pw

THE GORGON’S HEAD. 29

himself, le immediately set to work, and scrubbed the
shield with so much diligence and good-will, that it very
quickly shone like the moon at harvest-time. Quicksil-
ver looked at it with a smile, and nodded his approbation.
Then, taking off his own short and crooked sword, he
girded it about Perseus, instead of the one which he had
before worn.

“No sword but mine will answer your purpose,” ob-
served he; “the blade has a most excellent temper, and
will cut through iron and brass as easily as through the
slenderest twig. And now we will set out. The next
thing is to find the Three Gray Women, who will tell us
where to find the Nymphs.”

“The Three Gray Women!” eried Perseus, to whom

this seemed only a new difficulty in the path of his adven-
ture; “pray, who may the Three Gray Women be? IT
never heard of them before.”
_ «They are three very strange old ladies,” said Quick-
silver, laughing. ‘They have but one eye among them,
and only one tooth. Moreover, you must find them out
by starlight, or in the dusk of the evening; for they
never show themselves by the light either of the sun or
moon.’

“But,” said Perseus, “why should I waste my time
with these Three Gray Women? Would it not be better
to set out at once in search of the terrible Gorgons ?”’

“No, no,’ answered his friend. “There are other
things to be done, before you can find your way to the
Gorgons. There is nothing for it but to hunt up these
old ladies; and when we meet with them, you may be

2