 Chapter 6 Myths and Legends of All Nations This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Lucy LaFaro, New South Wales, Australia Myths and Legends of All Nations by Logan Marshall The Gorgons Head Perseus was the son of Diney, who was the daughter of a king. And when Perseus was a very little boy, some wicked people put his mother and himself into a chest and set them afloat upon the sea. The wind blew freshly and drove the chest away from the shore. And the uneasy billows tossed it up and down while Diney clasped her child closely to her bosom and dreaded that some big wave would dash its foamy crest over them both. The chest sailed on, however, and neither sank nor was upset. Until, when night was coming, it floated so near an island that it got entangled in a fisherman's nets and was drawn out high and dry upon the sand. The island was called Seraphis and it was reigned over by King Polydectes who happened to be the fisherman's brother. This fisherman, I am glad to tell you, was an exceedingly humane and upright man. He showed great kindness to Diney and her little boy and continued to befriend them until Perseus had grown to be a handsome youth and strong and active and skillful in the use of arms. Long before this time King Polydectes had seen the two strangers, the mother and her child, who had come to his dominions in a floating chest. As he was not good and kind like his brother the fisherman, but extremely wicked, he resolved to send Perseus on a dangerous enterprise which he would probably be killed and then to do some great mischief to Diney herself. So this bad-hearted king spent a long while in considering what was the most dangerous thing that a young man could possibly undertake to perform. At last, having hit upon an enterprise that promised to turn out as fatally as he desired, he sent for the youthful Perseus. The young man came to the palace and found the king sitting upon his throne. Perseus said King Polydectes, smiling craftily upon him, you are grown up a fine young man. You and your good mother have received a great deal of kindness from myself as well as from my worthy brother, the fisherman. And I suppose you would not be sorry to repay some of it. Please, your Majesty, and said Perseus, I would willingly risk my life to do so. Well then, continued the king, still with a cunning smile on his lips, I have a little adventure to propose to you, and as you are a brave and enterprising youth, you will doubtless look upon it as a great piece of good luck to have so rare an opportunity of distinguishing yourself. You must know, my good Perseus, I think of getting married to the beautiful princess Hippodamia, and it is customary on these occasions to make the bride a present of some far-fetched and elegant curiosity. I have been a little perplexed. I must honestly confess where to obtain anything likely to please a princess of her exquisite taste. But this morning I flatter myself. I thought of precisely the article. And can I assist your Majesty in obtaining it? cried Perseus eagerly. You can, if you are as brave a youth as I believe you to be, replied King Polydectis, with the utmost graciousness of manner. The bridal gift which I have set my heart on presenting to the beautiful Hippodamia is the head of the Gorgon Medusa, with the snaky locks. And I depend on you, my dear Perseus, to bring it to me. So, as I am anxious to settle affairs with the princess, the sooner you go in quest of the Gorgon, the better I shall be pleased. I will set out tomorrow morning, answered Perseus. Pray do so, my gallant youth, rejoined the king. And Perseus, in cutting off the Gorgon's head, be careful to make a clean stroke, so as not to injure its appearance. You must bring it home in the very best condition in order to suit the exquisite taste of the beautiful princess Hippodamia. Perseus left the palace, but was scarcely out of hearing before Polydectis burst into a laugh, being greatly amused, wicked king that he was. To find how readily the young man fell into the snare. The news quickly spread abroad that Perseus had undertaken to cut off the head of Medusa with the snaky locks. Everybody was rejoiced, for most of the inhabitants of the island were as wicked as the king himself, and would have liked nothing better than to see some enormous mischief happen to Dene and her son. The only good man in this unfortunate island of Seraphus appears to have been the fishermen. As Perseus walked along, therefore, the people pointed after him and made mouths and winked to one another and ridiculed him as loudly as they dared. Ho, ho! cried they. Medusa's snakes will sting him soundly. Now there were three Gorgons alive at that period, and they were the most strange and terrible monsters that had ever been since the world was made or that have been since in after-days or that are likely to be seen in all time to come. I hardly know what sort of creature or hobgoblin to call them. They were three sisters and seemed to have borne some distant resemblance to women, but were really a very frightful and mischievous species of dragon. It is indeed difficult to imagine what hideous beings these three sisters were. Why, instead of locks of hair, if you can believe men, they had each of them a hundred enormous snakes growing on their heads, all alive, twisting, wriggling, curling and thrusting out their venomous tongues with forked stings at the end. All of the Gorgons were terribly long tusks. Their hands were made of brass and their bodies were all over-scales, which, if not iron, were something as hard and impenetrable. They had wings too and exceedingly splendid ones, I can assure you, for every feather in them was pure, bright, glittering, burnished gold and they looked very dazzling, no doubt, when the Gorgons were flying about in the sunshine. But when people happened to catch a glimpse of their glittering brightness aloft in the air, they seldom stopped to gaze, but ran and hid themselves as speedily as they could. You will think, perhaps, that they were afraid of being stung by the serpents that served the Gorgons instead of hair or of having their heads bitten off by their ugly tusks or of being torn all to pieces by their brazen claws. Well, to be sure, these were some of the dangers, but by no means the greatest, nor the most difficult to avoid. For the worst thing about these abominable Gorgons was that if once a poor mortal fixed his eyes full upon one of their faces, he was certain that very instant to be changed from warm flesh and blood into cold and lifeless stone. Thus, as you will easily perceive, it was a very dangerous adventure that the wicked King Polydectes had contrived for this innocent young man. Perseus himself, when he had thought over the matter, could not help seeing that he had very little chance of coming safely through it and that he was far more likely to become a stone image than to bring back the head of Medusa with the snaky locks. For, not to speak of other difficulties, there was one which it would have puzzled an older man than Perseus to get over. Not only must he fight with and slay this golden-winged, iron-scaled, long-tust, brazen-clawed, snaky-head monster, but he must do it with his eyes shut, or at least without so much as a glance at the enemy with whom he was contending. Else, while his arm was lifted to strike, he would stiffen into stone and stand with that uplifted arm for centuries until time and the wind and weather should crumble him quite away. This would be a very sad thing to befall a young man who wanted to perform a great many brave deeds and to enjoy a great deal of happiness in this bright and beautiful world. So disconsolate did these thoughts make him that Perseus could not bear to tell his mother what he had undertaken to do. He therefore took his shield, girded on his sword and crossed over from the island to the mainland, where he sat down in a solitary place and hardly refrained from shedding tears. But while he was in this sorrowful mood, he heard a voice close beside him. Perseus said the voice, Why are you sad? He lifted his head from his hands in which he had hidden it, and behold, all alone as Perseus had supposed himself to be, there was a stranger in the solitary place. It was a brisk, intelligent and remarkably shrewd-looking young man with a cloak over his shoulders, an odd sort of cap on his head, a strangely twisted staff in his hand and a short and very crooked sword hanging by his side. He was exceedingly light and active in his figure, like a person much accustomed to gymnastic exercises and were able to leap or run. Above all, the stranger had such a cheerful, knowing and helpful aspect, though it was certainly a little mischievous into the bargain, that Perseus could not help feeling his spirits grow livelier as he gazed at him. Besides, being really a courageous youth, he felt greatly ashamed that anybody should have found him with tears in his eyes, like a timid little schoolboy, when, after all, there might be no occasion for despair. So Perseus wiped his eyes and answered the stranger pretty briskly, putting on as brave a look as he could. I am not so very sad, said he, only thoughtful about an adventure that I have undertaken. A ho! answered the stranger. Well, tell me all about it, and possibly I may be of service to you. I have helped a good many young men through adventures that looked difficult enough beforehand. Perhaps you may have heard of me. I have more names than one, but the name of Quicksilver suits me as well as any other. Tell me what the trouble is, and we