tanglewood tales-第47部分

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in　by　a　sweet　one。

While　the　Argonauts　remained　on　this　island；　they　saw　a　small　vessel　approaching　the　shore；　in　which　were　two　young　men　of　princely　demeanor；　and　exceedingly　handsome；　as　young　princes　generally　were；　in　those　days。　Now；　who　do　you　imagine　these　two　voyagers　turned　out　to　be？　Why；　if　you　will　believe　me；　they　were　the　sons　of　that　very　Phrixus；　who；　in　his　childhood；　had　been　carried　to　Colchis　on　the　back　of　the　golden…fleeced　ram。　Since　that　time；　Phrixus　had　married　the　king's　daughter；　and　the　two　young　princes　had　been　born　and　brought　up　at　Colchis；　and　had　spent　their　play…days　in　the　outskirts　of　the　grove；　in　the　center　of　which　the　Golden　Fleece　was　hanging　upon　a　tree。　They　were　now　on　their　way　to　Greece；　in　hopes　of　getting　back　a　kingdom　that　had　been　wrongfully　taken　from　their　father。

When　the　princes　understood　whither　the　Argonauts　were　going；　they　offered　to　turn　back；　and　guide　them　to　Colchis。　At　the　same　time；　however；　they　spoke　as　if　it　were　very　doubtful　whether　Jason　would　succeed　in　getting　the　Golden　Fleece。　According　to　their　account；　the　tree　on　which　it　hung　was　guarded　by　a　terrible　dragon；　who　never　failed　to　devour；　at　one　mouthful；　every　person　who　might　venture　within　his　reach。

〃There　are　other　difficulties　in　the　way；〃　continued　the　young　princes。　〃But　is　not　this　enough？　Ah；　brave　Jason；　turn　back　before　it　is　too　late。　It　would　grieve　us　to　the　heart；　if　you　and　your　nine　and　forty　brave　companions　should　be　eaten　up；　at　fifty　mouthfuls；　by　this　execrable　dragon。〃

〃My　young　friends；〃　quietly　replied　Jason；　〃I　do　not　wonder　that　you　think　the　dragon　very　terrible。　You　have　grown　up　from　infancy　in　the　fear　of　this　monster；　and　therefore　still　regard　him　with　the　awe　that　children　feel　for　the　bugbears　and　hobgoblins　which　their　nurses　have　talked　to　them　about。　But；　in　my　view　of　the　matter；　the　dragon　is　merely　a　pretty　large　serpent；　who　is　not　half　so　likely　to　snap　me　up　at　one　mouthful　as　I　am　to　cut　off　his　ugly　head；　and　strip　the　skin　from　his　body。　At　all　events；　turn　back　who　may；　I　will　never　see　Greece　again；　unless　I　carry　with　me　the　Golden　Fleece。〃

〃We　will　none　of　us　turn　back！〃　cried　his　nine　and　forty　brave　comrades。　〃Let　us　get　on　board　the　galley　this　instant；　and　if　the　dragon　is　to　make　a　breakfast　of　us；　much　good　may　it　do　him。〃

And　Orpheus　（whose　custom　it　was　to　set　everything　to　music）　began　to　harp　and　sing　most　gloriously；　and　made　every　mother's　son　of　them　feel　as　if　nothing　in　this　world　were　so　delectable　as　to　fight　dragons；　and　nothing　so　truly　honorable　as　to　be　eaten　up　at　one　mouthful；　in　case　of　the　worst。

After　this　（being　now　under　the　guidance　of　the　two　princes；　who　were　well　acquainted　with　the　way）；　they　quickly　sailed　to　Colchis。　When　the　king　of　the　country；　whose　name　was　Aetes；　heard　of　their　arrival；　he　instantly　summoned　Jason　to　court。　The　king　was　a　stern　and　cruel　looking　potentate；　and　though　he　put　on　as　polite　and　hospitable　an　expression　as　he　could；　Jason　did　not　like　his　face　a　whit　better　than　that　of　the　wicked　King　Pelias；　who　dethroned　his　father。　〃You　are　welcome；　brave　Jason；〃　said　King　Aetes。　〃Pray；　are　you　on　a　pleasure　voyage？Or　do　you　meditate　the　discovery　of　unknown　islands？or　what　other　cause　has　procured　me　the　happiness　of　seeing　you　at　my　court？〃

