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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
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scorched to a cinder； in attempting to tame my brazen…lunged bulls。〃
〃That is already accomplished； may it please your majesty；〃 replied
Jason。 〃The bulls have been tamed and yoked； the field has been plowed；
the dragon's teeth have been sown broadcast； and harrowed into the soil；
the crop of armed warriors have sprung up； and they have slain one
another； to the last man。 And now I solicit your majesty's permission to
encounter the dragon； that I may take down the Golden Fleece from the
tree； and depart； with my nine and forty comrades。〃
King Aetes scowled； and looked very angry and excessively disturbed；
for he knew that； in accordance with his kingly promise； he ought now to
permit Jason to win the Fleece； if his courage and skill should enable him
to do so。 But； since the young man had met with such good luck in the
matter of the brazen bulls and the dragon's teeth； the king feared that he
would be equally successful in slaying the dragon。 And therefore； though
he would gladly have seen Jason snapped up at a mouthful； he was
resolved （and it was a very wrong thing of this wicked potentate） not to
run any further risk of losing his beloved Fleece。
〃You never would have succeeded in this business； young man；〃 said
he； 〃if my undutiful daughter Medea had not helped you with her
enchantments。 Had you acted fairly； you would have been； at this instant； a
black cinder； or a handful of white ashes。 I forbid you； on pain of death； to
make any more attempts to get the Golden Fleece。 To speak my mind
plainly； you shall never set eyes on so much as one of its glistening locks。〃
Jason left the king's presence in great sorrow and anger。 He could think
of nothing better to be done than to summon together his forty…nine brave
Argonauts； march at once to the Grove of Mars； slay the dragon； take
possession of the Golden Fleece； get on board the Argo； and spread all sail
for Iolchos。 The success of this scheme depended； it is true； on the
doubtful point whether all the fifty heroes might not be snapped up； at so
many mouthfuls； by the dragon。 But； as Jason was hastening down the
palace steps； the Princess Medea called after him； and beckoned him to
return。 Her black eyes shone upon him with such a keen intelligence； that
he felt as if there were a serpent peeping out of them； and； although she
had done him so much service only the night before； he was by no means
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very certain that she would not do him an equally great mischief before
sunset。 These enchantresses； you must know； are never to be depended
upon。
〃What says King Aetes； my royal and upright father？〃 inquired Medea；
slightly smiling。 〃Will he give you the Golden Fleece； without any further
risk or trouble？〃
〃On the contrary；〃 answered Jason； 〃he is very angry with me for
taming the brazen bulls and sowing the dragon's teeth。 And he forbids me
to make any more attempts； and positively refuses to give up the Golden
Fleece； whether I slay the dragon or no。〃
〃Yes； Jason；〃 said the princess； 〃and I can tell you more。 Unless you
set sail from Colchis before to…morrow's sunrise； the king means to burn
your fifty…oared galley； and put yourself and your forty…nine brave
comrades to the sword。 But be of good courage。 The Golden Fleece you
shall have； if it lies within the power of my enchantments to get it for you。
Wait for me here an hour before midnight。〃
At the appointed hour you might again have seen Prince Jason and the
Princess Medea； side by side； stealing through the streets of Colchis； on
their way to the sacred grove； in the center of which the Golden Fleece
was suspended to a tree。 While they were crossing the pasture ground； the
brazen bulls came towards Jason； lowing； nodding their heads； and
thrusting forth their snouts； which； as other cattle do； they loved to have
rubbed and caressed by a friendly hand。 Their fierce nature was
thoroughly tamed； and； with their fierceness； the two furnaces in their
stomachs had likewise been extinguished； insomuch that they probably
enjoyed far more comfort in grazing and chewing their cuds than ever
before。 Indeed； it had heretofore been a great inconvenience to these poor
animals； that； whenever they wished to eat a mouthful of grass； the fire out
of their nostrils had shriveled it up； before they could manage to crop it。
How they contrived to keep themselves alive is more than I can imagine。
But now； instead of emitting jets of flame and streams of sulphurous vapor；
they breathed the very sweetest of cow breath。
After kindly patting the bulls； Jason followed Medea's guidance into
the Grove of Mars； where the great oak trees； that had been growing for
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centuries； threw so thick a shade that the moonbeams struggled vainly to
find their way through it。 Only here and there a glimmer fell upon the leaf…
strewn earth； or now and then a breeze stirred the boughs aside； and gave
Jason a glimpse of the sky； lest； in that deep obscurity； he might forget that
there was one； overhead。 At length； when they had gone farther and farther
into the heart of the duskiness； Medea squeezed Jason's hand。
〃Look yonder；〃 she whispered。 〃Do you see it？〃
Gleaming among the venerable oaks； there was a radiance； not like the
moonbeams； but rather resembling the golden glory of the setting sun。 It
proceeded from an obje