will talk the matter over and see what can be done. The stranger's words and manner put Perseus into quite a different mood from his former one. He resolved to tell Quicksilver all his difficulties, since he could not easily be worse off than he already was, and, very possibly, his new friend might give him some advice that would turn out well in the end. So he let the stranger know in few words precisely what was the case. How the king Polydectes wanted the head of Medusa with the steaky locks as a bridal gift for the beautiful princess Hippodamia, and how that he had undertaken to get it from him, but was afraid of being turned into stone, and that would be a great pity, said Quicksilver, with his mischievous smile. You would make a very handsome marble statue, it is true, and it would be a considerable number of centuries before you crumbled away, but on the whole one would rather be a young man for a few years than a stone image for a great many. Oh, far rather, exclaimed Perseus, with the tears again standing in his eyes, and besides, what would my dear mother do if her beloved son were turned into stone? Well, well, let us hope that the affair will not turn out so very badly, replied Quicksilver, in an encouraging tone. I am the very person to help you, if anybody can. My sister and myself will do our utmost to bring you safe through the adventure, ugly as it now looks. Your sister, repeated Perseus? Yes, my sister, said the stranger. She is very wise. I promise you. And as for myself, I generally have all my wits about me, such as they are. If you show yourself bold and cautious, you must follow our advice. You need not fear being a stone image yet a while. But, first of all, you must polish your shield till you can see your face in it as distinctly as in a mirror. This seemed to Perseus rather an odd beginning of the adventure, for he thought it of far more consequence that the shield should be strong enough to defend him from the gorgons' brazen claws than that it should be bright enough to show him the reflection of his face. However, concluding that Quicksilver knew better than himself, he immediately set to work and scrubbed the shield with so much diligence and goodwill that it very quickly shone like the moon at the harvest home. Quicksilver looked at it with a smile and nodded his approbation. Then taking off his own short and crooked sword, he girded it about Perseus, instead of the one which he had before worn. No sword but mine will answer your purpose. Observe, tea. The blade has a most excellent temper and will cut through iron and brass as easily as through the slenderest twig. And now we will set out. The next thing is to find the three grey women who will tell us where to find the nymphs. The three grey women cried Perseus to whom this seemed only a new difficulty in the path of his adventure. Pray, whom may the three grey women be? I never heard of them before. They are three very strange old ladies, said Quicksilver, laughing. They have but one eye among them and only one tooth. Moreover, you must find them out by starlight or in the dusk of the evening. For they never show themselves by the light either of the sun or moon. But, said Perseus, why should I waste my time with these three grey women? Would it not be better to set out at once in search of the terrible Gorgons? No, no, answered his friend. There are other things to be done before you can find your way to the Gorgons. There is nothing for it but to hunt up these old ladies. And when we meet with them you may be sure that the Gorgons are not a great way off. Come, let us be stirring. Perseus by this time felt so much more confidence in his companion's sagacity that he made no more objections and professed himself ready to begin the adventure immediately. They accordingly set out at a pretty brisk pace. So brisk indeed that Perseus found it rather difficult to keep up with his nimble friend Quicksilver. To say the truth he had a singular idea that Quicksilver was furnished with a pair of winged shoes which, of course, helped him along marvelously. And then, too, when Perseus looked sideways at him out of the corner of his eye he seemed to see wings on the side of his head. Although if he turned a full gaze there were no such things to be perceived but only an odd kind of cap. But at all events the twisted staff was evidently a great convenience to Quicksilver and enabled him to proceed so fast that Perseus, though a remarkably active young man began to be out of breath. Here cried Quicksilver at last for he knew well enough rogue that he was how hard Perseus found it to keep pace with him. Take you the staff for you needed a great deal more than I. Are there no better walkers than yourself in the island of Seraphus? I could walk pretty well, said Perseus, glancing slyly at his companion's feet. If I had only a pair of winged shoes we must say about getting you a pair, answered Quicksilver. But the staff helped Perseus along so bravely that he no longer felt the slightest weariness. In fact, the stick seemed to be alive in his hand and to lend some of its life to Perseus. He and Quicksilver now walked onward at their ease talking very sociably together and Quicksilver told so many pleasant stories about his former adventures and how well his wits had served him on various occasions that Perseus began to think him a very wonderful person. He evidently knew the world and nobody is so charming to a young man as a friend who has that kind of knowledge. Perseus listened the more eagerly in the hope of brightening his own wits by what he heard. At last he happened to recollect that Quicksilver had spoken of a sister who was to lend her assistance in the adventure which they were now bound upon. Where is she? he inquired. Shall we not meet her soon? All at the proper time said his companion. But this sister of mine, you must understand, is quite a different sort of character from myself. She is very grave and prudent, seldom smiles, never laughs, and makes it a rule not to utter a word unless she has something particularly profound to say. Neither will she listen to any but the wisest conversation. Dear me, ejaculated Perseus, I shall be afraid to say a syllable. She is a very accomplished person, I assure you, continued Quicksilver, and has all the arts and science at her fingers ends. In short, she is so immoderately wise that many people call her wisdom personified. But to tell you the truth, she has hardly vivacity enough for my taste, and I think you would scarcely find her so pleasant a travelling companion as myself. She has her good points, nevertheless, and you will find the benefit of them in your encounter with the Gorgons. By this time it had grown quite dusk. They were now come to a very wild and desert place, overgrown with shaggy bushes, and so silent and solitary that nobody seemed ever to have dwelt or journeyed there. All was waste and desolate in the grey twilight, which grew every moment more obscure. Perseus looked about him rather disconsolently, and asked Quicksilver whether they had a great deal farther to go. Hisst, hisst, whispered his companion, make no noise. This is just the time and place to meet the three grey women. Be careful that they do not see you before you see them. For though they have but a single eye among the three, it is as sharp-sighted as half a dozen common eyes. But what must I do, asked Perseus, when we meet them? Quicksilver explained to Perseus how the three grey women managed with their one eye. They were in the habit, it seems, of changing it from one to another, as if it had been a pair of spectacles, or, which would have suited them better, a quizzing glass. When one of the three had kept the eye for a certain time, she took it out of the socket and passed it to one of her sisters, whose turn it might happen to be, and who immediately clapped it into her own head to enjoy the peep at the visible world. Thus it will easily be understood that only one of the three grey women could see, while the other two were in utter darkness. And, moreover, at the instant when the eye was passing from hand to hand, none of the poor old ladies was able to see a wink. I have heard of a great many strange things in my day, and have witnessed not a few, but none, it seems, to me, a pair with the oddity of these three grey women all peeping through a single eye. So thought Perseus, likewise, and was so astonished that he almost fancied his companion was joking with him, and that there were no such old women in the world. You will soon find whether I tell the truth or no, observed Quicksilver. Huck, hush, hiss, hiss. There they come now. Perseus looked earnestly through the dusk of the evening, and there sure enough at no great distance off he described the three grey women. The light being so faint he could not well make out what sort of figures they were. Only he discovered that they had long grey hair, and as they came nearer he saw that two of them had but the empty socket of an eye in the middle of their foreheads. But in the middle of the third sister's forehead there was a very large, bright and piercing eye which sparkled with a great diamond in a ring. And so penetrating did it seem to be that Perseus could not help thinking it must possess the gift of seeing in the darkest midnight just as perfectly as at noon day. The sight of three person's eyes was melted and collected into that single one. Thus the three old dames got along about as comfortably upon the whole as if they could all see at once. She who chanced to have the eye in her forehead