Many years ago there was a
beautiful woman called Medusa. She lived in a place called Athens in Greece.
She was a very kind and she obeyed her Greek gods and goddesses. There many
beautiful women in Athens but she was the most beautiful woman among all of
them. Because of this, she became vain and conceited. Every single day Medusa
always boasted about herself. She says to other people she is the prettiest out
of everyone in the whole wide world. On Sunday, Medusa told the miller that her
skin is more beautiful than fresh white snow. On Monday, she babbled to the
cobbler that her hair is brighter than the sun. On Tuesday, she commented the
blacksmith's son that her eyes are greener than Aegean Sea. On Wednesday, she
boasted to the public that her lips are redder than the reddest rose in the
world. When Medusa wasn't busy she would brag about herself while looking in a
mirror. She thought she was the prettiest woman in the whole wide world. She
admired herself. On and on Medusa went about her beauty to anyone and everyone
who stopped long enough to hear her. Until one day Medusa and her friends went
to the Parthenon. It was Medusa's first time going to the Parthenon. The
Parthenon was the biggest temple in Greece. It is the Great temple of Athena
Parthenos on the Acropolis of Athens that was built in the fifth century B.C.
(Parthenos, an adjective meaning “virgin”, was a standard epithet of Athena).
In the Parthenon was the goddess of wisdom and beauty and that was Athena.
(Athena is Zeus’ daughter that came from his head. She was born from a male.
She is a dread goddess of war and remained virgin. She is associated with the
owl and the snake) There were statues of gods and goddesses inside. Medusa saw
all the statues and she whispered, "Whoever did this statue did do a good
job but it would look better if I was the statue." Every picture she saw
she said that the person did a good job but she would look better in the
picture. When Medusa reached the altar she sighed happily and said, "My,
this is a beautiful temple. It’s a shame it is wasted on Athena for I am much
prettier than she is, perhaps one day people will build an even grander temple
for my beauty." The priestesses heard what Medusa said and they gasped.
The rumour went quickly through the whole temple and everyone started to leave.
Everyone knew Athena will get angry if anyone compared her to someone else.
Before long, the temple was empty of everyone except Medusa, who was so busy
gazing proudly at her reflection in the large bronze doors that she hadn't
noticed the fast departure of everyone else. While Medusa was gazing, the
figure changed. It became the goddess Athena. "Vain and foolish
girl," Athena shouted angrily, "You think you’re more beautiful than
me. While other people are working, and learning, you just boast about
yourself. Medusa there is more to life than beauty alone you see." Medusa
tried to point out that her beauty was an inspiration to those around her and
that she made their lives better by simply looking so lovely, but Athena
silenced her with an angry wave. "Nonsense," screamed Athena,
"One day beauty will fade away. But I will make yours fade away now and
all your loveliness will be gone forever." When Athena uttered those words
Medusa turned into a terrible monster. Her hair thickened into hissing snakes
and her body turned into a snake. "Are you happy for what I have done? Now
anyone who looks in your eyes will now turn into stone and no one will be able
to save them," Athena said, “Even you, Medusa, if you seek your
reflection, you will turn to rock the moment you see your face." Athena
then sent Medusa with her hair of snakes to live with the blind monsters, the
gorgon sisters, at the end of the earth, so that no innocent people would be
turned to stone at the sight of her by accident.
