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 furthest
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.

[Illustration: THE DRAGON FELL AT FULL LENGTH UPON THE GROUND]

"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 bo