Summary of the story: Brave Perseus. Brave Perseus, filmstrip (1984)
Textbook, p. 189–214.| Pedagogical tasks: create conditions for improving the skills of public reading and retelling of literary text; present a universal picture of the world and the role of man in it through the means of various arts; contribute to the formation of a positive perception of the surrounding reality; to promote the cultivation of a sense of beauty through awareness of the emotional and figurative unity of myths, poetry, and painting |
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| Planned results |
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| Subject: let's get acquainted with the ancient Greek myth of Perseus; will learn read aloud fluently, consciously, without distortion, expressively, conveying your attitude to what you read, highlighting important words when reading, observing pauses between sentences and parts of the text | Metasubject: educational: predict the content of the section; analyze a literary text based on the teacher’s system of questions, identify the main idea of the work, formulate it at the level of generalization in joint collective activity; regulatory: read in accordance with the purpose of reading (fluently, expressively, by role, expressively by heart, etc.); communicative: prepare a short presentation (6–7 slides), turning to adults for help only in case of difficulties; understand the purpose of their statement | Personal: consciously prepare for literary reading lessons, complete assignments, formulate their questions and assignments for classmates |
| Educational Resources: card for individual work |
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During the classes
I. Organization of the beginning of the lesson– Let's check your readiness for the lesson.
Notify about readiness
to the lesson. Determine readiness
II. Updating basic knowledge.
1. Checking homework.
2. Speech warm-up
Checks homework. Conducts a conversation about the work done.
– Tell us about working in a group to create a children's magazine.
Organizes speech warm-up to develop reading technique
– Read the tongue twister syllable by syllable. Read it angrily, in surprise, in a tongue twister 3 times.
The longboat arrived at the port of Madras.
The sailor brought a mattress on board.
A sailor's mattress in the port of Madras
albatrosses tore apart in a fight
Answer the teacher's questions. They talk about the work done at home. Each group of students presents their own children's magazine.
Perform speech exercises
III. Lesson topic message. Defining Lesson Objectives
– What do you want today's lesson to be?
Our reading book concludes with a section...("Foreign literature".)
What foreign writers do you know?
– Do you have a favorite foreign writer? What country is he from?
What is your favorite work of his? Why do you like it?
– You know many works by foreign authors, but they are not the ones who open the section. Today we begin our acquaintance with the myths and legends of Ancient Greece.
– Read the topic of the lesson. Determine the objectives of the lesson.
– We will try to find out how in ancient times people imagined the structure of the world and the laws that govern it, who these people considered heroes, what concepts such as duty, honor, glory, immortality, heroic feat mean from their point of view
Discuss the topic of the lesson. Answer the teacher’s questions and formulate the purpose of the lesson. By the title of the work, the thematic and emotional orientation of the text is determined, and the main characters are identified. Under the guidance of the teacher, they determine reading objectives and create a reading plan.
IV. Getting to know Greek
mythology
Mythographers appeared in Greece around the 4th century BC. e. During the heroic period, mythological images centralized around myths associated with the legendary Mount Olympus. According to the myths of Ancient Greece, it is possible to recreate a picture of the world as imagined by its ancient inhabitants. In the minds of the ancient Greeks, the Olympian gods were like people, and the relationship between them resembled the relationship between people: they quarreled and made peace, envied and interfered in people’s lives, were offended, took part in wars, rejoiced, had fun and fell in love. Each of the gods had a specific occupation, being responsible for a specific area of life: Zeus (Dias) is the ruler of the sky, the father of gods and people. Hera (Ira) is the wife of Zeus, the patroness of the family. Poseidon is the ruler of the seas. Hestia (Estia) is the protector of the family hearth. Demeter (Dimitra) – goddess of agriculture. Apollo is the god of light and music. Athena is the goddess of wisdom. Hermes (Ermis) is the god of trade and messenger of the gods. Hephaestus (Ifestos) – god of fire. Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty. Ares (Aris) – god of war. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt.
