Fairy Tales and Fables - Final Part of the Final Project

 The final story! The story about Medusa, a woman who isn't who you think she is, or was.

(Note, the three stories that have been re-told can all be found originally at Greekboston. Simply search up the title of the story)

These stories were printed out and made into a small story book. 

Medusa

Medusa, a monster feared for her snake hair and the fact that making eye contact, or even looking into her eyes make you turn to stone, leaving you stuck in place for years to come. Stories often talk about her victims frozen in place stuck there for all of eternity, although Medusa wasn’t born a monster, she was once a normal woman.

Men would crowd Medusa who was said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her beauty was legendary and like none other. During this time she was a Priestess to Athena, the goddess of war, due to being a Priestess she wasn’t allowed to get married to any of her male suitors. To continue being devoted to Athena, Medusa had to stay unmarried as Athena was decipeted as a Virgin Goddess; the same must apply to the Priestesses. That was so the Goddesses could pour all their energies into them without worrying about the husbands and childrens.

Medusa's suitors acknowledged the fact that she was devoted to being a Priestess and respected her wishes to stay a virgin. Most of them would admire her from a distance, considering her off-limits. Although that changed when she caught Poseidon's eye. He didn’t honor the fact that Medusa wanted to stay loyal to the Goddess she followed, and instead, did something that disobeyed her permission and wishes. That day, she was no longer elidged to bow to Athena and serve her as a Priestess.

After what happened with Poseidon, Athena found out. She was angered by the disloyalty of Medusa and cursed her. Medusa’s transformation was a slow yet noticeable change. It was painful as her hair would fall out in clumps, heads of snakes pushing at her skull to escape and fly around while hissing and snapping. Her smooth sun-kissed skin would pale and crack, making her look more than just an old lady, who ever should meet the eye of Medusa would have a quick and simple life. They’d be turned into stone to sit for eternity.

Once her transformation was complete, Medusa was banished, she was never to see a human again, not until her passing. Medusa was sent to an isolated island. Her story ends with the men who once sought her out for beauty pursued her for another reason. To kill her.

Medusa’s story shows us that if something looks displeasing doesn’t mean it was, it  tells us to respect people's wishes as it could have great consequences for them.