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 Boeotian ram, who had taken on
his back two children, when in danger of their
lives, and fled with them over land and sea, as far
as Colchis. One of the children, whose name
was Helle, fell into the sea and was drowned.
But the other, (a little boy, named Phrixus) 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 ever seen on earth. 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 mag-
nificent in any of their palaces.

If I were to tell you all the adventures of the
Argonauts, it would take me till nightfall, and
perhaps a great deal longer. There was no lack
of wonderful events, as you may judge from what
you have already heard. At a certain island,

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v?