- 3 months ago
Jim Henson's The Storyteller S02E02 Theseus and the Minotaur Perseus and the Gorgon
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CreativityTranscript
00:00Transcription by CastingWords
00:30CastingWords
01:00CastingWords
01:14What is that?
01:18A thing of darkness. A night fear. Don't even look at it.
01:26that face it's horrible where does it come from a long way away on a rock at the edge of the world
01:34lived a woman with terrible claws wings of bronze and breath as foul as corpses
01:41her hair was a nest of poisonous snakes hissing alive catch her stare and she could turn you to
01:51stone her name was medusa the gorgon imagine her looking away and then starting to turn towards
02:00you slowly slowly shall we turn and look at them sisters and the boy sent to kill her came out of
02:12the same shadows that spawned her and his birth was first foretold in a cave as dark as this place
02:20his name was perseus
02:22acrisius king of argos had a daughter danahe now he longed for a son what if his wife should give
02:48him another daughter what if he gave rise to a line of daughters stretching out forever women who
02:54would carry off his name and lineage to strangers this ache for a boy child an heir gripped his heart
03:02and he made sacrifice after sacrifice to the gods creators of earth and sky and moon until finally
03:10desperate he sought out the oracle
03:13who's the king of argos what does the king wish to know there's a shame in asking what's to come
03:26when the king of argos knelt in the darkness with a dry mouth his heart tapping like the wind at the
03:33temple door and what a son a son there will be a boy the king's heart lurched in the darkness
03:41a son but not your son acrisius king of argos your daughter's son danahe will have a boy
03:50and you shall hear his laughter and this boy one day he'll kill you he'll kill you
04:00lights
04:01he'll kill you
04:03lights do you hear me lights
04:05nothing now for both of us no sons no laughter no joy nothing but silences and funerals
04:21and things that might have been
04:23poor girl
04:31oh yes terrible shut forever in a chamber of solid bronze from which there could be no escape
04:39nothing nothing now but the dark and silence and the trickle of sunlight in the corner of the cell
04:46danahe found all her hope in that finger of light looked at it week after week month after month
04:55year after year until one day as she gave herself up to the light
05:01it turned to gold
05:02real gold streaming into her lap as she laid at her
05:07what was it
05:21it was zeus
05:22lord of all gods
05:24what was he doing
05:26fulfilling the oracle
05:28oh so that's how it's done
05:32oh no
05:34a baby
05:35how awful
05:36was it a boy
05:37did it kill its grandfather
05:39did it have a poisoned rattle or something
05:42it was a boy
05:43perseus
05:44born in darkness and secret
05:47a boy whose fate awaited him at the end of the world
05:51on a sea-lashed rock
05:53i smell a man born of a god
05:56sisters smell the air
05:59stare him out sisters
06:02give him the sad eye
06:06years passed
06:08and all perseus knew was the room
06:11the sweet touch of his mother and her stories
06:14and the quiet unraveling of day after day
06:17what's the world like
06:19not like this
06:21what's this then
06:22a prison
06:24i thought it was the world
06:26when perseus was six years old
06:29danahe made for him a sword from wood
06:31pulled from her bed and smoothed on the stone floor
06:34when she placed it in his hands
06:37the little boy just stood there
06:39his pale eyes troubled
06:41you fight with it
06:43you fight monsters with it
06:45a long way away on a rock at the edge of the world
06:48lives a woman with terrible claws
06:49wings of bronze and breath
06:52as foul as corpses
06:53her hair
06:55is a nest of poisonous snakes
06:57alive
06:59and hissing
07:01catch her eyes
07:03and she'll turn you to stone
07:06and this pale bloodless noise
07:24caught in the still passages
07:26echoed
07:27crept into the ear of the sad king
07:30chilled him
07:30pulled him from his chamber
07:32pulled him down corridors
07:34where laughter had long died
07:36where joy had perished
