tanglewood tales-第48部分

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　afraid　so　much　as　to　dream　of。　If　you　will　trust　to　me；　I　can　instruct　you　how　to　tame　the　fiery　bulls；　and　sow　the　dragon's　teeth；　and　get　the　Golden　Fleece。〃

〃Indeed；　beautiful　princess；〃　answered　Jason；　〃if　you　will　do　me　this　service；　I　promise　to　be　grateful　to　you　my　whole　life　long。〃'　Gazing　at　Medea；　he　beheld　a　wonderful　intelligence　in　her　face。　She　was　one　of　those　persons　whose　eyes　are　full　of　mystery；　so　that；　while　looking　into　them；　you　seem　to　see　a　very　great　way；　as　into　a　deep　well；　yet　can　never　be　certain　whether　you　see　into　the　farthest　depths；　or　whether　there　be　not　something　else　hidden　at　the　bottom。　If　Jason　had　been　capable　of　fearing　anything；　he　would　have　been　afraid　of　making　this　young　princess　his　enemy；　for；　beautiful　as　she　now　looked；　she　might；　the　very　next　instant；　become　as　terrible　as　the　dragon　that　kept　watch　over　the　Golden　Fleece。

〃Princess；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you　seem　indeed　very　wise　and　very　powerful。　But　how　can　you　help　me　to　do　the　things　of　which　you　speak？　Are　you　an　enchantress？〃

〃Yes；　Prince　Jason；〃　answered　Medea；　with　a　smile；　〃you　have　hit　upon　the　truth。　I　am　an　enchantress。　Circe；　my　father's　sister；　taught　me　to　be　one；　and　I　could　tell　you；　if　I　pleased；　who　was　the　old　woman　with　the　peacock；　the　pomegranate；　and　the　cuckoo　staff；　whom　you　carried　over　the　river；　and；　likewise；　who　it　is　that　speaks　through　the　lips　of　the　oaken　image；　that　stands　in　the　prow　of　your　galley。　I　am　acquainted　with　some　of　your　secrets；　you　perceive。　It　is　well　for　you　that　I　am　favorably　inclined；　for；　otherwise；　you　would　hardly　escape　being　snapped　up　by　the　dragon。〃

〃I　should　not　so　much　care　for　the　dragon；〃　replied　Jason；　〃if　I　only　knew　how　to　manage　the　brazen…footed　and　fiery…lunged　bulls。〃

〃If　you　are　as　brave　as　I　think　you；　and　as　you　have　need　to　be；〃　said　Medea；　〃your　own　bold　heart　will　teach　you　that　there　is　but　one　way　of　dealing　with　a　mad　bull。　What　it　is　I　leave　you　to　find　out　in　the　moment　of　peril。　As　for　the　fiery　breath　of　these　animals；　I　have　a　charmed　ointment　here；　which　will　prevent　you　from　being　burned　up；　and　cure　you　if　you　chance　to　be　a　little　scorched。〃

So　she　put　a　golden　box　into　his　hand；　and　directed　him　how　to　apply　the　perfumed　unguent　which　it　contained；　and　where　to　meet　her　at　midnight。

〃Only　be　brave；〃　added　she；　〃and　before　daybreak　the　brazen　bulls　shall　be　tamed。〃

The　young　man　assured　her　that　his　heart　would　not　fail　him。　He　then　rejoined　his　comrades；　and　told　them　what　had　passed　between　the　princess　and　himself；　and　warned　them　to　be　in　readiness　in　case　there　might　be　need　of　their　help。　At　the　appointed　hour　he　met　the　beautiful　Medea　on　the　marble　steps　of　the　king's　palace。　She　gave　him　a　basket；　in　which　were　the　dragon's　teeth；　just　as　they　had　been　pulled　out　of　the　monster's　jaws　by　Cadmus；　long　ago。　Medea　then　led　Jason　down　the　palace　steps；　and　through　the　silent　streets　of　the　city；　and　into　the　royal　pasture　ground；　where　the　two　brazen…footed　bulls　were　kept。　It　was　a　starry　night；　with　a　bright　gleam　along　the　eastern　edge　of　the　sky；　where　the　moon　was　soon　going　to　show　herself。　After　entering　the　pasture；　the　princess　paused　and　looked　around。

〃There　they　are；〃　said　she；　〃reposing　them。　selves　and　chewing　their　fiery　cuds　in　that　farthest　corner　of　the　field。　It　will　be　excellent　sport；　I　assure　you；　when　they　catch　a　glimpse　of　your　figure。　My　father　and　all　his　court　delight　in　nothing　so　much　as　to　see　a　stranger　trying　to　yoke　them；　in　order　to　come　at　the　Golden　Fleece。　It　makes　a　holiday　in　Colchis　whenever　such　a　thing　happens。　For　my　part；　I　enjoy　it　immensely。　You　cannot　imagine　in　what　a　mere　twinkling　of　an　eye　their　hot　breath　shrivels　a　young　man　into　a　black　cinder。〃

