eads down to the Land of the Dead, where the
ghosts answer questions in their thin voices, like the twittering of
bats. But the ghosts could not tell him what he desired to know. He went
to Pytho, where the maid, in her song, bade him seek the land of men who
eat acorns instead of the yellow grain of Demeter, the goddess of
harvest. Thence he wandered to Epirus, and to the Selloi who dwell in
the oak forest of Zeus, and live on the flour ground from acorns. One of
them lay on the ground in the wood, with his head covered up in his
mantle, and listened to what the wind says, when it whispers to the
forest leaves. The leaves said, 'We bid the young man be of good hope,
for the gods are with him.'

This answer did not tell Perseus where the isle of the Gorgons lay, but
the words put hope in his heart, weary and footsore as he was. He ate of
the bread made of the acorns, and of the flesh of the swine that the
Selloi gave him, and he went alone, and, far in the forest, he laid his
head down on the broad mossy root of an old oak tree. He did not sleep,
but watched the stars through the boughs, and he heard the cries of the
night-wandering beasts in the woodland.

'If the gods be with me, I shall yet do well,' he said, and, as he
spoke, he saw a white clear light moving through the darkness. That
clear white light shone from a golden lamp in the hand of a tall and
beautiful woman, clad in armour, and wearing, hung by a belt from her
neck, a great shield of polished bronze. With her there came a young
man, with winged shoon of gold on his feet, and belted with a strange
short curved sword: in his hand was a golden wand, with wings on it, and
with golden serpents twisted round it.

Perseus knew that these beautiful folk were the Goddess Athene, and
Hermes, who brings all fortunate things. He fell upon his face before
them, but Athene spoke in a sweet grave voice, saying, 'Arise, Perseus,
and speak to us face to face, for we are of your kindred, we also are
children of Zeus, the Father of gods and men.'

Then Perseus arose and looked straight into their eyes.

'We have watched you long, Perseus, to learn whether you have the heart
of a hero, that can achieve great adventures; or whether you are an idle
dreaming boy. We have seen that your heart is steadfast, and that you
have sought through hunger, and long travel to know the way wherein you
must find death or win glory. That way is not to be found without the
help of the go