Perseus and Medusa the Gorgon: Best Magical Greek Mythological Story in English

Perseus and Medusa the Gorgon: Best Magical Greek Mythological Story in English

Perseus and Medusa

Long ago, there was a young man named Perseus, who lived on an island with his mother, Danae. The king of the island had fallen in love with Danae and wished to marry her, but he knew that as long as Perseus was there to protect her, he would never be able to make her his wife. So the king come up with a cunning plan to get rid of Perseus for good. He would send him on a dangerous quest to bring back the head of Medusa, a fearsome creature with snakes for hair, who lived at the edge of the world. Just one fleeting glance at Medusa's face would instantly turn a person to stone, so the king was convinced that slaying her was an impossible task.

However, the gods Athena and Hermes decided to assist Perseus, and so they helped him to find some precious objects that would enable him to complete his impossible mission. The first was a pair of winged sandals and the second was a cap with the power to make him invisible. The third was a mighty sword that could slice through anything. Finally, he was given a shiny, bronze shield.

Hermes told Perseus that the only way to find Medusa was to speak to the Grey Sisters, three fearsome women who shared a single eye between them. Perseus knew that the stubborn sisters: would never willingly tell him where Medusa was, so he had to be clever. When the sisters were distracted, he stole their single eye and refused to give it back until they revealed Medusa's location. The trick paid off and Perseus set out in search of his prize.

Using the winged sandals, Perseus flew to Medusa's cave. He couldn't risk looking directly at Medusa, so he used the reflection in his bronze shield to make his way through the winding corridors until he found Medusa sleeping alongside her sisters. With one swish of his mighty sword, Perseus chopped off Medusa's head and carried it with him as he sprinted out of the cave. Medusa's furious sisters gave chase, but Perseus threw on the cap Hermes and Athena had given him, making it impossible for them to find him.

Perseus immediately returned home to tell the king that he had succeeded. The king, unwilling to believe that Perseus had managed to complete the impossible quest, demanded proof. Perseus proudly held up Medusa's head and watched as the king turned to stone.