〃Are　you　sure；　beautiful　Medea；〃　asked　Jason；　〃quite　sure；　that　the　unguent　in　the　gold　box　will　prove　a　remedy　against　those　terrible　burns？〃

〃If　you　doubt；　if　you　are　in　the　least　afraid；〃　said　the　princess；　looking　him　in　the　face　by　the　dim　starlight；　〃you　had　better　never　have　been　born　than　to　go　a　step　nigher　to　the　bulls。〃

But　Jason　had　set　his　heart　steadfastly　on　getting　the　Golden　Fleece；　and　I　positively　doubt　whether　he　would　have　gone　back　without　it；　even　had　he　been　certain　of　finding　himself　turned　into　a　red…hot　cinder；　or　a　handful　of　white　ashes；　the　instant　he　made　a　step　farther。　He　therefore　let　go　Medea's　hand；　and　walked　boldly　forward　in　the　direction　whither　she　had　pointed。　At　some　distance　before　him　he　perceived　four　streams　of　fiery　vapor；　regularly　appearing　and　again　vanishing；　after　dimly　lighting　up　the　surrounding　obscurity。　These；　you　will　understand；　were　caused　by　the　breath　of　the　brazen　bulls；　which　was　quietly　stealing　out　of　their　four　nostrils；　as　they　lay　chewing　their　cuds。

At　the　first　two　or　three　steps　which　Jason　made；　the　four　fiery　streams　appeared　to　gush　out　somewhat　more　plentifully；　for　the　two　brazen　bulls　had　heard　his　foot　tramp；　and　were　lifting　up　their　hot　noses　to　snuff　the　air。　He　went　a　little　farther；　and　by　the　way　in　which　the　red　vapor　now　spouted　forth；　he　judged　that　the　creatures　had　got　upon　their　feet。　Now　he　could　see　glowing　sparks；　and　vivid　jets　of　flame。　At　the　next　step；　each　of　the　bulls　made　the　pasture　echo　with　a　terrible　roar；　while　the　burning　breath；　which　they　thus　belched　forth；　lit　up　the　whole　field　with　a　momentary　flash。　One　other　stride　did　bold　Jason　make；　and；　suddenly　as　a　streak　of　lightning；　on　came　these　fiery　animals；　roaring　like　thunder；　and　sending　out　sheets　of　white　flame；　which　so　kindled　up　the　scene　that　the　young　man　could　discern　every　object　more　distinctly　than　by　daylight。　Most　distinctly　of　all　he　saw　the　two　horrible　creatures　galloping　right　down　upon　him；　their　brazen　hoofs　rattling　and　ringing　over　the　ground；　and　their　tails　sticking　up　stiffly　into　the　air；　as　has　always　been　the　fashion　with　angry　bulls。　Their　breath　scorched　the　herbage　before　them。　So　intensely　hot　it　was；　indeed；　that　it　caught　a　dry　tree　under　which　Jason　was　now　standing；　and　set　it　all　in　a　light　blaze。　But　as　for　Jason　himself　（thanks　to　Medea's　enchanted　ointment）；　the　white　flame　curled　around　his　body；　without　injuring　him　a　jot　more　than　if　he　had　been　made　of　asbestos。

Greatly　encouraged　at　finding　himself　not　yet　turned　into　a　cinder；　the　young　man　awaited　the　attack　of　the　bulls。　Just　as　the　brazen　brutes　fancied　themselves　sure　of　tossing　him　into　the　air；　he　caught　one　of　them　by　the　horn；　and　the　other　by　his　screwed…up　tail；　and　held　them　in　a　gripe　like　that　of　an　iron　vice；　one　with　his　right　hand；　the　other　with　his　left。　Well；　he　must　have　been　wonderfully　strong　in　his　arms；　to　be　sure。　But　the　secret　of　the　matter　was；　that　the　brazen　bulls　were　enchanted　creatures；　and　that　Jason　had　broken　the　spell　of　their　fiery　fierceness　by　his　bold　way　of　handling　them。　And；　ever　since　that　time；　it　has　been　the　favorite　method　of　brave　men；　when　danger　assails　them；　to　do　what　they　call　〃　taking　the　bull　by　the　horns〃；　and　to　gripe　him　by　the　tail　is　pretty　much　the　same　thingthat　is；　to　throw　aside　fear；　and　overcome　the　peril　by　despising　it。　It　was　now　easy　to　yoke　the　bulls；　and　to　harness　th