07:38pulled him down and down
07:40into the bowels of his palace
07:42don't kill him
07:50please
07:51please don't kill my boy
07:54take this chest
08:00and shut in it
08:01my daughter and her son
08:03cast it from the highest cliff
08:05into the ocean
08:06and let the seas
08:07mash them
08:08and the rocks
08:09grind them
08:11perseus could feel the chest lifted
08:13hear the clash of heel on stone
08:15and then the drag
08:16the lurch
08:17as the chest was carried off
08:19where they knew not
08:20and then cold
08:21sharp salt air
08:23seeping into the wood
08:24he clung
08:25clung in silence
08:27to his silent mother
08:28he must have been frightened
08:30imagine
08:31imagine
08:32suddenly a heave
08:34and then the world
08:35dropping from the pit of your stomach
08:37the fall
08:38the forever fall
08:39the plunge
08:40turning over and over
08:42clinging together
08:43and then the smash of wood on water
08:46and the wetness forcing in
08:48that's terrible
08:49they just drowned
08:50they should have drowned
08:51they dreamed
08:52they drowned
08:53but then they woke
08:54and they were still there
08:56still locked in the dark
08:58but now the dark
08:59moved them
08:59from side to side
09:01rocked them
09:02they floated
09:03they floated
09:05pulled by currents
09:06tugged by tides
09:08how long this lasted
09:09who knows
09:10there were no days or nights
09:12only drifting
09:13drifting in and out of sleep
09:15on and on
09:17until
09:19from nowhere
09:20out of nothing
09:22suddenly
09:23there was light
09:24light
09:25more light than
09:27pursuance had ever known
09:28and into the light
09:29a face
09:30and it was smiling
09:31look what the sea brought us
09:33look
09:35what are you thinking son
09:45when i was small
09:47we lived in a prison
09:49i remember the prison
09:52there was a narrow window
09:54it was always quiet
09:56sometimes i miss the darkness
10:00i miss the shadows
10:03and the silence
10:04my house is full of shadows
10:06come and live with me
10:08is this your son
10:11he is my son
10:12his name is perseus
10:14and where's his father
10:16dictus
10:17is this your son
10:18he has no father
10:19oh
10:20a boy needs a father
10:23how would you like me
10:25to be your father
10:26how would you like to live
10:28in a palace
10:29full
10:29of shadows
10:30it could be easily done
10:33all i would have to do
10:35is take your mother
10:36for my wife
10:37leave my mother alone
10:38who are you
10:40his name is polydectes
10:41king of all this island
10:43stealer of farms
10:45liar
10:46gatherer in
10:47of beautiful things
10:49and if i choose
10:51i will take your mother
10:53for my wife
10:54i will marry her
10:58in six days
11:00come to the wedding
11:01if you can afford
11:04a bride gift
11:05is that a treasure chest
11:08perseus
11:09bring your weight
11:10in gold coins
11:12perseus
11:13bring your oak chest
11:14full of gold pieces
11:16i have no gold
11:17the chest is empty
11:20oh dear
11:21what is to be done
11:24a long way away
11:30on a rock
11:31at the edge of the world
11:32is a woman
11:32whose hair
11:33is a nest
11:34of poisonous snakes
11:35catch her eye
11:37and she'll turn you
11:38to stone
11:38i'll bring you
11:40something better
11:41than gold
11:41i'll bring you
11:45the head
11:45of the gorgon
11:47really
11:47the head
11:49of the gorgon
11:51marvelous
11:53what a marvelous
11:55wedding
11:56i shall
11:58i shall
11:58i shall bring you
12:01medusa
12:01and there will be
12:03no wedding
12:04somebody called my name
12:06sisters
12:08we must keep watch
12:10look to the east
12:13and so it was
12:19and so it was that perseus
12:20half child
12:21half god
12:22found himself
12:23with five days
12:24and five nights
12:25to bring back
12:25the severed head
12:26of the gorgon
12:27fringed with snakes
12:29the gaze that froze
12:30to prevent the marriage
12:32of his mother
12:32to the tyrant
12:33polydectes
12:34lord of seraphos
12:36i don't know
12:36who i hate more
12:38this polydectes
12:39or the gorgon
12:40poor denny
12:43did she have to marry him
12:44poor perseus
12:47poor perseus
12:48how could he bring back
12:49the head of the gorgon
12:50to polydectes table
12:52did such a monster
12:53really exist
