Young Folks Treasury, Volume 2 (of 12)

st, over many a league of sea, till he ca

w long, hoping all day to see the blue sparkling Med

ll day long he strove against it, but even the sandals could not prevail. And when

but again down came the sandstorms and swept him back int

see my mother more, and the blue ripple

er he had prayed ther

I am not here but by the will of the gods, for Athené will

hed for joy, and leapt down the cliff and drank of the cool water, and ate of the dates, and

not have me go homeward yet. What if there be another nobl

e dawn of a day he looked towards the cliffs. At the wat

ely be the statue of some sea

lood, for he could see her tresses streaming in the breeze. And as he came closer still,

ns of brass, and her head drooped either with sleep or weariness or gr

seus, for the cap of da

and looked upon the maid. Her cheeks were darker th

ir, at least, to have done any wrong. I will speak to her," and, lifting the magic hat from his head, he flashed into her sight. Sh

, while the maiden cried, "Touch me not. I am a victim for t

drawing his sword he cut through

to me, and not to these sea-

e are these sea-gods, cruel and unjust, who doom fair maids to death? Let them measure their

a. I stand here to atone for my mother's sin, for she boasted of me once that I was fairer than the Queen of the Fishes. So she in her wr

id, "A sea-monster! I have

n her heart, so proud and fair did he stand, with one

hy will you die, young as you are

ut them do I come hither to slay this monster, with that same Gorgon's head. Yet

nothing, for she could

rieked, "There he comes with the sunrise as they said.

I slay this beast you will be my wife and come back with me to my

nd Perseus laughed for joy and flew upward, w

nd. His great sides were fringed with clustering shells and seaweeds, and the water gurgled in and

ing star, down to the crests of the waves, while Andromeda hid

eus springing towards her, and instead of the monster, a

Andromeda in his arms and flew with her to the cliff-top, as a falcon carries

eople came with songs and dances to receive An

ellens, stay here with me and be my son-in-la

kingdom will I have none, for I long after the pleasant

nce, for she is to us as one alive from the dead. Stay with

ng stones and wood and build an altar to Athené, and there he offered bullocks

d him by name, and said, "Perseus, you have played the man, and see, you have your reward. Now give me the sword and the sandals, and the hat of darkn

am vanished away. Yet it was not altogether a dream, for the goat-skin with the head was in i