led the other two by the hands, peeping sharply about her all the while, in so much that Perseus dreaded lest she should see right through the thick clump of bushes behind which he and Quicksilver had hidden themselves. My stars! It was positively terrible to be within reach of so very sharp an eye. But before they reached the clump of bushes one of the three grey women spoke. Sister, sister Scarecrow! cried she. You have had the eye long enough. It is my turn now. Let me keep it a moment longer, sister Nightmare, answered Scarecrow. I thought I had a glimpse of something behind that thick bush. Well, and what of that? retorted Nightmare peevishly. Can't I see into the thick bush as easily as yourself? The eye is mine as well as yours, and I know the use of it as well as you, or maybe a little better. I insist upon taking a peep immediately. Take it, one of you, cried she, and quit this foolish quarrelling. For my part, I shall be glad of a little thick darkness. Take it quickly, however, or I must clap it into my own head again. Accordingly, both Nightmare and Shake-Joint put out their hands, groping eagerly to snatch the eye out of the hand of Scarecrow. But being both alike blind, they could not easily find where Scarecrow's hand was. And Scarecrow, being now just as much in the darkest Shake-Joint and Nightmare, could not at once meet either of their hands in order to put the eye into it. Thus, as you will see with half an eye, my wise little auditors, these good old dames had fallen into a strange perplexity. For though the eye shone and glistened like a star, as Scarecrow held it out, yet the grey women caught not the least glimpse of its light and were all three in utter darkness, from too impatient a desire to see. Quick-silver was so much tickled at beholding Shake-Joint at Nightmare, both groping for the eye and each finding fault with Scarecrow and one another that he could scarcely help laughing aloud. Now is your time, he whispered to Perseus, quick, quick, before they can clap the eye into either of their heads, rush out upon the old ladies and snatch it from Scarecrow's hand. In an instant, while the three grey women were still scolding each other, Perseus leapt from behind the clump of bushes and made himself master of the prize. The marvellous eye, as he held it in his hand, shone very brightly and seemed to look up into his face with a knowing air, and an expression as if it would have winked had it been provided with a pair of eyelids for that purpose. But the grey women knew nothing of what had happened and each supposing that one of her sisters was in possession of the eye, they began their quarrel anew. At last, as Perseus did not wish to put these respectable dames to greater inconvenience, then was really necessary, he thought it right to explain the matter. My good ladies said he, pray do not be angry with one another, if anybody is in fault it is myself, for I have the honour to hold your very brilliant and excellent eye in my own hand. You, you have our eye, and who are you, screamed the three grey women all in a breath, for they were terribly frightened, of course, adhering a strange voice, and discovering that their eyesight had got into the hands of they could not guess whom. Oh, what shall we do, sisters, what shall we do? We are all in the dark. Give us our eye, give us our one precious solitary eye, you have two of your own, give us our eye. Tell them, whispered Quicksilver, to Perseus, that they shall have back the eye as soon as they direct you where to find the nymphs who have the flying slippers, the magic wallet, and the helmet of darkness. My dear good admirable old ladies, said Perseus, addressing the grey women, there is no occasion for putting yourselves into such a fright. I am by no means a bad young man. You shall have back your eye, safe and sound, and as bright as ever, the moment you tell me where to find the nymphs. The nymphs? Goodness me, sisters, what nymphs does he mean? Screams scarecrow. There are a great many nymphs, people say, some that go hunting in the woods, and some that live inside of trees, and some that have a comfortable home in fountains of water. We know nothing at all about them. We are three unfortunate old souls that go wandering about in the dusk and never had but one eye amongst us, and that one you have stolen away. O give it back, good stranger, whoever you are, give it back. All this while the three grey women were groping with their outstretched hands and trying their utmost to get hold of Perseus, but he took good care to keep out of their reach. My respectable dames, said he, for his mother had taught him always to use the greatest civility. I hold your eye fast in my hand and shall keep it safely for you until you please to tell me where to find these nymphs. The nymphs, I mean, who keep the enchanted wallet, the flying slippers, and the—what is it? The helmet of invisibility. Perseus on our sisters, what is the young man talking about? exclaimed Scarecrow, nightmare and shake-joint one to another, with great appearance of astonishment. A pair of flying slippers, quote he, his heels would quickly fly higher than his head if he was silly enough to put them on. And a helmet of invisibility? How could a helmet make him invisible unless it were big enough for him to hide under it? And an enchanted wallet? What sort of a contrivance may that be? I wonder. No, no good stranger. We can tell you nothing of these marvellous things. You have two eyes of your own, and we have but one single amongst us three. You can find out such wonders better than three blind old creatures like us. Perseus hearing them talk in this way began really to think that the grey women knew nothing of the matter. And as it grieved him to put them to so much trouble, he was just on the point of restoring their eye and asking pardon for his rudeness in snatching it away. But Quicksilver caught his hand. Don't let them make a fool of you, said he. These three grey women are the only persons in the world that can tell you where to find the nymphs. And unless you get that information, you will never succeed in cutting off the head of Medusa with the snaky locks. Keep fast hold on the eye and all will go well. As it turned out, Quicksilver was in the right. There are but few things that people prize so much as they do their eyesight, and the grey women valued their single eye as highly as if it had been half a dozen, which was the number they ought to have had. Finding that there was no other way of recovering it, they at last told Perseus what he wanted to know. No sooner had they done so than he immediately and with the utmost respect clasped the eye into the vacant socket in one of their foreheads, thanked them for their kindness and bade them farewell. Before the young man was out of hearing, however, they had got into a new dispute because he happened to have given the eye to Scarecrow, who had already taken her turn of it when their trouble with Perseus commenced. It is greatly to be feared that the three grey women were very much in the habit of disturbing their mutual harmony by bickering of this sort, which was the more pity, as they could not conveniently do without one another and were evidently intended to be inseparable companions. As a general rule, I would advise all people, whether sisters or brothers, old or young, who chanced to have but one eye amongst them to cultivate forbearance and not to insist upon peeping through it at once. Quicksilver and Perseus in the meantime were making the best of their way in quest of the nymphs. The old dames had given them such particular directions that they were not long in finding them out. They proved to be very different persons from Nightmare, Shake, Joint and Scarecrow, for instead of being old, they were young and beautiful, and instead of one eye amongst the sisterhood, each nymph had two exceedingly bright eyes of her own, with which she looked very kindly at Perseus. They seemed to be acquainted with Quicksilver, and when he told them the adventure which Perseus had undertaken, they made no difficulty about giving him the valuable articles that were in their custody. In the first place, they brought out what appeared to be a small purse made of de-skin and curiously embroidered, and bait him be sure and keep it safe. This was the magic wallet. The nymphs next produced a pair of shoes or slippers or sandals with a nice little pair of wings at the heel of each. Put them on Perseus, said Quicksilver. You will find yourself as light healed as you can desire for the remainder of our journey. So Perseus proceeded to put one of the slippers on while he laid the other on the ground by his side. Unexpectedly, however, this other slipper spread its wings, fluttered up off the ground and would probably have flown away if Quicksilver had not made a leap and luckily caught it in the air. Be more careful, said he as he gave it back to Perseus. It would frighten the birds up aloft if they should see a flying slipper amongst them. When Perseus had got on both of these wonderful slippers, he was altogether too buoyant to tread on earth. Making a step or two, low and behold, up he popped into the air high above the heads of Quicksilver and the nymphs and found it very difficult to clamber down again. Winged slippers and all such high-flying contrivances assailed him quite easy to manage until one grows a little accustomed to them. Quicksilver laughed at his companion's involuntary activity and told him that he must not be in so desperate a hurry but must wait for the invisible