12:54where was this highland
12:55at the edge of the world
12:57beyond ocean
12:57beyond night
12:59beyond the north wind
13:01he wasted one whole day
13:04by the seashore
13:05stared into the red night
13:07so what happened
13:08the gods
13:09the gods helped him
13:11remember he was
13:12zeus's son
13:13athenie the daughter of zeus
13:15hermes the messenger
13:16they found him
13:17they gave him this sword
13:19a real sword
13:20and a bright bronze shield
13:22and athenie
13:23she was his sister
13:24then
13:24she was his half-sister
13:25warned him
13:27never to look directly
13:28at the gorgon
13:29but to catch her stare
13:31in the reflection
13:32of the shield
13:32go to the grii
13:34she told him
13:35sisters of the gorgon
13:36they will know
13:37where to find her
13:38and at length
13:39perseus found the grii
13:40three hags
13:42who had but one tooth
13:43and one eye
13:44between them
13:45the gorgon's sisters
13:46zeus father of the gods
13:50lord of the storm
13:51cloud gatherer
13:52give me a six
13:53give her a two
13:55give her a two
13:56give her nothing
13:56zeus give her nothing
13:57who's there
13:58a traveller
13:59and i hold the eye
14:00give it to me
14:01not until you tell me
14:03where i may find the gorgon
14:04give me the eye
14:05i'll tell you
14:06me
14:07me
14:07the grii screeched
14:08and spat
14:09and clawed
14:10to betray their sister
14:11but perseus
14:12would not give up
14:13the eye
14:14until he knew everything
14:15i'll tell you everything
14:16give it to me
14:17i'll tell you anything
14:18anything
14:19go to the nymphs
14:20of the sticks
14:21they have the cap
14:22of invisibility
14:23the winged sandals
14:24to carry you
14:25i know where they are
14:27here's your eye
14:28betrayers
14:29i have it
14:30i have it
14:31go stranger
14:34go to the nymphs
14:36take every weapon
14:37make yourself invisible
14:39it will not help you
14:41my sister will freeze
14:42the breath in your throat
14:44he's coming sister
14:46he's coming
14:48he's coming
14:50my sisters
14:51i smell him on the breeze
14:54he is coming to me
14:56is that it
14:59the cap of invisibility
15:00nice
15:01it's dog skin
15:03i don't believe you
15:05that cap is dog skin
15:07that's disgusting
15:09well it is
15:10yuck
15:11three things he had
15:12from the stygian nymphs
15:14as beautiful in their
15:15black lake
15:15as the grii were foul
15:17the cuny
15:18cap of invisibility
15:20the cabisus
15:21a leather pouch
15:22in which to carry
15:23the gorgon's head
15:24and winged sandals
15:25so that he might fly
15:26they say he flew out
15:28so far
15:29he came to the place
15:31where the great
15:31titan atlas stood
15:33whose punishment it was
15:34to hold up the heavens
15:36and he called out
15:37to the sad giant
15:39but his voice
15:40was tiny
15:41medusa
15:42medusa the gorgon
15:45how can i find her
15:46is it a man
15:48all sounds are small
15:50you make such a noise
15:54about your destiny
15:55i am tired
15:57of bearing the weight
15:58of heavens
15:58and if i let go
16:00that sky will fall
16:01on your heads
16:02i seek medusa
16:04the gorgon
16:05whose look turns
16:07to stone
16:07the gorgon
16:09the gorgon is on a rock
16:11at the edge of the world
16:12i dream she passes
16:15and her stare
16:17turns me to stone
16:18no more weight
16:22come closer
16:24come closer
16:26come closer
16:26come closer
16:29was she waiting
16:31she was waiting for him
16:33wasn't she
16:33oh yeah she was waiting
16:35he lands on the island
16:37imagine
16:38moving through statues
16:40through people
16:41the gorgon
16:42has frozen
16:42to stone
16:43and he's wearing
16:45his cap
16:45and he's touching
16:46his sword
16:46but none of those
16:47things seem to help him
16:48he's invisible
16:50but he's sure
16:50she can see him
16:51she can smell him
16:53he's frightened
16:54so frightened
16:56he's here
17:02sisters
17:02he's come
17:03the man who seeks us
17:04he's here
17:05wake
17:06sisters
17:06wake
17:07why won't you
17:09show yourself
17:09stranger
17:10are you frightened
17:12where are you
17:13i can't see you
17:15he wants to look at her
17:16wants to turn
17:17the voice tempting him
17:19to turn
17:19she can't see him
17:20but her voice
17:21can charm him
