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once upon a time a long time ago there
lived a beautiful maiden named Medusa
Medusa lived in the city of Athens in a
country named Greece and although there
were many pretty girls in the city
Medusa was considered the most lovely
unfortunately Medusa was very proud of
her beauty and thought or spoke of
little else
each day she boasted of how pretty she
was and each day her boasts became more
outrageous
Madusa would gaze lovingly at her
reflection in the mirror she admired
herself in her hand mirror for an hour
each morning and evening she even
stopped to admire herself in the well
each afternoon as she drew water for her
father's horses often forgetting to
fetch the water in her distraction on
and on Medusa went about her beauty to
anyone and everyone who stopped long
enough to hear her until one day when
she made her first visit to the
Parthenon with her friends
the Parthenon was the largest temple to
the goddess Athena in all the land it
was decorated with amazing sculptures
and paintings everyone who entered was
awed by the beauty of the place and
couldn't help but think of how grateful
they were to Athena goddess of wisdom
for inspiring them and watching over
their city of Athens everyone that is
except Medusa
when Medusa saw the sculptures she
whispered that she would have made a
much better subject for the sculpture
than Athena had when Medusa saw the
artwork she commented that the artist
had done a fine job but imagine how much
more wonderful the painting would be if
it was of Medusa and when Medusa reached
the altar she sighed happily and said my
this is a beautiful temple it is a shame
it was wasted on Athena for I am so much
prettier than she is perhaps someday
people will build an even grander temple
to my beauty Medusa's friends grew pale
whispers ran through all the people in
the temple who quickly began to leave
for everyone knew that Athena enjoyed
watching over the people of Athens and
feared what might happen if the goddess
had overheard 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 swift departure of
everyone else the image
was gazing at wavered and suddenly
instead of her own features it was the
face of Athena that Medusa saw reflected
back at her vain and foolish girl Athena
said angrily you think you are prettier
than I am
I doubt it to be true but even if it
were there is more to life than beauty
alone while others work and play and
learn you do little but boast and admire
yourself
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 a frustrated
wave nonsense
Athena retorted beauty fades swiftly in
all mortals it does not comfort the sick
teach the unskilled or feed the hungry
and by my powers your loveliness shall
be stripped away completely your fate
shall serve as a reminder to others to
control their pride and with those words
Medusa's face changed to that of a
hideous monster her hair twisted and
thickened into horrible snakes that
hissed and fought each other atop her
head even you Medusa should you seek
your reflection she'll turn to rock the
instant you see your face
and with that Athena sent Medusa with
her hair of snakes to live with the
blind monsters the Gorgon sisters at the
ends of the earth so that no innocence
would be accidentally turned to stone at
the sight of her
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as the story goes every town in ancient
Greece hoped a God would choose to look
after the townspeople towns rarely had
more than one God to keep an eye on
their best interests because most gods
did not share well
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at this time in history not every
village had a God things were just
getting started in ancient Greece
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Poseidon loved watching over towns he
usually picked coastal towns since he
was the lord of the sea Poseidon was a
very powerful God he was a moody fellow
too he liked having people build temples
in his honor
and bring him gifts they were not very
useful gifts for a god of the sea but he
enjoyed getting them anyway as Greece
grew and developed new towns sprang up
all the time
Poseidon was always on the lookout for
new coastal towns he was not the only
God who loved to be in charge
Athena along with other gods enjoyed
that role as well
one day on the same day both Athena and
Poseidon noticed a new coastal village
they both claimed this village as their
own most of the time humans were
grateful when they were selected to be
under the care of a god but two gods
that was one too many
Poseidon wanted the townspeople to
choose which God they wanted himself or
his niece Athena but the people did not
want to choose they could only see
trouble ahead if they did Athena goddess
of wisdom daughter of Zeus understood
their worry she challenged her uncle
Poseidon to a contest both gods would
give the town a gift
the townspeople could decide which gift
was the more useful
Poseidon laughed in his mighty laugh and
accepted her challenge he slapped his
Specter against the side of the mountain
a stream appeared the people were
excited a source of fresh water was so
important but when they tried to drink
the water they discovered it was not
fresh at all it was salt water Athena
waved her arm and an olive tree appeared
the people nibbled at the olives they
were delicious the people were excited
the olive tree would provide wood for
building homes branches would provide
kindling for kitchen stoves and
fireplaces the olives could be used for
food the fruit could be pressed to
release cooking oil it was wonderful
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but there's was a coastal village the
people could not risk angering the Lord
of the sea
the mighty Poseidon as it turned out
they did not have to choose Poseidon
chose for them his laughs sent waves
crashing against the shore line
Poseidon proclaimed his niece the winner
that's how a small village gained a most
powerful and wise Guardian the goddess
Athena a guardian who helped them rise
to fame in her honor they named their
village Athens
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