helmet. The good-natured nymphs had the helmet with its dark, tuft of waving plumes all in readiness to put upon his head. And now there happened about as wonderful an incident as anything that I have yet told you. The instant before the helmet was put on, there stood Perseus, a beautiful young man with golden ringlets and rosy cheeks. The crooked sword by his side and the brightly polished shield upon his arm a figure that seemed all made up of courage, sprightliness and glorious light. But when the helmet had descended over his white brow, there was no longer any Perseus to be seen, nothing but empty air. Even the helmet that covered him with its invisibility had vanished. Where are you, Perseus? Asked Quicksilver. Why here, to be sure? And said Perseus very quietly, although his voice seemed to come out of the transparent atmosphere. Just where I was a moment ago? Don't you see me? No indeed, answered his friend. You are hidden under the helmet. But if I cannot see you, neither can the Gorgons. Follow me, therefore, and we will try your dexterity in using the winged slippers. With these words Quicksilver's cap spread its wings as if his head were about to fly away from his shoulders. But his whole figure rose lightly into the air and Perseus followed. By the time they had ascended a few hundred feet, the young man began to feel what a delightful thing it was to leave the dull earth so far beneath him and to be able to flit about like a bird. It was now a deep night. Perseus looked upward and saw the round bright silvery moon and thought that he should desire even better than to soar up, bither and spend his life there. Then he looked downward again and saw the earth, with its seas and lakes and the silver course of its rivers and its snowy mountain peaks and the breadth of its fields and the dark cluster of its woods and its cities of white marble and with the moon shines sleeping over the whole scene. It was as beautiful as the moon or any star could be. And among other objects he saw the island of Seraphus where his dear mother was. Sometimes he and Quicksilver approached a cloud that at a distance looked as if it were made of fleecy silver. Although when they plunged into it they found themselves chilled and moistened with gray mist. So swift was their flight however that in an instant the cloud into the moonlight again. Once a high-soring eagle flew right against the invisible Perseus. The bravest sights were the meteors that gleamed suddenly out as if a bonfire had been kindled in the sky and made the moonshine pale for as much as a hundred miles around them. As the two companions flew onward Perseus fancied that he could hear the rustle of a garment close by his side and it was on the side opposite to the one where he beheld Quicksilver yet only Quicksilver was visible. Whose garment is this? inquired Perseus that keeps rustling close beside me in the breeze. Oh, it is my sister's! answered Quicksilver. She is coming along with us as I told you she would. We could do nothing without the help of my sister. You have no idea how wise she is. She has such eyes too why she can see you at this moment just as distinctly as if you were not invisible and I'll venture to say she will be the first to discover the Gorgons. By this time in their swift forage through the air they had come within sight of the great ocean and were soon flying over it. Far beneath them they crossed themselves tumultuously in mid-sea or rolled a white surf line upon the long beaches or foamed against the rocky cliffs with a roar that was thunderous in the lower world although it became a gentle murmur like the voice of a baby half asleep before it reached the years of Perseus. Just then a voice spoke in the air close by him. It seemed to be a woman's voice and was melodious though not exactly what might be called sweet but grave and mild. Perseus said the voice there are the Gorgons. Where? exclaimed Perseus. I cannot see them. On the shore of that island beneath you replied the voice a pebble dropped from your hand would strike in the midst of them. I told you she would be the first to discover them said quick silver to Perseus there they are. Straight downward two or three thousand feet below him Perseus perceived a small island with the sea breaking into white foam all around its rocky shore except on one side where there was a beach of snowy sand. He descended toward it and looking earnestly at a cluster or heap of brightness at the foot of a precipice of black rocks he told there were the terrible Gorgons they lay fast asleep soothed by the thunder of the sea for it required a tumult that would have deafened everybody else to lull such fierce creatures into slumber. The moonlight glistened on their steely scales and on their golden wings which drooped idly over the sand. Their brazen claws horrible to look at were thrust out and clutched to the wave-beaten fragments of rock while the sleeping Gorgons dreamed of tearing some poor mortal altarpieces. The snakes that served them instead of hair seemed likewise to be asleep although now and then one would writhe and lift its head and thrust out its forked tongue emitting a drowsy hiss and then let itself side among its sister snakes. The Gorgons were more like an awful gigantic kind of insect immense golden-winged beetles or dragonflies or things of that sort at once ugly and beautiful than like anything else only that they were a thousand and a million times as big and with all this there was something partly human about them too. Luckily for Perseus their faces were completely hidden from him by the posture in which they lay for had he but looked one instant at them he would have fallen heavily out of the air an image of senseless stone. Now whispered Quicksilver as he hovered by the side of Perseus now is your time to do the deed be quick for if one of the Gorgons should awake you are too late which shall I strike at as Perseus drawing his sword and descending a little lower they all three look alike all three have snaky locks which of the three is Medusa it must be understood that Medusa was the only one of these dragon monsters whose head Perseus could possibly cut off as for the other two let him have the sharpest sword that ever was forged and he might have hacked away Medusa without doing them the least harm be cautious said the calm voice which had before spoken to him one of the Gorgons is stirring in her sleep and is just about to turn over that is Medusa do not look at her the sight would turn you to stone look at the reflection of her face and figure in the bright mirror of your shield Perseus now understood Quicksilver's motive for so earnestly exhorting him to polish his shield in its surface he could safely look at the reflection of the Gorgons face and there it was that terrible countenance mirrored in the brightness of the shield with the moonlight falling over it and displaying all its horror the snakes whose venomous nature could not altogether sleep kept twisting themselves over the forehead it was the fiercest and most horrible face that ever was seen or imagined and yet with a strange fearful and savage kind of beauty in it the eyes were closed and the Gorgon was still in a deep slumber but there was an unquiet expression disturbing her features as if the monster was troubled with an ugly dream she gnashed her white tusks and dug into the sand with her brazen claws the snakes too seemed to feel Medusa's dream and to be made more restless by it they twined themselves into tumultuous knots writhed fiercely and uplifted a hundred hissing heads without opening their eyes now! now! whispered Quicksilver who was growing impatient make a dash at the monster but be calm said the grave Melody's voice at the young man's side look in your shield as you fly downward and take care that you do not miss your first stroke Perseus flew cautiously downward still keeping his eyes on Medusa's face as reflected in his shield the nearer he came the more terrible did the snaky visage and metallic body of the monster grow at last when he found himself hovering over her within arms length Perseus uplifted his sword while at the same instant each separate snake upon the gorgon's head stretched threateningly upward and Medusa unclosed her eyes but she awoke too late the sword was sharp the stroke fell like a lightning flash and the head of the wicked Medusa tumbled from her body admirably done! cried Quicksilver make haste and clap the head into your magic wallet to the astonishment of Perseus the small embroidered wallet which he had hung about his neck and which had here there too been no bigger than a purse grew all at once large enough to contain Medusa's head as quick as thought he snatched it up with the snake still writhing upon it and thrust it in your task is done said the calm voice now fly for the other gorgons almost to take vengeance for Medusa's death it was indeed necessary to take flight for Perseus had not done the deed so quietly but that the clash of his sword and the hissing of the snakes and the thump of Medusa's head as it tumbled upon the sea-beaten sand awoke the other two monsters there they sat for an instant sleepily rubbing their eyes with their brazen fingers while all the snakes on their heads reared themselves on end their eyes and with venomous malice against they knew not what but when the gorgons saw the scaly carcass of Medusa headless and her golden wings all ruffled and half spread out on the sand it was really awful to hear what yells and screeches they set up and then the snakes they sent forth