understand; no, nor no man after him for many a hundred years. So
he stepped forward and saw them dancing, hand in hand around the
charmed tree, which bent under its golden fruit; and round the
tree-foot was coiled the dragon, old Ladon the sleepless snake, who
lies there for ever, listening to the song of the maidens, blinking
and watching with dry bright eyes.

Then Perseus stopped, not because he feared the dragon, but because
he was bashful before those fair maids; but when they saw him, they
too stopped, and called to him with trembling voices -

'Who are you? Are you Heracles the mighty, who will come to rob
our garden, and carry off our golden fruit?' And he answered -

'I am not Heracles the mighty, and I want none of your golden
fruit. Tell me, fair Nymphs, the way which leads to the Gorgon,
that I may go on my way and slay her.'

'Not yet, not yet, fair boy; come dance with us around the tree in
the garden which knows no winter, the home of the south wind and
the sun. Come hither and play with us awhile; we have danced alone
here for a thousand years, and our hearts are weary with longing
for a playfellow. So come, come, come!'

'I cannot dance with you, fair maidens; for I must do the errand of
the Immortals. So tell me the way to the Gorgon, lest I wander and
perish in the waves.'

Then they sighed and wept; and answered--'The Gorgon! she will
freeze you into stone.'