V. Work on the content of the text.
1. Working with an explanatory dictionary.
2. Primary reading of the work
– Explain the meaning of words and expressions written on the board.
– How do you understand the meaning of words?myth, legend ?
Myth - an ancient folk tale about legendary heroes and gods.
Legend – 1. A poetic legend about some historical event. 2. Fiction.
Students find the meanings of words in the explanatory dictionarymyth And legend
Organizes initial listening to the text
– The myth that we will read today will tell us about the brave Perseus. Have you heard this name? Do you know the exploits of Perseus? Today we will get acquainted with only a few of them.Conducts work to discuss the text after the initial listening.
– What genre does this literary work belong to?(This is an ancient Greek myth.)
– This is one of the myths - a folk tale about the legendary hero Perseus.
– What did you like most about this story? What does this work teach?
– From whose perspective is the story being told? Name the heroes of the work. Did you like Perseus?
– What qualities of his particularly attracted you?(Bravery, courage, the fact that he could not remain indifferent to someone else’s misfortune, intelligence, ingenuity, kindness, responsiveness.)
Listen to the text. They answer the question and determine the genre of the work.
Answer the teacher's questions. Argue their point of view
VI. Re-reading and analysis of the work
Organizes repeated, selective reading and discussion of the content of the work.
– Is there a negative hero in this myth who does not evoke sympathy?(Polydect.)
– Who is Polydectes?(King of the city.) What did Polydectes do when a great disaster befell the city and its inhabitants?(He ran away from the palace and hid with his nobles in the cellar, deep underground.) What was the name of the brave man who lived in this city?(Perseus.)
– What was Perseus like?(Perseus was a brave, courageous, brave man.)
– Find a description of Perseus.(“Fortunately, the brave Perseus lived in this city.
He was never afraid of anyone.")
- What decision did Perseus make after learning about Medusa the Gorgon?(Find and kill.)
- Find a description of the Gorgon Medusa in the text and underline the words that help depict her.(Medusa Gorgon is a winged woman.)
Why did Perseus decide to fight Medusa the Gorgon, no matter what?(Perseus wanted to take revenge on Medusa the Gorgon for her evil deeds.)
- Who helped him find the evil witch?(Familiar fisherman.)
– What danger came from Medusa the Gorgon?(You can’t look at her - you’ll turn to stone . )
– What trick did Perseus come up with before the start of the battle? (Look into the shield in which the Gorgon Medusa is reflected.)
Can this act of Perseus be called a feat?(Yes, he saved Andromeda at the risk of his life.)
Perseus loved his homeland, his family and friends very much. “I will kill this evil witch. I will save my homeland from her!”
– Re-read the text again, analyze how Perseus acted.(Perseus did everything very quickly, since the sisters of Medusa the Gorgon could wake up.)
– Re-read the description of the chase and find the most tense moment.
What words help define this?(“Now they will plunge their sharp copper claws into him!”, “Perseus fled without looking back.”)
- What other feat did Perseus accomplish?(Saving the beautiful Andromeda, Perseus fought with a terrible sea monster.)
What positive role did Medusa Gorgon perform?(With the help of her head, Perseus was able to defeat the terrible sea dragon, which every day devoured the people of one of the cities.)
- Find and re-read the passage about Perseus's fight with the dragon. Think about why these particular verbs are used in the text? (These verbs enhance the reader's impression of the danger threatening Perseus.)
Reading the work
along the chain. Interact with the teacher during a survey carried out in frontal mode.
Participate in group conversation and discussion
The answers are supported by excerpts from the text of the work.
Read:
– She was very beautiful. “Her wings sparkled like a rainbow, she had such a beautiful, sad, thoughtful young face...”
– Medusa Gorgon is calm. But her calmness is anger and cruelty.
“She was a heartless woman.” “There were many children running on the lawns, in the gardens, in the streets. ... But as soon as the Gorgon Medusa passed by them, they turned into a cold pile of stones.”
1 . Working with a table
2. Work using a card
3. Working with proverbs.
Read the verbs in the first column. Based on the context, connect the verbs with the corresponding synonyms.
