tanglewood tales-第49部分

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e　fear；　and　overcome　the　peril　by　despising　it。　It　was　now　easy　to　yoke　the　bulls；　and　to　harness　them　to　the　plow；　which　had　lain　rusting　on　the　ground　for　a　great　many　years　gone　by；　so　long　was　it　before　anybody　could　be　found　capable　of　plowing　that　piece　of　land。　Jason；　I　suppose；　had　been　taught　how　to　draw　a　furrow　by　the　good　old　Chiron；　who；　perhaps；　used　to　allow　himself　to　be　harnessed　to　the　plow。　At　any　rate；　our　hero　succeeded　perfectly　well　in　breaking　up　the　greensward；　and；　by　the　time　that　the　moon　was　a　quarter　of　her　journey　up　the　sky；　the　plowed　field　lay　before　him；　a　large　tract　of　black　earth；　ready　to　be　sown　with　the　dragon's　teeth。　So　Jason　scattered　them　broadcast；　and　harrowed　them　into　the　soil　with　a　brush…harrow；　and　took　his　stand　on　the　edge　of　the　field；　anxious　to　see　what　would　happen　next。

〃Must　we　wait　long　for　harvest　time？〃　he　inquired　of　Medea；　who　was　now　standing　by　his　side。

〃Whether　sooner　or　later；　it　will　be　sure　to　come；〃　answered　the　princess。　〃A　crop　of　armed　men　never　fails　to　spring　up；　when　the　dragon's　teeth　have　been　sown。〃


The　moon　was　now　high　aloft　in　the　heavens；　and　threw　its　bright　beams　over　the　plowed　field；　where　as　yet　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen。　Any　farmer；　on　viewing　it；　would　have　said　that　Jason　must　wait　weeks　before　the　green　blades　would　peep　from　among　the　clods；　and　whole　months　before　the　yellow　grain　would　be　ripened　for　the　sickle。　But　by　and　by；　all　over　the　field；　there　was　something　that　glistened　in　the　moonbeams；　like　sparkling　drops　of　dew。　These　bright　objects　sprouted　higher；　and　proved　to　be　the　steel　heads　of　spears。　Then　there　was　a　dazzling　gleam　from　a　vast　number　of　polished　brass　helmets；　beneath　which；　as　they　grew　farther　out　of　the　soil；　appeared　the　dark　and　bearded　visages　of　warriors；　struggling　to　free　themselves　from　the　imprisoning　earth。　The　first　look　that　they　gave　at　the　upper　world　was　a　glare　of　wrath　and　defiance。　Next　were　seen　their　bright　breastplates；　in　every　right　hand　there　was　a　sword　or　a　spear；　and　on　each　left　arm　a　shield；　and　when　this　strange　crop　of　warriors　had　but　half　grown　out　of　the　earth；　they　struggledsuch　was　their　impatience　of　restraintand；　as　it　were；　tore　themselves　up　by　the　roots。　Wherever　a　dragon's　tooth　had　fallen；　there　stood　a　man　armed　for　battle。　They　made　a　clangor　with　their　swords　against　their　shields；　and　eyed　one　another　fiercely；　for　they　had　come　into　this　beautiful　world；　and　into　the　peaceful　moonlight；　full　of　rage　and　stormy　passions；　and　ready　to　take　the　life　of　every　human　brother；　in　recompense　of　the　boon　of　their　own　existence。

There　have　been　many　other　armies　in　the　world　that　seemed　to　possess　the　same　fierce　nature　with　the　one　which　had　now　sprouted　from　the　dragon's　teeth；　but　these；　in　the　moonlit　field；　were　the　more　excusable；　because　they　never　had　women　for　their　mothers。　And　how　it　would　have　rejoiced　any　great　captain；　who　was　bent　on　conquering　the　world；　like　Alexander　or　Napoleon；　to　raise　a　crop　of　armed　soldiers　as　easily　as　Jason　did！　For　a　while；　the　warriors　stood　flourishing　their　weapons；　clashing　their　swords　against　their　shields；　and　boiling　over　with　the　red…hot　thirst　for　battle。　Then　they　began　to　shout〃Show　us　the　enemy！　Lead　us　to　the　charge！　Death　or　victory！〃　〃Come　on；　brave　comrades！　Conquer　or　die！〃　and　a　hundred　other　outcries；　such　as　men　always　bellow　forth　on　a　battle　field；　and　which　these　dragon　people　seemed　to　have　at　their　tongues'　ends。　At　last；　the　front　rank　caught　sight　of　Jason；　who；　beholding　the　flash　of　so　many　weapons　in　the　moonlight；　had　thought　it　best　to　draw　his　sword。　In　a　moment　all　the　sons　of　the　dragon's　teeth　appeared　to　take　Jason　for　an　enemy；　and　crying　with　one　voice；　〃Guard　the　Golden　Fleece！〃　they　ran　at　him　with　uplifted　swords　and　protruded　spears。　Jason　knew　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　withstand　this　blood…thirsty　battalion　with　his　single　arm；　but　determined；　since　there　was　nothing　better　to　be　done；　to　die　as　valiantly　as　if　he　himself　had　sprung　from　a　dragon's　tooth。