a hundred-fold hiss with one consent and Medusa's snakes answered them out of the magic wallet no sooner were the gorgons broad awake than they hurtled upward into the air brandishing their brass talons gnashing their horrible tusks and flapping their huge wings so wildly that some of the golden feathers were shaken out and floated down upon the shore and there perhaps those very feathers lie scattered till this day up grows the gorgons as I tell you staring horribly about in hopes of turning somebody to stone had Perseus look them in the face or had he fallen into their clutches his poor mother would never have kissed her boy again but he took good care to turn his eyes another way and as he wore the helmet of invisibility the gorgons knew not in what direction to follow him nor did he fail to make the best use of the wing slippers by soaring upward a perpendicular mile or so at that height when the screams of those abominable creatures sounded faintly beneath him he made a straight course for the island of Seraphus in order to carry Medusa's head to King Polydectes I have no time to tell you of several marvellous things that befell Perseus on his way homeward such as his killing a hideous sea monster as it was on the point of devouring a beautiful maiden nor how he changed an enormous giant into a mountain of stone merely by showing him the head of the gorgon if you doubt this latter story you may make a voyage to Africa some day or other and see the very mountain which is still known by the ancient giant's name finally our brave Perseus arrived at the island where he expected to see his dear mother but during his absence the wicked king had treated Denis so very ill that she was compelled to make her escape and had taken refuge in a temple where some good old priests were extremely kind to her these praiseworthy priests and the kind-hearted fishermen who had first shown hospitality to Denis and little Perseus when he had found them afloat in the chest seemed to have been the only persons on the island who cared about doing right all the rest of the people as well as King Polodectis himself were remarkably ill-behaved and deserved no better destiny than that which was now to happen not finding his mother at home Perseus went straight to the palace and was immediately ushered into the presence of the king Polodectis was by no means rejoiced to see him for he had felt almost certain in his own evil mind that the Gorgons would have torn the poor young man to pieces and have eaten him up out of the way however, seeing him safely returned he put the best face he could upon the matter and asked Perseus how he had succeeded have you performed your promise, inquired he have you brought me the head of Medusa with the snaky locks if not young man it will cost you dear for I have a bridal present for the beautiful princess Hippodamia and there is nothing else that she would admire so much yes please your majesty answered Perseus in a quiet way as if it were no very wonderful deed for such a young man as he to perform I have brought you the Gorgons head snaky locks and all indeed, pray let me see it King Polodectis it must be a very curious spectacle for all that travellers tell it be true your majesty is in the right replied Perseus it is really an object that will be pretty certain to fix the regards of all who look at it and if your majesty think fit I would suggest that a holiday be proclaimed and that all your majesty's subjects be summoned to behold this wonderful curiosity few of them I imagine have seen a Gorgons head before and perhaps never may again the king well knew that his subjects were an idle set of reprobates and very fond of sightseeing as idle persons usually are so he took the young man's advice and sent out heralds and messengers in all directions to blow the trumpet at the street corners and in the marker places and wherever two roads met and summoned everybody to court thither accordingly came a great multitude of good-for-nothing vagabonds all of whom out of pure love of mischief would have been glad if Perseus had met with some ill-hat in his encounter with the Gorgons if there were any better people in the island as I really hope there may have been although the story tells nothing about any such they stayed quietly at home minding their business and taking care of their little children most of the inhabitants at all events ran as fast as they could to the palace and shoved and pushed and elbowed one another in their eagerness to get near a balcony on which Perseus showed himself holding the embroidered wallet in his hand on a platform within full view of the balcony sat the mighty king Polydectes amid his evil counselors and with his flattering courtiers in a semi-circle round about him monarch, counselors, courtiers and subjects all gazed eagerly towards Perseus show us the head, show us the head shouted the people and there was a fierceness in their cry as if they would tear Perseus to pieces unless he should satisfy them with what he had to show show us the head of Medusa with the snaky locks a feeling of sorrow and pity came over the youthful Perseus oh king Polydectes cried he and gee many people I am very loathe to show you the gorgon's head ah the villain and coward yelled the people more fiercely than before he is making game of us he has no gorgon's head show us the head if you have it all we will take your own head for a football the evil counselors whispered bad advice in the king's ear the courtiers murmured with one consent that Perseus had shown disrespect to their royal lord and master and the great king Polydectes himself waved his hand and ordered him with the stern deep voice of authority on his peril to produce the head show me the gorgon's head or I will cut off your own and Perseus sighed this instant replied Polydectes or you die behold it then cried Perseus in a voice like the blast of a trumpet and suddenly holding up the head not an eyelid had time to wink before the wicked king Polydectes his evil counselors and all his fierce subjects were no longer anything but the mere images of a monarch and his people they were all fixed forever in the look and attitude of that moment at the first glimpse of the terrible head of Medusa they whitened into marble and Perseus thrust the head back into his wallet and went to tell his dear mother that she need no longer be afraid of the wicked king Polydectes End of chapter 6 The Gorgon's Head Chapter 7, Part 1 of Myths and Legends of All Nations This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Anna Simon Myths and Legends of All Nations by Logan Marshall Chapter 7 The Golden Fleece When Jason, the son of the dethroned king of Iolcos was a little boy he was sent away from his parents and the recreerest schoolmaster that ever you heard of this learned person was one of the people or quadrupeds called centaurs he lived in a cavern and had the body and legs of a white horse with the head and shoulders of a man his name was Chiron and in spite of his odd appearance he was a very excellent teacher and had several scholars who after it did him credit by making a great figure in the world the famous Hercules was one and so was Achilles likewise and Escalepius who acquired immense repute as a doctor the good Chiron taught his pupils how to play upon the harp and how to cure diseases and how to use his sword and shield together with various other branches of education in which the lads of those days used to be instructed instead of writing and arithmetic I have sometimes suspected that Master Chiron was not really very different from other people but that being a kind-hearted and merry old fellow he was in the habit of making believe that he was a horse and scrambling about the schoolroom on all fours and letting the little boys ride upon his back and so when his scholars had grown up and grown old and were trotting their grandchildren on their knees they told them about the sports of their school days and these young folks took the idea that their grandfathers had been taught their letters by a centaur half man and half horse little children not quite understanding what is said to them had such absurd notions into their heads you know be that as it may it has always been told for effect and always will be told as long as the world lasts that Chiron, with the head of a schoolmaster had the body and legs of a horse just imagine the grave old gentleman clattering and stamping into the schoolroom on his four hooves perhaps treading on some little fellow's toes flourishing a switched tail instead of a rod and now and then trotting out of doors full of grass I wonder what the blacksmith charged him for a set of iron shoes so Jason dwelled in the cave with this four-footed Chiron for the time that he was an infant only a few months old until he had grown to the full height of a man he became a very good hopper I suppose and skillful in the use of weapons and tolerably acquainted with herbs and other doctor's stuff and above all an admirable horseman for in teaching young people to ride Chiron must have been without a rival amongst schoolmasters at length being now a tall and athletic youth Jason resolved to seek his fortune in the world without asking Chiron's advice or telling him anything about the matter this was very unwise to be sure and I hope none of you my little hearers will ever follow Jason's example but you are to understand he had heard how that he himself was a prince royal and how his father had been deprived of the kingdom of Iolcos by a certain Pilius who would also have