Answers:Prowl
Open wide
Prowl
Run hastily, wander
Devour
Devour
Eat, eat, taste
tear to pieces
Run hastily, wander
tear to pieces
Tear it into pieces, rip it with your teeth
rush
Eat, eat, taste
rush
gape
To rush quickly, to run headlong
gape
Open wide
– Review the table.
Why did Pallas Athena give a gift to Perseus?
How did people living in the same city with Andromeda greet Perseus?
How did people perpetuate the memory of Perseus?(Constellations are named after him and the beautiful Andromeda.)
– Read the passage that talks about this.
Works in pairs.
– Re-read the text on the card. Fill in the missing words in the passage from the work.
"Looking at _________ (mirror) shield in which Medusa was reflected, Perseus ran up to her and immediately cut her off with one blow of his sword _________(terrible) head. The head flew away and rolled towards _________(stream) . But Perseus is still not ____________(looked) at her, because now she could turn him into __________(stone) . He took a bag made from __________(goat) fur, threw Medusa's head there and quickly ran along _______(to the mountains) ».
Organizes a discussion, listens to students’ opinions, and summarizes.
– Why did the king consider Perseus crazy? How is this said in the myth? Read it.
– What helped Perseus defeat the Gorgon Medusa?(Courage and fearlessness, faith in justice, intelligence, as well as his copper shield, which he used to fulfill his plan.)
– Read the proverbs written on the board. Choose those proverbs that correspond to this work.
On the desk :
The brave will find where the timid will lose.
Two deaths cannot happen, but one cannot be avoided.
For a just cause, do not spare your own head and do not show mercy to someone else.
VII. Homework
Explains homework.
Prepare a creative retelling from the perspective of Perseus.
Draw an illustration for the fragment you like most
Listen carefully and ask clarifying questions
VIII. Lesson summary. Reflection
– What particularly interested you during the lesson? What new did you learn in the lesson?
– What work did you get acquainted with today? Who is its author?
– Did you like the work? How did it make you feel? What makes you think?
– Did you like the work in the lesson? Evaluate yourself.
Conducts reflection on the content of educational material, uses the “Flower Meadow” technique.
Flower - type of activity in the lesson: reading a text, analyzing a work. By the end of the lesson, a flower meadow appears.
– Place your butterfly over the flower which type of work you liked most during the lesson
Answer questions.
Determine your emotional state
at the lesson. Conduct self-assessment and reflection
They are very entertaining and interesting. The most powerful civilization at one time described the interaction of the gods of Olympus and ordinary people. Tales about various heroes played an important role in the myths of the ancient Greeks. One of such famous characters is Perseus (Greece). He is credited with defeating the deadly monster Medusa the Gorgon. The ancient Greek legend about Perseus will be briefly told in the article.
Birth of a Hero
In ancient times, the sayings of oracles were of great importance to the ancient Greeks. The ruler of Argos, Acrisius, tried to avoid the predicted fate by imprisoning his own daughter Danae, who was famous for her unearthly beauty. According to the prediction, the king was supposed to die at the hands of his grandson. However, the measures taken by Acrisius did not become a difficult obstacle for the great Zeus, who penetrated into the hard-to-reach place where Danae was kept, under the guise of golden rain. The son born from the thunder god was named Perseus. The news of the birth of Perseus greatly frightened the king of Argos. He ordered Danae and the baby to be put in a box, after which they were beaten tightly and thrown into the sea.
Serif
The myths of Ancient Greece about Perseus tell that it was not easy for the little future hero and his mother. After long wanderings across the endless expanses of the sea, the boarded up box, thanks to the roaring waves, finally landed on the shore of the island of Serif. At that time, the fisherman Dictis was throwing his fishing nets into the water. It was he who became the savior of Danae and Perseus. After opening the box, the fisherman’s surprise knew no bounds, because he clearly did not expect to see a beautiful woman and a cute baby. Subsequently, Dictys decided to show them to his brother Polydectes, who ruled Serif.
