in the fear of this monster, and therefore still re-
gard him with the awe that children feel for the
bugbears and hobgoblins which their nurses
have talked to them about. But, in my view
of the matter, the dragon is merely a pretty large
serpent, who is not half so likely to snap me up
at one mouthful as I am to cut off his ugly
head, and strip the skin from his body. At all
events, turn back who may, I will never see
Greece again, unless I carry with me the Golden
Fleece."

"We will none of us turn back!" cried his
nine and forty brave comrades. "Let us get on
board the galley this instant; and if the dragon
is to make a breakfast of us, much good may it
do him."

And Orpheus (whose custom it was to set
every thing to music) began to harp and sing
most gloriously, and made every mother's son of
them feel as if nothing in this world were so de-
lectable as to fight dragons, and nothing so truly
honorable as to be eaten up at one mouthful, in
case of the worst.

After this, (being now under the guidance of
the two princes, who were well acquainted with

[[310]]

p309 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p310w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p311

v?