killed Jason had he not been hidden in the centaurs cave and being come to the strength of a man Jason determined to set all this business to rights and to punish the wicked Pilius for wronging his dear father and to cast him down from the throne and seat himself there instead with this intention he took a spear in each hand and threw a leopard skin over his shoulders to keep off the rain and set forth on his travels with his long yellow ringlets waving in the wind the part of his dress on which he most prided himself was a pair of sandals that had been his fathers they were handsomely embroidered and were tied upon his feet with strings of gold but his whole attire was such as people did not very often see and as he passed along the women and children ran to the doors and windows wondering whether this beautiful youth was journeying with his leopard skin and his golden tight sandals and what heroic deeds he meant to perform with a spear in his right hand and another in his left I know not how far Jason had travelled when he came to a turbulent river which rushed right across his pathway with specks of white foam along its black eddies hurrying tumultuously onward and roaring angrily as it went though not a very broad river in the dry seasons of the year and now swollen by heavy rains and by the melting of the snow on the sides of Mount Olympus and it thundered so loudly and looked so wild and dangerous that Jason, bold as he was thought it prudent to pause upon the brink the bed of stream seemed to be strewn with sharp and rugged rocks some of which thrust themselves above the water by and by an uprooted tree with shattered branches came drifting along the current filled among the rocks now and then a drowned sheep and once the carcass of a cow floated past in short the swollen river had already done a great deal of mischief it was evidently too deep for Jason to wade and too boisterous for him to swim he could see no bridge and as for a boat, had there been any the rocks would have broken into pieces in an instant see the poor lad said a cracked voice close to his side but a poor education since he does not know how to cross a little stream like this or is he afraid of wetting his fine golden stringed sandals it is a pity his forefooted school master is not here to carry him safely across on his back Jason looked round greatly surprised for he did not know that anybody was near but beside him stood an old woman with a wrecked mantle over her head leaning on a staff at the top of which she carved into the shape of a cuckoo she looked very aged and wrinkled and infirm and yet her eyes which were as brown as those of an ox were so extremely large and beautiful that when they were fixed on Jason's eyes he could see nothing else but them the old woman had a pomegranate in her hand although the fruit was then quite out of season where are you going Jason she now asked she seemed to know his name he will observe and indeed those great brown eyes looked as if they had a knowledge of everything whether past or to come while Jason was gazing at her a peacock strutted forward and took a stand at the old woman's side I'm going to Ayolcos answered the young man to bid the wicked king Pilius come down from my father's throne and let me reign in his stead ah well then said the old woman still with the same cracked voice even that is all your business you need not be in a very great hurry just take me on your back there's a good youth and carry me across the river I and my peacock have something to do on the other side as well as yourself good mother replied Jason your business can hardly be so important as to pulling down a king from his throne besides as you may see for yourself the river is very boisterous and if I should chance to stumble more easily than it has carried off your under uprooted tree I would gladly help you if I could but I doubt whether I'm strong enough to carry you across then said she very scornfully neither are you strong enough to pull king Pilius off his throne hand Jason unless you will help an old woman at her need you ought not to be a king what are kings made for save to sucker the feeble one stressed but do as you please take me on your back or with my poor old limbs I shall try my best to struggle across the stream saying this the old woman poked with her staff in the river as if to find the safest place in its rocky bed where she might make the first step but Jason by this time had grown ashamed of his reluctance to help her he felt that he could never forgive himself if this poor feeble creature should come to any harm in attempting to wrestle against the headlong current the good Kyren whether half horse or no had taught him that the noblest use of his strength was to assist the weak and also that he must treat every young woman as if she were his sister and every old one like a mother remembering these maxims the vigorous and beautiful young man knelt down and requested a good dame to mount upon his back the passage seems to me not very safe he remarked but as your business is so urgent if the river sweeps you away it shall take me too that no doubt will be a great comfort to both of us quoth the old woman but never fear we shall get safely across so she threw her arms around Jason's neck and lifting her from the ground he stepped boldly into the raging and foamy current and began to stagger away from the shore as for the peacock it alighted on the old dame's shoulder Jason's two spears one in each hand kept him from stumbling and enabled him to feel his way among the hidden rocks although every instant he expected that his companion and himself would go down the stream together with the driftwood of shattered trees and the carcasses of the sheep and cow down came the cold snowy torrent from the steep side of Olympus raging and thundering as if it had a real spite against Jason or at all events he was determined to snatch off his living burden from his shoulders when he was half way across the uprooted tree, which I've already told you about broke loose from among the rocks and bore down upon him with all its splintered branches sticking out like the hundred arms of the giant pry areas it rushed past however without touching him but the next moment his foot was caught in a crevice between two rocks and stuck there so fast he lost one of his golden stringed sandals at this accident Jason could not help uttering a cry of vexation what is the matter Jason asked the old woman matter enough said the young man I've lost a sandal here among the rocks and what sort of figure shall I cut at the court of King Pelius with a golden stringed sandal on one foot and the other foot bare don't take it too hard answered his companion cheerly you never met with better fortune than in losing that sandal it satisfies me that you are the very person whom the speaking oak has been talking about there was no time just then to inquire what the speaking oak had said but the bristness of her tone encouraged the young man and besides he had never in his life felt so vigorous and mighty as since taking this old woman on his back instead of being exhausted he guarded strength as he went on and struggling up against the torrent he at last gained the opposite shore clambered up the bank and sat down the old dame and their peacock safely on the grass as soon as this was done however he could not help looking rather despondently at his bare foot with only a remnant of the golden string of the sandal clinging around his ankle you will get a handsome repair of sandals by and by said the old woman with a kindly look out of her beautiful brown eyes only let King Pelius get a glimpse of that bare foot you shall see him turn as pale as ashes I promise you there is your path go along my good Jason and my blessing go with you and when you sit on your throne remember the old woman whom you helped over the river with these words she hobbled away giving him a smile over her shoulder as she departed whether the light of her beautiful brown eyes threw a glory round about her or whatever the cause might be Jason fancied that there was something very noble and majestic in a figure after all and that though her gait seemed to be a rheumatic hobble yet she moved with as much grace and dignity as any queen on earth her peacock which had now flooded down from her shoulder strutted behind her in prodigious pomp and spread out its magnificent tail on purpose for Jason to admire it when the old dame and her peacock were out of sight Jason set forward on his journey after travelling a pretty long distance he came to a town situated at the foot of a mountain and not a great way from the shore of the sea on the outside of the town there was an immense crowd of people not only men and women but children too all in their best clothes and evidently enjoying a holiday the crowd was thickest toward the seashore and in that direction over the people's heads Jason saw a wreath of smoke curling upward to the blue sky he inquired of one of the multitude what town it was nearby and why so many persons were here assembled together this is the kingdom of Iolcos answered the man and we are the subject of King Perius our monarch has summoned us together that we may see him sacrifice a black bullet Neptune who they say is his majesty's father yonder is the king where you see the smoke going up from the altar while the men spoke he eyed Jason great curiosity for his garb was quite unlike that of the Iolcians and it looked very odd to see a youth with a leopard skin over his shoulders and each hand grasping his