Danaë and Polydectes
The king of the island, Polydectes, welcomed Danae and her son. He left them to live in his luxurious palace. Thus, Perseus spent his childhood and youth under the tutelage of King Polydectes on Serif.
Over time, the young man became strong and slender. Perseus was noticeably different from his peers in his divine beauty, strength, dexterity and courage. Not a single guy on the island could compare with him in anything.
Polydectes could not resist the unearthly beauty of Danae. That is why the king wanted to take her as his wife. However, Perseus was categorically against such a marriage, making every effort to prevent it from taking place. Because of this, Polydectes disliked him and decided to get rid of the only obstacle on the way to his cherished goal. Perseus was tasked with going to a distant land to behead the Gorgon Medusa. No mortal has yet managed to survive an encounter with a terrible monster. Therefore, King Polydectes prepared a one-way mission for Perseus.
Medusa Gorgon and her sisters
According to the myths of Ancient Greece, the sea deity Phorcys and his sister Keto had three daughters who looked like snake-haired monsters. Euryale and Stheno were immortal from birth, and only their younger sister Medusa remained vulnerable.
According to legend, Medusa the Gorgon was a pretty girl with beautiful hair. Trying to find protection from Poseidon's advances, she hid in the temple of Athena. However, God still managed to penetrate the girl’s shelter in the form of a bird and take possession of her. The angry goddess took out her anger on Medusa, turning her into a terrible monster with snake-like hair.
Medusa Gorgon, unlike her sisters, although she was not immortal, could fascinate people with her gaze. Her amazing gift served as a deadly weapon. It was enough for a person to see the direct gaze of the Gorgon Medusa, as he instantly turned into a stone statue.
Perseus fees
According to the myths about Perseus, the various gods of Olympus provided the hero with great help. Among his patrons, it is worth noting Athena, who was known for her hatred of Medusa the Gorgon. The god Hermes, his half-brother, also played an important role in equipping the hero. Thus, before the journey, Perseus became the owner of very valuable artifacts.
The hero received a metal shield from Athena. It was so smooth that it was practically indistinguishable from a mirror. Hermes handed him a sharp weapon. Perseus's sword, like soft wax, cut even the hardest steel.
Journey of Perseus
The young hero needed to get to the western edge of the earth, because that’s where the Gorgons lived. Perseus had to go through many countries and see various peoples on the way to a dark place.
To find out the exact location of Medusa, the hero had to outwit the three Gray sisters, who shared one tooth and one eye. Perseus waited in ambush for an opportune moment while one gray-haired old woman was handing over the only eye to another, and with a quick movement he intercepted it. The sisters had no choice but to tell Persia the location of the Gorgons.
Before the battle with Medusa the Gorgon, Perseus visited the inhabitants of the legendary northern country of Hyperborea. They made a solemn sacrifice for the god Apollo, and also presented Perseus with a Hades cap made of dog skin. It made it possible to make its owner completely invisible. In ancient Greek mythology, the hat was of great importance, because it was often used by the gods themselves. Perseus was also given magic sandals, with which he could quickly soar above the ground. The donated bag had the magical ability to change in size depending on the volume of things placed inside. Having put the sandals and hat of Hades into it, Perseus went to the decisive battle.
Battle with Medusa the Gorgon
Thanks to the magic sandals, Perseus managed to cross the sea and get to the island where the snake-haired monsters lived. When the hero managed to find the Gorgons, they were all asleep, to his happiness. The mirror-polished shield served Perseus as eyes. With its help, he was able to clearly see the sleeping sisters with steel scales and golden wings. Only the snakes on the Gorgons' heads moved a little.
The myth of Perseus and Medusa the Gorgon says that the hero’s task was complicated by the fact that the deadly sisters were like two peas in a pod. The slightest mistake could cost lives, because only one of them did not have immortality. However, even here the gods of Olympus came to his aid. Quick Hermes told Perseus the exact location of Medusa. Using the mirror shield donated by Athena, the hero cut off the Gorgon's head with one blow with his sharp sword.
Perseus's path home
The myths of Ancient Greece about Perseus contain information that, having thrown Medusa’s head into a magic bag, the hero hastened to quickly get away from the ominous island. However, the body of his victim fell from a cliff into the sea, thereby awakening the two Gorgons. Thanks to Hades' hat, the hero managed to avoid death from winged monsters and leave the island unhindered.
Perseus's way home lay through Libya. Drops of blood flowed from Medusa's severed head onto the ground, which turned into poisonous snakes. Subsequently, Libya turned into a desert country.
The next place on the way home was the refuge of Atlas, who, like the apple of his eye, protected a tree with golden branches, leaves and apples. The giant was predicted by the goddess Themis that his fruits would be stolen by the son of Zeus. Tired Perseus asked Atlas to take a break. However, the giant, because of the prophecy, ordered him to leave. After this, the angry hero pulled Medusa's head out of his bag and turned Atlas into a huge stone statue, which began to constantly support the entire vault of heaven.
Rescue Andromeda
In Ethiopia, the hero decided to take a break after a difficult flight. Just then the lovely girl Andromeda had to atone for the guilt of her stupid and arrogant mother. Queen Cassiopeia was proud of her beauty, declaring to everyone that she was the most beautiful. The nymphs begged Poseidon to punish the ruler of Ethiopia and her entire country. The sea god, as his punishment, sent a gigantic monster that rose from the depths and devastated everything in its path.
According to the statement of the oracle of Zeus, only the sacrifice of Andromeda could put an end to Poseidon's punishment. However, before the death of the beautiful girl, pale with horror, Perseus arrived in time. At the sight of Andromeda, a strong feeling of love burned in the hero’s heart. Perseus invited her parents to marry their daughter, promising to save her. Having received an approving response, the hero entered into a stubborn confrontation with the sea monster, striking him one blow with his sword after another. After the end of the terrible battle, all the inhabitants of Ethiopia glorified Perseus.
Perseus' wedding
On the eve of the wedding ceremony, the hero made rich sacrifices to his patrons from Olympus. A luxurious feast took place in the royal palace, which was covered with greenery and flowers in honor of the newlyweds. All the people also feasted with the rulers of Ethiopia. During the feast, Perseus told the guests about his exploits. However, the wedding feast was ruined after Andromeda's first groom appeared with a large army. Phineus in the palace began to accuse the hero of stealing his bride, after which a desperate battle began. Perseus bravely fought against superior enemy forces, but was able to win only with the help of the head of Medusa. Thus, the statue of Phineus with an expression of fear and slavish prayer in his eyes remained forever in the palace.
Return to Serif and revenge on Polydectes
Perseus did not stay long in Ethiopia after the bloody battle. Together with his beautiful wife, he hurried to return to his native island. Perseus's mother was in despair at this time, because she had to constantly hide in the temple of Zeus from Polydectes. The angry Perseus decided to get even with the king of Serif. Entering the palace, Perseus found him at a luxurious feast. Polydectes' surprise knew no bounds, because the king could not even doubt the victory of the Gorgons. The hero told those present that he had brought the head of Medusa. The ruler of Serif did not believe Perseus and began to accuse him of lying. When the hero’s cup of patience was overflowing due to the bullying of Polydectes and his friends, he took his head out of the bag and showed everyone irrefutable proof. After this, the king and all those who feasted instantly turned into stone statues.
A prediction that came true
Danae and Perseus wanted to meet with Acrisius, who continued to rule Argos. However, he, fearing the oracle’s prediction, did not allow his daughter and grandson into his house. Many years later, at the Olympic Games, Perseus accidentally launched a disk to the audience. A heavy projectile instantly killed Acrisius, thereby fulfilling the oracle's prophecy.
The myth of Perseus in cinema
The famous feat of the famous hero was successfully transferred to the cinema. In 1981, the feature adventure film “Clash of the Titans” was shot in the USA. The film was directed by Desmond Davis. And although the American film was somewhat different from the ancient Greek myths, the film adaptation of the feat of Perseus was a tremendous success. The sea monster in Clash of the Titans was called the Kraken, which was borrowed from Norse mythology. If in the myth snakes appeared from the blood of Medusa, then in the film - scorpions. In any case, the audience really liked the film, and the special effects, for 1981, were simply excellent.
In 2010, the American film industry decided to update the film adaptation of the myth about the feat of Perseus. The remake of the 1981 film was also called Clash of the Titans. Louis Leterrier was appointed director, and Sam Worthington played the main role. In addition to the traditional version, the film was also shown in 3D format. While the 1981 film adaptation cost $15 million, the remake's budget was $125 million. The 2010 film was overall successful, grossing $493 million.
The creators of the remake also made changes to ancient Greek myths. The god Hades was presented in the film as a negative character who hated people and opposed himself to Zeus. However, Perseus, thanks to the head of Medusa, managed to cope with the Kraken and send Hades back to the underworld. Instead of ruling Argos or moving to Olympus, the brave hero wanted to enjoy an ordinary human life.
Thus, thanks to the myth of Perseus, you can learn about the legendary feat of the greatest hero of Ancient Greece. American film adaptations will allow everyone to plunge into the exciting atmosphere of adventure and battles with various monsters.
Year of writing: 1936
Genre: fairy tale
Main characters: Perseus, Andromeda, Jellyfish
Plot
Perseus entered into battle with Medusa, from one glance into whose eyes people turned to stone. The young man was able to defeat this creature with the help of a mirror shield and cut off its head and hid it in a bag.
Returning to his homeland, he saw a beautiful girl chained to a rock. He asked why this was done. And she replied that she was destined to be sacrificed to the sea dragon, which once a year comes out of the sea and takes the most beautiful maiden.
And at that moment a huge monster appeared from the depths of the sea, but Perseus was not taken aback, but pulled Medusa’s head out of the bag and showed it to the dragon, from the last look of the sorceress he petrified. From now on, the inhabitants of this country did not need to sacrifice their daughters, and the beautiful Andromeda became the young man’s wife.
Conclusion (my opinion)
With the help of myths, people in ancient times explained the appearance of planets, stars, sun, moon, arts and crafts. The constellation Perseus and the radiant star Andromeda shine in the sky, looking at which we remember a wonderful legend designed to perpetuate in the memory of descendants the courage and valor of our ancestors.
Korney Chukovsky fairy tale "Brave Perseus"
The main characters of the fairy tale "Brave Perseus" and their characteristics
- Perseus, a very brave and courageous young man who was not afraid of anything. He loved his country very much and could not see the suffering of other people. He was kind and sympathetic.
- Andromeda, a beautiful girl who was almost fed to the Dragon.
- Polydectes, a greedy and cowardly king, is a big fan of parties in basements.
- Appearance in the city of Medusa
- Polydecte's Basement
- Perseus promises to kill Medusa
- Perseus finds the lair and kills Medusa
- Gorgon Sisters.
- Sorceress Athena and flying sandals
- Chained Beauty
- Stone dragon
- Wedding of Perseus and Andromeda
- Return of Perseus
- Stone King
- Perseus and Andromeda fly away
- The city was attacked by Medusa the Gorgon, who turned people into stones, and King Polydectes hid in the basement
- Perseus searches for Medusa and promises Polydectes to bring her head.
- Perseus kills Medusa, escapes from her sisters, and Athena gives him sandals.
- Perseus saves Andromeda by turning a huge dragon into stone
- Perseus shows Medusa's head to Polydectes and he becomes stone.
- Perseus refuses to be King and flies away with Andromeda.
A brave and brave heart knows no barriers and strives to help other people.
What does the fairy tale "Brave Perseus" teach?
This fairy tale teaches us courage and selflessness. Teaches not to be afraid of enemies, not to retreat and not to give up. Teaches that all the treasures in the world cannot compare with love. Teaches that one cannot be cowardly and greedy, that these vices will certainly bring a person to a bad end.
Review of the fairy tale "Brave Perseus"
I really liked how Korney Chukovsky remade the ancient Greek myth. He made it into a story about serving the motherland, serving the people. I really liked how Perseus conducted his affairs, he did not think about death and won where others folded. This is a wonderful story with such a beautiful and romantic ending.
Proverbs for the fairy tale "Brave Perseus"
It is better to fight as an eagle than to live as a hare.
Either the chest is covered in crosses, or the head is in the bushes.
The brave coward is behind the stove.
Summary, brief retelling of the fairy tale "Brave Perseus"
Trouble came to one ancient city - a terrible monster named Medusa the Gorgon settled next to it. She was a beautiful woman, but instead of hair she had snakes wriggling, and everyone she looked at turned to stone.
Medusa turned many city residents into stones, and King Polydectes hid with the nobles in the basement of the palace and feasted there.
There lived in this city a brave young man, Perseus, who decided to kill Medusa. He asked everyone where to find Medusa's lair, but no one knew.
Perseus went down to Polydectes' basement and promised to bring him the greatest treasure - the head of Medusa. But Polydectes only laughed at him.
Finally, the old man showed Perseus where the jellyfish lived and the young man climbed a high mountain. There he saw Medusa and her sisters, who looked like pigs.
Perseus began to look into his copper shield and ran up to Medusa. With one blow he cut off the monster's head and threw it into his bag. Then Perseus ran away, and Medusa's sisters flew after him and asked him to give his head.
But Perseus ran quickly and soon overtook the Gorgon sisters.
He met the sorceress Pallas Athena, who gave Perseus flying sandals. Perseus put on his sandals and flew across the desert.
Suddenly he saw a girl on the seashore who was chained to a rock. She said that she was sacrificed to a terrible dragon, but Perseus was not afraid and freed the girl. He waited for the dragon to appear, and turned it to stone with Medusa's head.
The inhabitants of the city welcomed Perseus, and he and Andromeda, that was the girl’s name, got married.
Perseus gave Andromeda one sandal and they flew to Perseus's hometown. Perseus went down to Polydectes' basement and said that he had brought the head of the Gorgon.
But Polydectes only laughed, saying that there was a pumpkin in the bag. Then Perseus took out the head of Medusa and the king and nobles turned into stone.
Residents of the city called Perseus to become king, but the hero refused. He threw Medusa's head into the sea and flew away with his Andromeda.
Drawings and illustrations for the fairy tale "Brave Perseus"
The king of Argos, Acrisius, had only one child - the daughter of Danae. The oracle predicted to Acrisius that his own grandson would kill him. Hearing this prophecy, Acrisius imprisoned Danae in a copper tower, guarded by fierce dogs, so that no man could approach her. But the god Zeus, who loved Danae, overcame all the obstacles. He came down to her in the form of golden rain, and Danae gave birth to a son from the king of the gods - Perseus.
Danae. Painting by Rembrandt, 1636-1643
Acrisius, having learned about this, did not believe in the paternity of Zeus. Since the birth of Perseus, according to the oracle, threatened him with mortal danger, Acrisius put Danae and her son in a wooden box and threw him into the sea. Near the island of Serif, the box was caught in the net by the fisherman Dictys, who took the rescued Danae and Perseus to his brother, the king of Serif, Polydectes. Perseus grew up in his house.
Years later, Polydectes decided to forcibly make Danae his wife. The matured Perseus opposed this. Then Polydectes, for the sake of appearance, announced that he would woo Hippodamia, the daughter of the hero Pelops, and asked all his associates to bring him gifts that he could give to his bride. Perseus, delighted that the king would no longer harass his mother, promised to get Polydectes any gift - “if necessary, then the head of the Gorgon Medusa.”
Sinister female monsters, the Gorgons, lived at the edge of the world. Of the three Gorgon sisters, only Medusa was mortal - and the most terrible. Instead of hair, snakes moved on her head, and there were fangs sharp as daggers in her mouth. The sight of Medusa was so disgusting that anyone who glanced at her turned to stone in horror. Hearing Perseus’s rash promise, Polydectes rejoiced at the opportunity to get rid of the inconvenient young man and demanded that his word be fulfilled.
Head of Medusa. Painting by Rubens, c. 1617-1618
From the dead body of the Gorgon, the winged horse Pegasus and the warrior Chrysaor with a golden sword, whom Medusa conceived from the god Poseidon in one of the temples of Athena, soared upward. Having put the severed head into his bag, Perseus, wearing winged sandals, rushed through the air. Medusa's sisters, the gorgons Stheno and Euryale, rushed after the killer. But Hades's hat made Perseus invisible, and he escaped safely.
Jellyfish. Painter Caravaggio, 1595-1596
At sunset, Perseus flew to the palace of the titan Atlas, brother of Prometheus, who lived on the western edge of the earth. The rich Atlas owned thousands of herds of cattle, but his most valuable asset was a tree with golden apples. The goddess Themis predicted to Atlas that the son of Zeus would once steal these apples from him. This prophecy concerned one of the future labors of Hercules. But when Perseus, who flew to Atlas, also called himself the son of Zeus, the Titan suspected him of being the thief whose appearance Themis had predicted. Atlas refused Perseus hospitality and rudely demanded that he go home. As punishment for this, the hero showed the titan the head of the Gorgon, and he turned into Mount Atlas, which has since risen in the middle of the Libyan desert, supporting the sky with its peaks.
Perseus flew further east, across the Libyan Desert. A few drops of the blood of the Gorgon Medusa fell down and gave birth to poisonous snakes, which have since abounded in the Libyan sands. Having made a stop in the Egyptian Khemmis, Perseus reached Ethiopia, where he saw a naked girl chained to a rock on the seashore. Love for her arose in Perseus's soul. The girl was Andromeda, the daughter of the Ethiopian king Kepheus (Cepheus) and his wife Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia once boasted that she and her daughter were more beautiful than the Nereid water goddesses. They complained about this insult to the sea god Poseidon. Poseidon sent a flood and a terrible sea monster to the kingdom of Kepheus. The oracle told Kepheus that the only way to escape from these troubles was by sacrificing the sea monster Andromeda. The royal daughter was chained to a rock, and the Ethiopians, gathered on the shore, waited for the monster to swallow Andromeda.
Descending from the air to Kepheus and Cassiopeia standing by the sea, Perseus took an oath from them to marry Andromeda to him in exchange for her salvation. Soaring up again, Perseus put on Hades' cap, grabbed the sickle given to him by Hermes and, rushing at the monster approaching across the sea, killed him.
Perseus and Andromeda. Artist G. Vasari, 1570-1572
Kepheus and Cassiopeia held a feast in the palace in honor of the wedding of Perseus and Andromeda, but in their hearts they did not want this marriage, for their daughter had previously been promised to Kepheus’ brother, Phineus. During the feast, Phineus and his armed companions burst into the palace, demanding that the wedding be stopped and Andromeda given to him. Phineas was secretly supported by Cassiopeia, who wanted Perseus dead.
A bloody battle between Perseus and the people of Phineus began. Perseus killed many opponents in it. But since there were still many enemies left, the hero took the head of the Gorgon out of the wonderful bag and showed it to the Ethiopians who attacked him. Two hundred people, led by Phineas himself, turned into stone from this.
The god Poseidon placed the image of Kepheus and Cassiopeia among the stars. Cassiopeia, as punishment for the betrayal of Perseus, was placed in heaven in a market basket, which, due to the rotation of the starry vault, at certain times of the year turned over along with the queen sitting with her.
Andromeda and Perseus were later also ascended to heaven, but for now they left Ethiopia and arrived on the island of Serif. There the hero learned that his mother Danae had taken refuge from the violence of the treacherous king Polydectes in the temple. Perseus went to the palace where Polydectes was feasting and announced that he had brought the promised gift to the king. Pulling out the head of the Gorgon Medusa, he turned Polydectes and all his sycophants to stone. These stones are still shown on Serif, standing in a circle.