Perseus had no choice. King Polydectes held his mother, Danae, in prison. King Polydectes promised not to release Danae until Perseus returned with the head of Medusa the Gorgon.

Of course, young Prince Perseus had heard stories about the three Gorgon sisters. They were incredibly ugly, but once they had been beautiful maidens. Medusa had upset Athena, goddess of war and wisdom. Athena turned the three sisters into hideous monsters. They had fangs for teeth, their hands became twisted claws and their hair became a mass of wriggling, green, hissing  snakes. Medusa, who had once been the most beautiful of the sisters, was now so ugly that anyone who looked at her face was instantly turned to stone.

Perseus wondered how he could kill Medusa. How could he succeed where so many others had failed? How could he fight and kill Medusa when he could not even look at her?

The gods were on Perseus's side. Athena gave Perseus a polished shield. "Use this shield as a mirror. Look at Medusa's reflection, but never gaze at her face or you will be petrified."

Hermes was the messenger of the gods. "Use this sword as your weapon," explained Hermes, " for it is the sharpest sword ever made."

The Nymphs gave Perseus a pair of winged sandals so that he could fly. They also gave Perseus a sack in which he could carry the severed head of Medusa.

Using these gifts from the gods, Perseus was able to kill and decapitate Medusa. From the pool of blood that dripped onto the floor, there rose a beautiful
creature. This was Pegasus, the white winged  horse.

Perseus rode Pegasus, the winged horse, back towards his island home of Seriphos. Droplets of blood dripped from the sack which carried the severed head of Medusa the Gorgon. Wherever the blood fell, green trees and plants sprouted.

Perseus was riding high over an island when he heard a soft sobbing sound. He flew down and found a beautiful young woman tied to a huge rock near the water's edge. Perseus discovered that her name was Andromeda and that she was being sacrificed to a ferocious sea monster.

Perseus had just used his sharp sword to cut Andromeda free, when a roaring monster rose from the water. As the hungry looking monster attacked, Perseus reached into the sack and pulled out the hideous head of Medusa the Gorgon. Instantly, the monster was turned to stone.

Andromeda and Perseus were soon married. Then they mounted Pegasus and set off again for the island of Seriphos. Perseus wanted to free his mother, Danae, from the prison of King Polydectes. The king laughed at young Prince Perseus as he entered his hall. "Your mother will never be freed," boasted the cruel King Polydectes.

Perseus stared at the king is disbelief and anger. Then he reached into his sack. The cruel, laughing face of King Polydectes gazed upon the face of Medusa. The laughing stopped as the king and his guards were turned to stone. Perseus and Andromeda then freed Danae and all of the others who were in prison.

Perseus became king and Andromeda was his queen. King Perseus ruled wisely for a long time.