spear Jason perceived too that the man stared particularly at his feet one of which you remember was bear while the other was decorated with his father's golden string sandal look at him only look at him said the man to his next neighbour do you see he wears but one sandal upon this first one person and then another began to stare at Jason and everybody seemed to be greatly struck with something in his aspect so they turned their eyes much oftener towards his feet than to any other part of his figure besides he could hear them whispering to one another one sandal one sandal they kept saying the man would one sandal here he is at last when does he come what does he mean to do what will the king say to the one sandaled man poor Jason was greatly abashed and made up his mind that the people of Iolcos were exceedingly ill-bred to take such public notice of the accidental deficiency in his dress meanwhile whether it were that they hustled him forward or that Jason of his own accord thrust a passage through the crowd it so happened that he soon found himself close to the smoking altar where King Pelius was sacrificing the black bull the murmur and hum of the multitude in their surprise the spectacle of Jason with his one bare foot grew so loud that it disturbed the ceremonies and the king holding the great knife with which he was just going to cut the bull's throat turned angrily about and fixed his eyes on Jason the people had now withdrawn from around him so that the youth stood in an open space near the smoking altar front to front with the angry King Pelius who are you cried the king with a terrible frown and how dare you make this disturbance while I am sacrificing a black bull to my father Neptune it is no fault of mine Majesty must blame the rudeness of your subjects who have raised all this tumult because one of my feet happens to be a bear when Jason said this the king gave a quick startled glance at his feet ha! must he here is the one saddled fellow sure enough what can I do with him and he clutched more closely the great knife in his hand as if he were half a mind to slay Jason instead of the black bull the people round about the king's words indistinctly as they were uttered and first there was a murmur among them and then a loud shout the one saddled man has come the prophecy must be fulfilled for you are to know that many years before King Pelius had been told by the speaking oak of Dodona that a man with one sandal should cast him down from his throne on this account he had given strict orders that nobody should ever come into his presence unless both sandals were securely tied upon his feet and he kept an officer in his palace whose sole business it was to examine people's sandals and to supply them with a new pair at the expense of the royal treasury as soon as the old ones began to wear out in the whole course of the king's reign he had never been thrown into such a fright and agitation as by the spectacle of poor Jason's bare foot but as he was naturally a bold and hard-hearted man he soon took courage and began to consider in what way he might rid himself a terrible one sandaled stranger my good young man said King Pelius taking the softest tone imaginable in order to throw Jason off his guard you are excessively welcome to my kingdom judging by your dress you must have traveled a long distance for it is not the fashion to wear leopard skins in this part of the world pray what may I call your name and where did you receive your education my name is Jason answered the young stranger ever since my infancy I've dwelled in the cave of Kyron the centaur he was my instructor and taught me music and horsemanship and how to cure wounds and likewise how to inflict wounds with my weapons I have heard of Kyron the schoolmaster replied King Pelius and how that there is an immense deal of learning and wisdom in his head although it happens to be set on a horse's body it gives me great delight to see one of his scholars at my court but to test how much you've profited under so excellent a teacher will you allow me to ask you a single question I do not pretend to be very wise said Jason but ask me what you please and I will answer to the best of my ability now King Pelius meant cunningly to entrap the young man and to make him say something that should be the cause of mischief and destruction to himself so with a crafty and evil smile upon his face he spoke as follows what would you do brave Jason asked he if there were a man in the world by whom as you had reason to believe you were doomed to be ruined and slain what would you do I say if that man stood before you and in your power when Jason saw the malice and wickedness which King Pelius could not prevent from gleaming out of his eyes he probably guessed that the king had discovered what he came for and that he intended to turn his own words still he scorned to tell a falsehood like an upright and honourable prince as he was he determined to speak out the real truth since the king had chosen to ask him the question and since Jason had promised him an answer there was no right way saved to tell him precisely what would be the most prudent thing to do if he had his worst enemy in his power therefore after a moment's consideration he spoke up with a firm and manly voice I would send such a man sat he in quest of the golden fleece this enterprise you understand was of all others the most difficult and dangerous in the world in the first place it would be necessary to make a long voyage through unknown seas there was hardly a hope or a possibility that any young man who should undertake this voyage would either succeed in obtaining the golden fleece or would survive to return home and tell of the perils he had run the eyes of King Pelius sparkled with joy therefore when he heard Jason's reply well said wise man with the one sandal cried he go then and at the peril of your life bring me back the golden fleece I go answered Jason composedly if I fail you need not fear that I will ever come back to trouble you again but if I return to Iocos with the prize King Pelius you must hasten down from your lofty throne and give me your crown and scepter that I will said the king with a sneer meantime I will keep them very safely for you the first thing that Jason thought of doing after he left the king's presence was to go to the donor and inquire of the talking oak what cause it was best to pursue this wonderful tree stood in the center of an ancient wood its stately trunk rose up a hundred feet into the air and threw a broad and dense shadow over more than an acre of ground standing beneath it Jason looked up among the knotted branches and green leaves and into the mysterious heart of the old tree and spoke aloud as if he were addressing some person who was hidden in the depths of the foliage what shall I do said he in order to win the golden fleece at first there was a deep science not only within the shadow of the talking oak but all through the solitary wood in a moment or two however the leaves of the oak began to stir and rustle as if a gentle breeze were wandering among them although the other trees of the wood were perfectly still the sound grew louder and became like the roar of a high wind by and by Jason imagined that he could distinguish words but very confusedly because each separate leaf of the tree seemed to be a tongue the whole myriad of tongues were babbling at once but the noise waxed broader and deeper until it resembled a tornado sweeping through the oak and making one great utterance out of the thousands and thousands of little murmurs which each leafy tongue had caused by its rustling and now though it still had the tone of a mighty wind roaring among the branches it was also like a deep bass voice speaking as distinctly as a tree could be expected to speak the following words go to Argus, the ship builder and bit him build a galley with fifty oars then the voice melted again into the indistinct murmur of the rustling leaves and died gradually away when it was quite gone Jason felt inclined to doubt whether it actually heard the words or whether his fancy had not shaped them out of the ordinary sound made by a breeze while passing through the thick foliage of the tree but on inquiry among the people of Iocos he found that there was really a man in the city by the name of Argus who was a very skillful builder of vessels this showed some intelligence in the oak else how should it have known that any such person existed at Jason's request Argus readily consented to build him a galley so big that it should require fifty strong men to row it although no vessel of such a size and burden had here to be seen in the world so the head carpenter and all his journeymen and apprentices began their work and for a good while after it there they were busily employed hewing out the timbers and making a great clutter with their hammers until the new ship which was called the Argo seemed to be quite ready for sea and as the talking oak had already given him such good advice Jason thought that it would not be a miss to ask for a little more he visited it again therefore and standing beside its huge rough trunk inquired what he should do next this time there was no such universal quivering of the leaves throughout the whole tree as there had been before but after a while Jason observed that the foliage of a great branch which stretched above his head had begun to rustle as if the wind was stirring that one bow while all the other bows of the oak were at rest cut me off said the branch as soon as it could speak distinctly