's name.

Finally, our brave Perseus arrived at the island where he expected to
see his dear mother. But during his absence, the wicked king had
treated Danae so very ill that she was compelled to make her escape,
and had taken refuge in a temple, where some good old priests were
extremely kind to her. These praiseworthy priests and the kind-hearted
fisherman, who had first shown hospitality to Danae and little Perseus
when he found them afloat in the chest, seem to have been the only
persons on the island who cared about doing right. All the rest of the
people, as well as King Polydectes himself, were remarkably ill
behaved and deserved no better destiny than that which was now to
happen.

Not finding his mother at home, Perseus went straight to the palace
and was immediately ushered into the presence of the king. Polydectes
was by no means rejoiced to see him, for he had felt almost certain,
in his own evil mind, that the Gorgons would have torn the poor young
man to pieces and have eaten him up out of the way. However, seeing
him safely returned, he put the best face he could upon the matter and
asked Perseus how he had succeeded.

"Have you performed your promise?" inquired he. "Have you brought me
the head of Medusa with the snaky locks? If not, young man, it will
cost you dear; for I must have a bridal present for the beautiful
Princess Hippodamia and there is nothing else that she would admire so
much."

"Yes, please your Majesty," answered Perseus, in a quiet way, as if it
were no very wonderful deed for such a young man as he to perform. "I
have brought you the Gorgon's head, snaky locks and all!"

"Indeed! Pray, let me see it," quoth King Polydectes. "It must be a
very curious spectacle if all that travelers tell it be true!"

"Your Majesty is in the right," replied Perseus. "It is really an
object that will be pretty certain to fix the regards of all who look
at it. And if your Majesty think fit, I would suggest that a holiday
be proclaimed and that all your Majesty's subjects be summoned to
behold this wonderful curiosity. Few of them, I imagine, have seen a
Gorgon's head before and perhaps never may again!"

The king well knew that his subjects were an idle set of reprobates
and very fond of sight-seeing, as idle persons usually are. So he took
the young man's advice and sent out heralds and messengers in all
directions to blow the trumpet at the street corners and in the market
places and wherever