tanglewood tales-第36节

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In　order　to　make　the　time　pass　away　more　pleasantly　during　the　voyage；　the　heroes　talked　about　the　Golden　Fleece。　It　originally　belonged；　it　appears；　to　a　Boeotian　ram；　who　had　taken　on　his　back　two　children；　when　in　danger　of　their　lives；　and　fled　with　them　over　land　and　sea　as　far　as　Colchis。　One　of　the　children；　whose　name　was　Helle；　fell　into　the　sea　and　was　drowned。　But　the　other　（a　little　boy；　named　Phrixus）　was　brought　safe　ashore　by　the　faithful　ram；　who；　however；　was　so　exhausted　that　he　immediately　lay　down　and　died。　In　memory　of　this　good　deed；　and　as　a　token　of　his　true　heart；　the　fleece　of　the　poor　dead　ram　was　miraculously　changed　to　gold；　and　became　one　of　the　most　beautiful　objects　ever　seen　on　earth。　It　was　hung　upon　a　tree　in　a　sacred　grove；　where　it　had　now　been　kept　I　know　not　how　many　years；　and　was　the　envy　of　mighty　kings；　who　had　nothing　so　magnificent　in　any　of　their　palaces。

If　I　were　to　tell　you　all　the　adventures　of　the　Argonauts；　it　would　take　me　till　nightfall；　and　perhaps　a　great　deal　longer。　There　was　no　lack　of　wonderful　events；　as　you　may　judge　from　what　you　have　already　heard。　At　a　certain　island；　they　were　hospitably　received　by　King　Cyzicus；　its　sovereign；　who　made　a　feast　for　them；　and　treated　them　like　brothers。　But　the　Argonauts　saw　that　this　good　king　looked　downcast　and　very　much　troubled；　and　they　therefore　inquired　of　him　what　was　the　matter。　King　Cyzicus　hereupon　informed　them　that　he　and　his　subjects　were　greatly　abused　and　incommoded　by　the　inhabitants　of　a　neighboring　mountain；　who　made　war　upon　them；　and　killed　many　people；　and　ravaged　the　country。　And　while　they　were　talking　about　it；　Cyzicus　pointed　to　the　mountain；　and　asked　Jason　and　his　companions　what　they　saw　there。

〃I　see　some　very　tall　objects；〃　answered　Jason；　〃but　they　are　at　such　a　distance　that　I　cannot　distinctly　make　out　what　they　are。　To　tell　your　majesty　the　truth；　they　look　so　very　strangely　that　I　am　inclined　to　think　them　clouds；　which　have　chanced　to　take　something　like　human　shapes。〃

〃I　see　them　very　plainly；〃　remarked　Lynceus；　whose　eyes；　you　know；　were　as　far…sighted　as　a　telescope。　〃They　are　a　band　of　enormous　giants；　all　of　whom　have　six　arms　apiece；　and　a　club；　a　sword；　or　some　other　weapon　in　each　of　their　hands。〃

〃You　have　excellent　eyes；〃　said　King　Cyzicus。　〃Yes；　they　are　six…armed　giants；　as　you　say；　and　these　are　the　enemies　whom　I　and　my　subjects　have　to　contend　with。〃

The　next　day；　when　the　Argonauts　were　about　setting　sail；　down　came　these　terrible　giants；　stepping　a　hundred　yards　at　a　stride；　brandishing　their　six　arms　apiece；　and　looking　formidable；　so　far　aloft　in　the　air。　Each　of　these　monsters　was　able　to　carry　on　a　whole　war　by　himself；　for　with　one　arm　he　could　fling　immense　stones；　and　wield　a　club　with　another；　and　a　sword　with　a　third；　while　the　fourth　was　poking　a　long　spear　at　the　enemy；　and　the　fifth　and　sixth　were　shooting　him　with　a　bow　and　arrow。　But；　luckily；　though　the　giants　were　so　huge；　and　had　so　many　arms；　they　had　each　but　one　heart；　and　that　no　bigger　nor　braver　than　the　heart　of　an　ordinary　man。　Besides；　if　they　had　been　like　the　hundred…armed　Briareus；　the　brave　Argonauts　would　have　given　them　their　hands　full　of　fight。　Jason　and　his　friends　went　boldly　to　meet　them；　slew　a　great　many；　and　made　the　rest　take　to　their　heels；　so　that　if　the　giants　had　had　six　legs　apiece　instead　of　six　arms；　it　would　have　served　them　better　to　run　away　with。