cut me off and carve me into a figurehead for your galley accordingly Jason took the branch at its word and lopped it off the tree a carver in the neighbourhood engaged to make the figurehead he was a tolerably good workman and had already carved several figureheads in what he intended for feminine shapes and looking pretty much like those which we see nowadays stuck up under a vessel's bow-spread with great staring eyes that never left the dash of the spray but what was very strange the carver found that his hand was guided by some unseen power and by a skill beyond his own and that his tools shaped out an image which he had never dreamt of when the work was finished it turned out to be the figure of a beautiful woman with a helmet on her head from beneath which the long ringlets fell down upon her shoulders on the left arm was a shield and in its centre appeared a life-like representation of the head of Medusa with a snaky locks the right arm was extended as if pointed onward the face of this wonderful statue though not angry or forbidding was so grave and majestic that perhaps you might call it severe and as for the mouth it seemed just ready to enclose its lips and utter words of the deepest wisdom Jason was delighted with the oaken image and gave the carver no rest until it was completed and set up where a figurehead has always stood from that time to this in the vessel's prow and now cried he as he stood gazing at the calm majestic face of the statue I must go to the talking oak and enquire what next to do there is no need of that Jason said a voice which though it was far lower reminded him of the mighty tones of the great oak when you desire good advice and seek it of me Jason had been looking straight into the face of the image when these words were spoken but he could hardly believe either his ears or his eyes the truth was however that the oaken lips had moved and to all appearance the voice had proceeded from the statue's mouth recovering a little from his surprise Jason befought himself that the image had been carved out of the wood of the talking oak and that therefore was a wonder but on the contrary the most natural thing in the world that it should possess the faculty of speech that should have been very odd indeed if it had not but certainly it was a great piece of good fortune that he should be able to carry so wise a block of wood along with him in his perilous voyage tell me wondrous image exclaimed Jason since you inherit the wisdom of the speaking oak of the donor whose daughter you are tell me where shall I find the youths who will take each of them an oar of my galley they must have sturdy arms to row and brave hearts to encounter perils or we shall never win the golden fleece go replied the oaken image go, summon all the heroes of Greece and in fact considering what a great deed was to be done could any advice be wiser than this which Jason received from the figurehead of his vessel he lost no time in sending messengers to all the cities and making known to the whole people of Greece that Prince Jason, the son of King Aeson was going in quest with a fleece of gold and he desired the help of forty-nine of the bravest and strongest young man alive to row his vessel and share his dangers and Jason himself would be the fiftieth at this news the adventurous youths all over the country began to bestow themselves some of them had already fought with giants slain dragons and the younger ones who had not yet met with such good fortune thought it shame to have lived so long without getting a stride of a flying serpent or sticking their spears into a chimera or at least thrusting their right arms down a monstrous lion's throat there was a fair prospect that they would meet with plenty of such adventures before finding the golden fleece as soon as they could fervish up their helmets and shields therefore and gird on their trusty swords longing to Iolkos and clambered on board the new galley shaking hands with Jason they assured him that they did not care a pin for their lives but would help row the vessel to the remotest edge of the world and as much further as he think it best to go many of these brave fellows had been educated by Charon the four-footed pedagogue and were therefore old schoolmates of Jason and knew him to be a lad of spirit the mighty Hercules whose shoulders afterward held up the sky and there were Custer and Pollux the twin brothers who were never accused of being chicken-hearted although they had been hatched out of an egg and Theseus who was so renowned for killing the Minotaur and Lysius with his wonderfully sharp eyes which could see through a millstone or look right down to the death of the earth and discover the treasures that were there and Orpheus the very best of Harpus who sang and played upon his lyre so sweetly that the brood beasts stood upon their hind legs and capered merrily to the music yes and at some of his more moving tunes the rocks bestowed their moss-grown bulk out of the ground and a grove of forest trees uprooted themselves and, knotting their tops to one another performed a country dance one of the rowers was a beautiful young woman named Atalanta who had been nursed among the mountains by a bear so light of foot was this fair damsel that she could step from one foamy crest of a wave to the foamy crest of another without wetting more than the soul of her sandal she had grown up in a very wild way and talked much about the rights of women and loved hunting and war far better than a needle but in my opinion the most remarkable of this famous company were two sons of the north wind airy youngsters and of rather a blustering disposition who had wings on their shoulders and in case of a calm could puff out their cheeks and blow almost as fresh a breeze as their father I ought not to forget the prophets and conjurers of whom there were several in the crew and who could foretell what would happen tomorrow or the next day or a hundred years hence but were generally quite unconscious of what was passing at the moment Jason appointed Typhus to be Helmsman because he was a star-gazer and knew the points of the compass Lindsay's, on account of his sharp sight was stationed as a lookout in the prow where he saw a whole day sail ahead but was rather apt to overlook things that lay directly under his nose if the sea only happened to be deep enough however Lindsay's could tell you exactly what kind of rocks or sands were at the bottom of it and he often cried out to his companions that they were sailing over heaps of sunken treasure which yet he was none the richer for beholding to confess the truth few people believed him when he said it well but when the Argonauts as these fifty brave adventurers were called had prepared everything for the voyage an unforeseen difficulty threatened to end it before it was begun the vessel you must understand was so long and broad and ponderous that the united force of all the fifty was insufficient to shove her into the water Hercules I suppose had not grown to his full strength else he might have set her afloat as easily as a little boy launches his boat upon a pedal but here were these fifty heroes pushing and straining and growing red in the face without making the Argos start an inch at last quite worried out they set themselves down on the shore exceedingly disconsolate and thinking that the vessel must be left to rot and fall in pieces and that they must either swim across the sea or lose the golden fleece all at once Jason befell himself of the galley's miraculous figurehead oh daughter of the talking oak cried he how shall we set to work let our vessel into the water Seed yourselves answer the image for it had known what had ought to be done from the very first and was only waiting for the question to be put Seed yourselves and handle your oars and let Orpheus play upon his harp immediately the fifty heroes got on board and seizing their oars held them perpendicularly in the air while Orpheus who liked such task far better than rowing than rowers across the harp at the first ringing note of the music they felt the vessel stir Orpheus thrummed away bristically and the galley slid at once into the sea dipping her prow so deeply that the figurehead drank the wave with its marvellous lips and rising again as buoyant as a swan the rowers plight their fifty oars the white foam boiled up for the prow the water gurgled and bubbled in their wake while Orpheus continued to play so lively a strain of music that the vessel seemed to dance over the billows by way of keeping time to it thus triumphantly did the yargo sail out of the harbour amid the hussars and good wishes of everybody except the wicked old Peelys who stood on a promontory scowling at her and wishing that he could blow out of his lungs the tempest of wrath that was in his heart and so sink the galley with awe on board when they had sailed above fifty miles over the sea Lincius happened to cast his sharp eyes behind and said that there was this bad-hearted king still purged upon the promontory and scowling so gloomily that it looked like a black thunder cloud in that quarter of their horizon 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 Biothean ram who had taken on his back two children when in danger of their lives and fled with them to land and sea as far as Colchis one of the children whose name was Heli fell into the sea and was drowned but the other, a little boy named Frixus 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 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 End of chapter 7 part 1