11 How would you describe how the Nymphs treated Perseus?

12 Wh Y do you think the cap would be especially useful?

13 Ho d w O you think Perseus was feeling when he left the garden?

Taking it further ( RB. Unit 5. Extension )

14 Ima . . W grne you are the King. You have seen Perseus set off on his quest. hat ore your thoughts and feelings?

15 Irn P agine you are one of the group of Nymphs. Some Nymphs think erseus will succeed in his quest. Others think he will foil.

What d 0 you think? Explain your reasons. Talk

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Perseus Meets Medusa . finally arrived at the gorgons. lair.

After his long Journey. Perseus l" d he saw statues of h the gorgons 1ve , As Perseus came near to w ere d to stone Then he saw a

men and animals that had been turne l . ~sleep in the sun. He knew . . h th gorgons were ymg

frightening sight! T e ree d overed in hissing snakes. M d as her hea was c . . which one was e usa h that made him inv1s1ble. Quickly and quietly, Perse~s put on t e cap

He held up the gleaming shield and looked at Medusa's reflection in it. He drew t~e sharpest sword in the world and with one mighty blow. cut off her head. He picked it up and put it into the bag.

The snakes hissed loudly and woke up Medusa's sisters. They saw what had happened and jumped up. As they tri~d to grab Perseus, he jumped into the mr and the shoes took him swiftly away. They followed him. screaming with rage, but the shoes were too quick for them. Perseus escaped and returned to his homeland.

When he got there, he found that all was not well. His mother had been made a slave by the wicked King. Perseus knew what he had to do. The King would think Perseus was dead. He would not be expecting the young man to turn up at the palace.

Perseus visited the King at the palace. All those who had laughed at him were there. One of them said, 'Well, well, here is Perseus. Have you brought the gorgon's head with you?' And they all laughed again.

Perseus walked up to the King who said, 'So you have come back. Have you brought me my present?'

'Indeed I have,' said Perseus. He pulled Medusa's head out of the bag and held it up for all to see. Perseus made sure he did not look at it but those who did turned to stone. The King was one of them. and on his stone face was a look of fear and disbelief!

- Retold by Wendy wren

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Understanding the text

1 How did Perseus know which gorgon was Medusa?

2 What did Perseus do first? Why?

3 Why did Medusa's sisters wake up?

4 What had happened to Perseus's mother while he was away?

5 What happened to the King at the end of the story?

Looking at language

6 Explain the meaning of these words as they are used in the story. Use a dictionary to help you.

a mighty b rage c escaped

7 Find adverbs in the story that tell you: a how Perseus put on the cap. b how the snakes hissed. c how the shoes took Perseus away.

Exploring the story ending

d disbelief

8 How do you think Perseus felt when he saw the three gorgons?

9 What phrase in the story tells you that Medusa's sisters were angry?

lO Why would the King think Perseus was dead? 11 How do you think Perseus felt when everyone laughed at him this time?

12 Do you think Perseus should have turned the King to stone? Why? Why not?

13 What do think happened to Perseus and his mother after the King was dead?

Taking it further ( RB, Unit 5, Extension )

14 M ake a list of the places Perseus went after he left the palace. Summarise what happened in each place.

15 Perseus's quest began and ended in the King's palace. Draw a mop of his journey. Label it. showing where he Went and who he met. m