17:22he's invisible
17:23but if he looks at her
17:25he's finished
17:26i like to be looked at
17:27and i like to look too
17:30where are you
17:32look into my eyes
17:37there's a world in my eyes
17:39where are you stranger
17:41why don't you look at me
17:48i like to be looked at
17:51can you see me
17:53medusa
18:00oh sister
18:03where is he
18:06kill him
18:08he did it
18:11he did it
18:13who are these other gorgons
18:14you never mentioned
18:15three gorgons
18:17i told the whole story
18:19your head would burst
18:20there is no one story
18:22there are branches
18:23rooms
18:24like this place
18:25rooms
18:26corridors
18:26dead ends
18:27what about the minutes
18:29his mother spent waiting
18:30the minutes running away
18:31what happened to them
18:32or dictus
18:33his family broken on a whim
18:35or acrysius the king
18:37haunted whose sleep
18:38is always fitful
18:39who cannot forget
18:41the oracle
18:41yes
18:42the gorgon
18:43had sisters
18:44yes
18:45perseus turned the sad giant
18:47atlas to stone
18:48i can't tell you
18:50hang on hang on
18:50he turned atlas to stone
18:52he flew past atlas
18:53took pity on the poor giant
18:55showed him the sad eye
18:57let him sleep
18:58the long sleep
18:59of a mountain
19:00atlas
19:01atlas
19:02i did not forget
19:04and then home
19:07home with the gorgon's head in his hands
19:10his sword pointing the way
19:11in front of him
19:12perhaps he's too late
19:13perhaps his mother has been taken to the palace
19:15perhaps polydectes has already married her
19:19who's this?
19:28don't you know me polydectes?
19:30perseus?
19:33let her go
19:34i have brought you a gift for your wedding
19:42would you look on it?
19:47you've brought me the gorgon's head
19:49have you?
19:51i have
19:51my friends
19:55the boy has been to the end of the world
20:00and come back with the medusa's head
20:04i advise you to remove yourselves
20:07one look
20:08is this right boy?
20:10one look
20:11and we shall all be petrified
20:14that's right
20:15oh dear
20:18i think we'll show our true colours
20:21is anyone else frightened of a story?
20:25of a child's nightmare?
20:27the gorgon?
20:28so weak
20:34will no one stay with me?
20:40he's lying
20:41it's a dream
20:44come boy
20:46sit
20:48eat with me
20:50i dreamed of dark
20:53i dreamed of light
20:56i dreamed i was a king
21:00i dreamed i was a god's son
21:04i dreamed your limbs grew heavy
21:08and your blood turned to sand
21:10and i dreamed you cried out
21:13he turned him to stone?
21:19ha!
21:19good
21:20so the oracle was wrong
21:23what?
21:24acrissius
21:25the oracle said
21:27perseus would kill his grandfather
21:28and he didn't
21:29i went to the oracle once
21:31never ask
21:33you never hear what you hope for
21:35when Danae told perseus about his birth
21:39about the oracle
21:41perseus felt compassion for acrissius
21:43he decided to return to argos
21:46and promise his grandfather
21:47he would do him no harm
21:48good
21:49but what does it take for an accident to happen?
21:52imagine after standing for a thousand winters
21:55this roof should suddenly give up its spirit
21:58fall on our head
22:00what?
22:03what is that?
22:04chance?
22:05fate?
22:06the god's sport?
22:08so it was with perseus and acrissius
22:10the old king heard of perseus's deeds
22:14fled from argos
22:15hid from him in the narrow lanes of lyrissa
22:18perseus traveled slowly to argos
22:21stopping off on the way
22:22there was a contest at lyrissa
22:24he stopped for it
22:26hurled the discus wild
22:27past all the others
22:29hurled it
22:30into the sky
22:31watch out!
22:33perseus haunted stood in the crowd
22:35the discus sought him out
22:37with the strength of an oracle
22:39found him
22:40killed him
22:41so the oracle was true
22:44that's terrible
22:45oh yes
22:46oracles are true
22:48stories are true
22:50there are monsters at the end of the world
22:53there are looks that can kill
22:55and who has not been petrified with fear?
22:59ask athene
22:59warrior daughter of zeus
23:02weaver
23:02maker of spiders
23:04she will tell you the things i cannot
23:07she will sing the praises of perseus
23:10the hero
23:11father of the argives
23:13the gorgon slayer
23:15the