THE GORGON’S HEAD. 33

in the woods, and some that live inside of trees, and some
that have a comfortable home in fountains of water. We
know nothing at all about them. We are three unfortu-
nate old souls, that go wandering about in the dusk, and
never had but one eye amongst us, and that one you have
stolen away. O, give it back, good stranger ! — who-
ever you are, give it back!” ——

All this while the Three Gray Women were groping
with their outstretched hands, and trying their utmost to
get hold of Perseus. But he took good care to keep out
of their reach.

“My respectable dames,” said he, —for his mother
had taught him always to use the greatest civility,— “I
hold your eye fast in my hand, and shall keep it safely
for you, until you please to tell me where to find these
Nymphs. The Nymphs, I mean, who keep the enchanted
wallet, the flying slippers, and the what is it P — the hel-
met of invisibility.”

“Mercy on us, sisters! what is the young man
talking about?” exclaimed Scarecrow, Nightmare, and
Shakejoint, one to another, with great appearance of
astonishment. ‘A pair of flying slippers, quoth he!
His heels would quickly fly higher than his head, if he
were silly enough to put them on. Anda helmet of in-
visibility! How could a helmet make him invisible, un-
less it were big enough for him to hide under it? And
an enchanted wallet! What sort of a contrivance
may that be, I wonder? No, no, good stranger! we can
tell you nothing of these marvellous things. You have
two eyes of your own, and we have but a single one

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