Another　strange　adventure　happened　when　the　voyagers　came　to　Thrace；　where　they　found　a　poor　blind　king；　named　Phineus；　deserted　by　his　subjects；　and　living　in　a　very　sorrowful　way；　all　by　himself：　On　Jason's　inquiring　whether　they　could　do　him　any　service；　the　king　answered　that　he　was　terribly　tormented　by　three　great　winged　creatures；　called　Harpies；　which　had　the　faces　of　women；　and　the　wings；　bodies；　and　claws　of　vultures。　These　ugly　wretches　were　in　the　habit　of　snatching　away　his　dinner；　and　allowed　him　no　peace　of　his　life。　Upon　hearing　this；　the　Argonauts　spread　a　plentiful　feast　on　the　sea…shore；　well　knowing；　from　what　the　blind　king　said　of　their　greediness；　that　the　Harpies　would　snuff　up　the　scent　of　the　victuals；　and　quickly　come　to　steal　them　away。　And　so　it　turned　out；　for；　hardly　was　the　table　set；　before　the　three　hideous　vulture　women　came　flapping　their　wings；　seized　the　food　in　their　talons；　and　flew　off　as　fast　as　they　could。　But　the　two　sons　of　the　North　Wind　drew　their　swords；　spread　their　pinions；　and　set　off　through　the　air　in　pursuit　of　the　thieves；　whom　they　at　last　overtook　among　some　islands；　after　a　chase　of　hundreds　of　miles。　The　two　winged　youths　blustered　terribly　at　the　Harpies　（for　they　had　the　rough　temper　of　their　father）；　and　so　frightened　them　with　their　drawn　swords；　that　they　solemnly　promised　never　to　trouble　King　Phineus　again。

Then　the　Argonauts　sailed　onward　and　met　with　many　other　marvelous　incidents；　any　one　of　which　would　make　a　story　by　itself。　At　one　time　they　landed　on　an　island；　and　were　reposing　on　the　grass；　when　they　suddenly　found　themselves　assailed　by　what　seemed　a　shower　of　steel…headed　arrows。　Some　of　them　stuck　in　the　ground；　while　others　hit　against　their　shields；　and　several　penetrated　their　flesh。　The　fifty　heroes　started　up；　and　looked　about　them　for　the　hidden　enemy；　but　could　find　none；　nor　see　any　spot；　on　the　whole　island；　where　even　a　single　archer　could　lie　concealed。　Still；　however；　the　steel…headed　arrows　came　whizzing　among　them；　and；　at　last；　happening　to　look　upward；　they　beheld　a　large　flock　of　birds；　hovering　and　wheeling　aloft；　and　shooting　their　feathers　down　upon　the　Argonauts。　These　feathers　were　the　steel…headed　arrows　that　had　so　tormented　them。　There　was　no　possibility　of　making　any　resistance；　and　the　fifty　heroic　Argonauts　might　all　have　been　killed　or　wounded　by　a　flock　of　troublesome　birds；　without　ever　setting　eyes　on　the　Golden　Fleece；　if　Jason　had　not　thought　of　asking　the　advice　of　the　oaken　image。

So　he　ran　to　the　galley　as　fast　as　his　legs　would　carry　him。

〃O；　daughter　of　the　Speaking　Oak；〃　cried　he；　all　out　of　breath；　〃we　need　your　wisdom　more　than　ever　before！　We　are　in　great　peril　from　a　flock　of　birds；　who　are　shooting　us　with　their　steel…pointed　feathers。　What　can　we　do　to　drive　them　away？〃

〃Make　a　clatter　on　your　shields；〃　said　the　image。

On　receiving　this　excellent　counsel；　Jason　hurried　back　to　his　companions　（who　were　far　more　dismayed　than　when　they　fought　with　the　six…armed　giants）；　and　bade　them　strike　with　their　swords　upon　their　brazen　shields。　Forthwith　the　fifty　heroes　set　heartily　to　work；　banging　with　might　and　main；　and　raised　such　a　terrible　clatter；　that　the　birds　made　what　haste　they　could　to　get　away；　and　though　they　had　shot　half　the　feathers　out　of　their　wings；　they　were　soon　seen　skimming　among　the　clouds；　a　long　distance　off；　and　looking　like　a　flock　of　wild　geese。　Orpheus　celebrated　this　victory　by　playing　a　triumphant　anthem　on　his　harp；　and　sang　so　melodiously　that　Jason　begged　him　to　desist；　lest；　as　the　steel…feathered　birds　had　been　driven　away　by　an　ugly　sound；　they　might　be　enticed　back　again　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；　unles