tanglewood tales-第37节

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rom　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　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