The Snake-Haired Monster

S1: Our story takes place long ago in ancient Greece.  

S2: It is about a good woman named Danae—

Perseus: —and her very brave son, Perseus.

S3: They live a quiet life on the island of Seriphos.

S1: But all is not well. The evil king wishes to marry Danae.

Danae: And he will not take no for an answer!

S2: One day, the king finds Danae in her garden.

King: Danae, I could have any woman. But I choose you. 

Danae: Your people are suffering. You do not help them. Why would I want a husband like that? 

King: You dare to refuse me? 

S3: He starts to draw his sword. Perseus runs in. 

Perseus: Stop! Do not threaten my mother! 

S1: The king smirks.

King: Ah, Perseus. It is always a pleasure to see you. 

Perseus: Get out of here!

King: You will be sorry—both of you! 

S2: Back at the palace, the king sits on his throne. His advisers stand before him. 

King: I must get rid of Perseus. If he were gone, I’m sure Danae would marry me. 

Adviser 1: Give him a dangerous task. 

Adviser 2: Yes! A task he cannot say no to—or survive. 

S3: The king comes up with an evil plan.

S1: He announces that he is marrying a different woman. He hosts a party to celebrate.

S2: Guests have brought expensive presents. 

King: Perseus, are you so lazy that you have nothing to offer your king? 

Perseus (angry): I am not lazy. I will bring you whatever gift you wish for!  

King: The gift I want is . . . the head of Medusa! 

Crowd: Gasp!

Danae: No! Medusa is a deadly monster. Instead of hair, she has live snakes on her head. Anyone who looks at her turns to stone! 

S3: Perseus’s eyes slowly move back to the king.

Perseus: As you wish. 

Danae: Stop! It’s too dangerous. Everyone who challenges Medusa fails. 

Perseus: Then killing her means my name will be remembered forever.

King (to himself): No, fool. You will die and be forgotten.

S1: Medusa’s location is a mystery. For months, Perseus tries to find her. 

S2: One night, Athena appears. She is the goddess of wisdom. With her is Hermes, the messenger of the gods.

Athena (to Hermes): Perseus is a good man. It’s time for us to help him. 

Athena: Perseus, please take my metal shield. It will be the key to your success. 

Hermes: And take this magic sickle. Its diamond blade can cut through any surface. 

S3: Perseus bows to them. 

Perseus: Do you perhaps know where I can find Medusa?

Athena: Only the Gray Sisters can tell you. 

Hermes: They live on a cliff by the sea. Follow us. 

S1: Athena and Hermes lead Perseus to the Gray Sisters. 

Athena: You must go alone now. Good luck.

S2: Perseus climbs into the Gray Sisters’ lair. He watches them from behind a rock. 

S3: The sisters are old, wrinkly, and blind—except for a single eye. 

S1: They pass it back and forth.  

Gray Sister 1: Give me the eye. I want to look around. 

Gray Sister 2: You just had it! But fine—take it.

S2: Sister 2 removes the eye and hands it to Sister 1.

S3: Perseus creeps closer.

Gray Sister 3: My turn!

Gray Sister 1: But I just got the eye! 

Gray Sister 3: Selfish, selfish. 

S1: Sister 1 reaches out to give the eye to Sister 3. But Perseus grabs it. 

Gray Sister 3: Where is it? My hand is empty.

Gray Sister 1: Then who has it? Who has our eye?

Perseus (stepping forward): I do. I will give it back if you tell me where to find Medusa!

Gray Sister 2: We will never tell. 

Perseus: Then I will throw your eye into the sea. 

All Gray Sisters: Nooooo!

Gray Sister 2: We’ll tell, we’ll tell!

Gray Sister 1: Only the Nymphs of the North know where Medusa is. 

Perseus: How can I find them? 

S2: The sisters whisper in his ear. He returns their eye. 

S3: Perseus finds the nymphs dancing at the edge of the water. 

Nymph 1: Greetings, Perseus. The winds told us you were coming. 

Nymph 2: Medusa is an evil creature. We would be honored to help you. 

Nymph 1: Take these winged sandals. Use them to soar through the air to Medusa’s cave. 

Nymph 2: Take this cloth sack. Even after Medusa’s head is cut off, it can still turn you to stone if you look at it. 

Nymph 1: Take this Helmet of Darkness. It will make you invisible to Medusa’s sisters as you escape. 

Nymph 2: Now go. Be quick. And be brave. 

Perseus: Thank you!

S1: Perseus sails on his winged sandals until he reaches the entrance to Medusa’s cave. 

S2: Everywhere he looks, he sees statues. 

S3: The statues used to be humans and animals. They all turned to stone when they looked at Medusa.

Perseus (to himself): How can I cut off Medusa’s head if I can’t even look at her? 

S1: Perseus sees his reflection in Athena’s shield. 

Perseus: That’s it!

S2: Perseus walks backward into the cave. 

S3: He uses the shield as a mirror to see behind him. 

S1: Medusa and her sisters are sleeping. 

S2: As Perseus nears, the snakes on Medusa’s head begin hissing and twisting.

S3: Medusa’s eyes fly open. She cries out with rage. 

Medusa: Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! How dare you enter this cave!

S1: Perseus uses the shield as a mirror to look at Medusa. He raises the sickle and swings it behind him. 

Medusa: Just wait until . . . Nooooooooo!

S2: Medusa’s head rolls away from her body. Perseus shoves the head into the sack without looking at it. 

S3: Medusa’s sisters awaken and see her headless body. 

S1: Perseus throws the Helmet of Darkness onto his head. He becomes invisible and quickly flies away.

S2: Perseus returns to Seriphos. He finds his mother scrubbing floors in the palace.

Danae: Son, you are alive! Our horrible king has made me a slave because I still won’t marry him. 

Perseus: I thought he chose another woman to be his wife!

Danae: It was all a lie to get rid of you.

S3: The king enters. He is amazed to see Perseus alive.

King: You? Here? How is that possible?

Perseus: I have returned with a gift for you.

S1: Perseus holds out the sack. 

King (laughing): You have Medusa’s head in that bag?

Perseus: I do. Would you care to see it?

King (not believing him): Of course I would. 

Perseus: Mother, please shield your eyes!

S2: Perseus lifts Medusa’s head out of the sack. 

S3: The king immediately turns to stone. His face will forever be frozen in a look of shock.

S1: Perseus puts the head back into the sack. Danae opens her eyes. 

Danae: My son, you have killed a monster with a monster! Your name will indeed be remembered forever.