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the Daughters of the Evening Land stood。 The Daughters of the Evening
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
Land bent their heads to listen to what the Argonauts told one another； and；
seeing them bent to：listen； Orpheus told a story about one who had gone
across the Libyan desert； about one who was a hero like unto Heracles。
THE STORY OF PERSEUS
Beyond where Atlas stands there is a cave where the strange women；
the ancient daughters of Phorcys； live。 They have been gray from their
birth。 They have but one eye and one tooth between them； and they pass
the eye and the tooth； one to the other； when they would see or eat。 They
are called the Graiai； these two sisters。
Up to the cave where they lived a youth once came。 He was beardless；
and the garb he wore was torn and travel…stained； but he had shapeliness
and beauty。 In his leathern belt there
was an exceedingly bright sword； this sword was not straight like the
swords we carry； but it was hooked like a sickle。 The strange youth with
the bright； strange sword came very quickly and very silently up to the
cave where the Graiai lived and looked over a high boulder into it。
One was sitting munching acorns with the single tooth。 The other had
the eye in her hand。 She was holding it to her forehead and looking into
the back of the cave。 These two ancient women； with their gray hair falling
over them like thick fleeces； and with faces that were only forehead and
cheeks and nose and mouth； were strange creatures truly。 Very silently the
youth stood looking at them。
〃Sister； sister；〃 cried the one who was munching acorns； 〃sister； turn
your eye this way。 I heard the stir of something。〃
The other turned； and with the eye placed against her forehead looked
out to the opening of the cave。 The youth drew back behind the boulder。
〃Sister； sister； there is nothing there；〃 said the one with the eye。
Then she said： 〃Sister； give me the tooth for I would eat my acorns。
Take the eye and keep watch。〃
The one who was eating held out the tooth； and the one who was
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
watching held out the eye。 The youth darted into the cave。 Standing
between the eyeless sisters； he took with one hand the tooth and with the
other the eye。
〃Sister； sister； have you taken the eye？〃
〃I have not taken the eye。 Have you taken the tooth？〃
〃I have not taken the tooth。〃
〃Some one has taken the eye； and some one has taken the tooth。〃
They stood together； and the youth watched their blinking faces as
they tried to discover who had come into the cave； and who had taken the
eye and the tooth。
Then they said； screaming together： 〃Who ever has taken the eye and
the tooth from the Graiai； the ancient daughters of Phorcys； may Mother
Night smother him。〃
The youth spoke。 〃Ancient daughters of Phorcys；〃 he said； 〃Graiai； I
would not rob from you。 I have come to your cave only to ask the way to a
place。〃
〃Ah； it is a mortal； a mortal；〃 screamed the sisters。 〃Well； mortal； what
would you have from the Graiai？〃
〃Ancient Graiai；〃 said the youth； 〃I would have you tell me； for you
alone know； where the nymphs dwell who guard the three magic treasures…
…the cap of darkness； the shoes of flight； and the magic pouch。〃
〃We will not tell you； we will not tell you that；〃 screamed the two
ancient sisters。
〃I will keep the eye and the tooth；〃 said the youth； 〃and I will give
them to one who will help me。〃
〃Give me the eye and I will tell you；〃 said one。 〃Give me the tooth and
I will tell you；〃 said the other。 The youth put the eye in the hand of one
and the tooth in the hand of the other； but he held their skinny hands in his
strong hands until they should tell him where the nymphs dwelt who
guarded the magic treasures。 The Gray Ones told him。 Then the youth with
the bright sword left the cave。 As he went out he saw on the ground a
shield of bronze； and he took it with him。 To the other side of where
Atlas stands he went。 There he came upon the nymphs in their valley。
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
They had long dwelt there； hidden from gods and men； and they were
startled to see a stranger youth come into their hidden valley。 They fled
away。 Then the youth sat on the ground； his head bent like a man who is
very sorrowful。
The youngest and the fairest of the nymphs came to him at last。 〃Why
have you come； and why do you sit here in such great trouble； youth？〃
said she。 And then she said： 〃What is this strange sickle…sword that you
wear？ Who told you the way to our dwelling place？ What name have
you？〃
〃I have come here；〃 said the youth； and he took the bronze shield upon
his knees and began to polish it； 〃I have come here because I want you； the
nymphs who guard them； to give to me the cap of darkness and the shoes
of flight and the magic pouch。 I must gain these things； without them I
must go to my death。 Why I must gain them you will know from my
story。〃
When he said that he had come for the three magic treasures that they
guarded； the kind nymph was more startled than she and her sisters had
been startled by the appearance of the strange youth in their hidden valley。
She turned away from him。 But she looked again and she saw that he was
beautiful and brave looking。 He had spoken of his death。 The nymph stood
looking at him pitifully； and the youth； with the bronze shield laid beside
his knees and the strange hooked sword lying across it； told her his story。
〃I am Perseus；〃 he said； 〃and my grandfather； men say； is king in
Argos。 His name is Acrisius。 Before I was born a prophecy was made to
him that the son of Danae； his daughter； would slay him。 Acrisius was
frightened by the prophecy； and when I was born he put my mother and
myself into a chest； and he sent us adrift upon the waves of the sea。
〃I did not know what a terrible peril I was in； for I was an infant newly
born。 My mother was so hopeless that she came near to death。 But the
wind and the waves di