This book was created and published on StoryJumper™

©2010 StoryJumper, Inc.   All rights reserved.

Publish your own children's book: 

www.storyjumper.com

 Once upon a time there was a hero named Perseus, he was the son of Zeus and 

Danae. His mother had been locked up in a tower by Perseus's grandfather 

Acrisius, King of Argos, because he was terrified by an oracle indicating that 

Danae's son would cause his death. He was as cold as ice, so it was prophesied to 

Acrisius that he would have no sons to be heir of his kingdom but a 

grandson will be brought into the world to end his life. Zeus then saw Danae and 

he thought her beauty was like a thousand suns. He was attracted to her and 

entered her place of captivity. Some time later, Danae gave Acrisius a grandson as 

the prophecy had said, but when Acrisius discovered Perseus, his temper inflamed. 

Danae told him Zeus was his father but he did not believe her.

When Acrisius remembered what the prophecy had said, he could not kill them 

for fear the Gods would punish him, but he was as cold as stone and showed no 

mercy towards his daughter and grandson, so he did a terrible and cruel thing. He 

locked them up in a wooden chest and launched them into the sea. The chest floated 

away for many days and nights. After some time, they were washed up on an island 

named Seriphos among many islands. A fishermen named Dictys, who was as kind 

as a caring mother, found the chest, opened it, and found them still alive. He and his 

wife had no children so they took them home and cared for them. Dictys then 

raised Perseus to manhood until he was grown up. Dicty's brother, Polydectes, was 

king of Seriphos and thought Danae was as radiant as the sun.

 Perseus now grown, was very protective of his mother against Polydectes. So, 

Polydectes thought of a plan to get rid of Perseus. He pretended to be in love with 

Hipposdameia and declared their marriage. He asked each to give him gift of a 

horse, and all did so, except Perseus, who was as poor as a church mouse. Perseus 

declared that he would bring back a better gift than anyone else. This is what 

Polydectes wanted, so he asked Perseus to bring back the head of Medusa as a gift. 

Medusa was a beautiful mortal and was one of the three Gorgon Sisters but, Athena 

became angry and turned Medusa into a fearsome creature as evil as sin. Her hair 

was changed into serpents, her face was as ugly as a toad and all who looked at her 

face would turn to stone.

Perseus, as brave as a lion, left on a ship, and sailed to Greece to find out where 

Medusa lived. As he continued, he met a man wearing winged sandals called 

Hermes, who was as young as time, and Athena, whose eyes were like gray storm 

clouds. They told him he must find Graeae so they could tell them where the 

Nymphs of the North were, for they will tell him where to find Medusa's lair; they 

gave him an invisible helm, magical sword, and winged sandals. They sent Perseus 

on his way to seek Graeae, three ancient women. They were as old as creation and 

shared one eye and one tooth among them. So, Perseus hid behind some bushes 

and watched them. When one took out to eye to give to another, Perseus sprang up 

from his hiding place and snatched the eye from them.

Since Perseus stole the old women's eye, they reluctantly told him where to find 

the Nymphs of the North. He gave them back their eye and flew off on his 

winged sandals. The Nymphs of the North were as kind as consent, so they gave 

him the Cap of Darkness, which has the power to turn its wearer invisible, and a 

magic wallet. Then they told him how to reach Medusa's lair. Perseus kept going 

north until he found an island surrounded by rocks and statues which were once 

men. The place looked as dead as mutton and as quiet as a broken clock. Perseus 

raised his shield and saw medusa and her sisters sleeping He put on the Cap of 

Darkness, flew down, and cut Medusa's head with the sword. Her sisters awoke 

but he was able to escape with his winged sandals without suffering any injury.

While still looking at the shield, Perseus put Medusa's head in the magic wallet. On 

his way back to Seriphos, he saw many things, one was that he came across 

Atlas, who looked as tired as tombstones, holding the world upon his shoulders. 

Perseus felt sorry for Altas, so he turned him to stone with the head of 

Medusa so he could no longer feel the weight of the world upon his shoulders. He 

then saw a statue chained to a stone near the ocean. He realized it was no statue 

but a woman. She looked like a scared baby bird. Perseus talked to her and 

realized she was just as beautiful as the sunset. She said her name was 

Andromada. He asked why she was chained to a rock and she told him that her 

mother had boasted that she was more beautiful than Nereids, Nymphs of the sea.

You've previewed 13 of 20 pages.

To read more: