Perseus was the son of the mortal Danae

Perseus was the son of the mortal Danae and Zeus, the king of the gods.

Danae’s father, Acrisius had a dream where he saw himself being killed by an adult Perseus.

Acrisius put Danae and the baby Perseus in a wooden chest and cast them out to sea. He hoped never to see them again.

The chest washed up on the island of Seriphos which was ruled by King Polydectes.

Over the years, King Polydectes fell in love with Danae and wanted to marry her. Danae didn’t like this idea.

Perseus was grown up by now. King Polydectes decided he needed to get rid of him.

Polydectes told Perseus to bring back the head of Medusa as a wedding present.

Medusa was one of the monstrous Gorgons. She had snakes for hair, the body of a lion and her gaze could turn people into stone.

Perseus didn’t even know where to start to look for the Gorgons. He got lost and called on the gods for help.

The goddess Athena appeared. She showed him where the Graeae, the sisters of the Gorgons lived.

Athena gave Perseus some magical winged sandals, the helmet of Hades, a special satchel, a sharp metal sickle and a mirrored shield.

The Graeae were three old women. They were blind and shared one magical eye between them.

Perseus went and stole the Graeae’s eye. He wouldn’t give it back to the women until they told him where he could find the Gorgons.

Perseus used the magical winged sandals to fly to the island where the Gorgons lived. He found where they were sleeping.

Perseus used Athena’s shield as a mirror. He chopped off the head of Medusa with the sickle and put the head inside the satchel.

The other Gorgons woke up and chased Perseus but he escaped by putting on the helmet of Hades. The helmet made Perseus invisible!

On his way back home Perseus rescued the beautiful maiden Andromeda from a terrible sea monster.

Perseus arrived back home just as King Polydectes was about to marry Danae. Polydectes asked to see his wedding present.

Perseus showed him the Gorgon’s head and Polydectes was instantly turned to stone. Danae was saved.

Perseus married the beautiful Andromeda. He went on to rule his own kingdom and had many descendents including the hero Heracles.