s
golden-winged, iron-scaled, long-tusked, brazen-clawed, snaky-haired
monster, but he must do it with his eyes shut, or, at least, without so
much as a glance at the enemy with whom he was contending. Else, while
his arm was lifted to strike, he would stiffen into stone and stand
with that uplifted arm for centuries, until time and the wind and
weather should crumble him quite away. This would be a very sad thing to
befall a young man who wanted to perform a great many brave deeds and to
enjoy a great deal of happiness in this bright and beautiful world.

So disconsolate did these thoughts make him that Perseus could not bear
to tell his mother what he had undertaken to do. He therefore took his
shield, girded on his sword and crossed over from the island to the
mainland, where he sat down in a solitary place and hardly refrained
from shedding tears.

But while he was in this sorrowful mood, he heard a voice close beside
him.

"Perseus," said the voice, "why are you sad?"

He lifted his head from his hands, in which he had hidden it, and
behold! all alone as Perseus had supposed himself to be, there was a
stranger in the solitary place. It was a brisk, intelligent and
remarkably shrewd-looking young man, with a cloak over his shoulders, an
odd sort of cap on his head, a strangely twisted staff in his hand and a
short and very crooked sword hanging by his side. He was exceedingly
light and active in his figure, like a person much accustomed to
gymnastic exercises and well able to leap or run. Above all, the
stranger had such a cheerful, knowing and helpful aspect (though it was
certainly a little mischievous, into the bargain) that Perseus could not
help feeling his spirits grow livelier as he gazed at him. Besides,
being really a courageous youth, he felt greatly ashamed that anybody
should have found him with tears in his eyes like a timid little
schoolboy, when, after all, there might be no occasion for despair. So
Perseus wiped his eyes and answered the stranger pretty briskly, putting
on as brave a look as he could.

"I am not so very sad," said he, "only thoughtful about an adventure
that I have undertaken."

"Oho!" answered the stranger. "Well, tell me all about it and possibly I
may be of service to you. I have helped a good many young men through
adventures that looked difficult enough beforehand. Perhaps you may have
heard of me. I have more names than one, but the name of Quicksilver
suits me as well