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.