Medea；　however；　bade　him　snatch　up　a　stone　from　the　ground。

〃Throw　it　among　them　quickly！〃　cried　she。　〃It　is　the　only　way　to　save　yourself。〃

The　armed　men　were　now　so　nigh　that　Jason　could　discern　the　fire　flashing　out　of　their　enraged　eyes；　when　he　let　fly　the　stone；　and　saw　it　strike　the　helmet　of　a　tall　warrior；　who　was　rushing　upon　him　with　his　blade　aloft。　The　stone　glanced　from　this　man's　helmet　to　the　shield　of　his　nearest　comrade；　and　thence　flew　right　into　the　angry　face　of　another；　hitting　him　smartly　between　the　eyes。　Each　of　the　three　who　had　been　struck　by　the　stone　took　it　for　granted　that　his　next　neighbor　had　given　him　a　blow；　and　instead　of　running　any　farther　towards　Jason；　they　began　to　fight　among　themselves。　The　confusion　spread　through　the　host；　so　that　it　seemed　scarcely　a　moment　before　they　were　all　hacking；　hewing；　and　stabbing　at　one　another；　lopping　off　arms；　heads；　and　legs　and　doing　such　memorable　deeds　that　Jason　was　filled　with　immense　admiration；　although；　at　the　same　time；　he　could　not　help　laughing　to　behold　these　mighty　men　punishing　each　other　for　an　offense　which　he　himself　had　committed。　In　an　incredibly　short　space　of　time　（almost　as　short；　indeed；　as　it　had　taken　them　to　grow　up）；　all　but　one　of　the　heroes　of　the　dragon's　teeth　were　stretched　lifeless　on　the　field。　The　last　survivor；　the　bravest　and　strongest　of　the　whole；　had　just　force　enough　to　wave　his　crimson　sword　over　his　head　and　give　a　shout　of　exultation；　crying；　〃Victory！　Victory！　Immortal　fame！〃　when　he　himself　fell　down；　and　lay　quietly　among　his　slain　brethren。

And　there　was　the　end　of　the　army　that　had　sprouted　from　the　dragon's　teeth。　That　fierce　and　feverish　fight　was　the　only　enjoyment　which　they　had　tasted　on　this　beautiful　earth。

〃Let　them　sleep　in　the　bed　of　honor；〃　said　the　Princess　Medea；　with　a　sly　smile　at　Jason。　〃The　world　will　always　have　simpletons　enough；　just　like　them；　fighting　and　dying　for　they　know　not　what；　and　fancying　that　posterity　will　take　the　trouble　to　put　laurel　wreaths　on　their　rusty　and　battered　helmets。　Could　you　help　smiling；　Prince　Jason；　to　see　the　self…conceit　of　that　last　fellow；　just　as　he　tumbled　down？〃

〃It　made　me　very　sad；〃　answered　Jason；　gravely。　〃And；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　princess；　the　Golden　Fleece　does　not　appear　so　well　worth　the　winning；　after　what　I　have　here　beheld！〃

〃You　will　think　differently　in　the　morning；〃　said　Medea。　〃True；　the　Golden　Fleece　may　not　be　so　valuable　as　you　have　thought　it；　but　then　there　is　nothing　better　in　the　world；　and　one　must　needs　have　an　object；　you　know。　Come！　Your　night's　work　has　been　well　performed；　and　to…morrow　you　can　inform　King　Aetes　that　the　first　part　of　your　allotted　task　is　fulfilled。〃

Agreeably　to　Medea's　advice；　Jason　went　betimes　in　the　morning　to　the　palace　of　King　Aetes。　Entering　the　presence　chamber；　he　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　throne；　and　made　a　low　obeisance。

〃Your　eyes　look　heavy；　Prince　Jason；〃　observed　the　king；　〃you　appear　to　have　spent　a　sleepless　night。　I　hope　you　have　been　considering　the　matter　a　little　more　wisely；　and　have　concluded　not　to　get　yourself　scorched　to　a　cinder