〃Great　sir；〃　replied　Jason；　with　an　obeisancefor　Chiron　had　taught　him　how　to　behave　with　propriety；　whether　to　kings　or　beggars〃I　have　come　hither　with　a　purpose　which　I　now　beg　your　majesty's　permission　to　execute。　King　Pelias；　who　sits　on　my　father's　throne　（to　which　he　has　no　more　right　than　to　the　one　on　which　your　excellent　majesty　is　now　seated）；　has　engaged　to　come　down　from　it；　and　to　give　me　his　crown　and　sceptre；　provided　I　bring　him　the　Golden　Fleece。　This；　as　your　majesty　is　aware；　is　now　hanging　on　a　tree　here　at　Colchis；　and　I　humbly　solicit　your　gracious　leave　to　take　it　away。〃　In　spite　of　himself；　the　king's　face　twisted　itself　into　an　angry　frown；　for；　above　all　things　else　in　the　world；　he　prized　the　Golden　Fleece；　and　was　even　suspected　of　having　done　a　very　wicked　act；　in　order　to　get　it　into　his　own　possession。　It　put　him　into　the　worst　possible　humor；　therefore；　to　hear　that　the　gallant　Prince　Jason；　and　forty…nine　of　the　bravest　young　warriors　of　Greece；　had　come　to　Colchis　with　the　sole　purpose　of　taking　away　his　chief　treasure。

〃Do　you　know；〃　asked　King　Aetes；　eyeing　Jason　very　sternly；　〃what　are　the　conditions　which　you　must　fulfill　before　getting　possession　of　the　Golden　Fleece？〃

〃I　have　heard；〃　rejoined　the　youth；　〃that　a　dragon　lies　beneath　the　tree　on　which　the　prize　hangs；　and　that　whoever　approaches　him　runs　the　risk　of　being　devoured　at　a　mouthful。〃

〃True；〃　said　the　king；　with　a　smile　that　did　not　look　particularly　good…natured。　〃Very　true；　young　man。　But　there　are　other　things　as　hard；　or　perhaps　a　little　harder；　to　be　done　before　you　can　even　have　the　privilege　of　being　devoured　by　the　dragon。　For　example；　you　must　first　tame　my　two　brazen…footed　and　brazen…lunged　bulls；　which　Vulcan；　the　wonderful　blacksmith；　made　for　me。　There　is　a　furnace　in　each　of　their　stomachs；　and　they　breathe　such　hot　fire　out　of　their　mouths　and　nostrils；　that　nobody　has　hitherto　gone　nigh　them　without　being　instantly　burned　to　a　small；　black　cinder。　What　do　you　think　of　this；　my　brave　Jason？〃

〃I　must　encounter　the　peril；〃　answered　Jason；　composedly；　〃since　it　stands　in　the　way　of　my　purpose。〃

〃After　taming　the　fiery　bulls；〃　continued　King　Aetes；　who　was　determined　to　scare　Jason　if　possible；　〃you　must　yoke　them　to　a　plow；　and　must　plow　the　sacred　earth　in　the　Grove　of　Mars；　and　sow　some　of　the　same　dragon's　teeth　from　which　Cadmus　raised　a　crop　of　armed　men。　They　are　an　unruly　set　of　reprobates；　those　sons　of　the　dragon's　teeth；　and　unless　you　treat　them　suitably；　they　will　fall　upon　you　sword　in　hand。　You　and　your　nine　and　forty　Argonauts；　my　bold　Jason；　are　hardly　numerous　or　strong　enough　to　fight　with　such　a　host　as　will　spring　up。〃

〃My　master　Chiron；〃　replied　Jason；　〃taught　me；　long　ago；　the　story　of　Cadmus。　Perhaps　I　can　manage　the　quarrelsome　sons　of　the　dragon's　teeth　as　well　as　Cadmus　did。〃

〃I　wish　the　dragon　had　him；〃　muttered　King　Aetes　to　himself；　〃and　the　four…footed　pedant；　his　schoolmaster；　into　the　bargain。　Why；　what　a　foolhardy；　self…conceited　coxcomb　he　is！　We'll　see　what　my　fire…breathing　bulls　will　do　for　him。　Well；　Prince　Jason；〃　he　continued；　aloud；　and　as　complaisantly　as　he　could；　〃make　yourself　comfortable　for　to…day；　and　to…morrow　morning；　since　you　insist　upon　it；　you　shall　try　your　skill　at　the　plow。〃

While　the　king　talked　with　Jason；　a　beautiful　young　woman　was　standing　behind　the　throne。　She　fixed　her　eyes　earnestly　upon　the　youthful　stranger；　and　listened　attentively　to　every　word　that　was　spoken；　and　when　Jason　withdrew　from　the　king's　presence；　this　young　woman　followed　him　out　of　the　room。

〃I　am　the　king's　daughter；〃　she　said　to　him；　〃and　my　name　is　Medea。　I　know　a　great　deal　of　which　other　young　princesses　are　ignorant；　and　can　do　many　things　which　they　would　be　afraid　so　much　as　to　dream　of。　If　you　will　trust　to　me；　I　can　instruct　you　how　to　tame　the　fiery　bu