is now hanging on a tree here at Colchis; and
I humbly solicit your gracious leave to take it
away."

In spite of himself, the king's face twisted it-
self into an angry frown; for, above all things
else in the world, he prized the Golden Fleece,
and was even suspected of having done a very
wicked act, in order to get it into his own pos-
session. It put him into the worst possible hu-
mor, therefore, to hear that the gallant Prince
Jason, and forty-nine of the bravest young war-
riors of Greece, had come to Colchis with the
sole purpose of taking away his chief treasure.

"Do you know," asked King Aeetes, eying
Jason very sternly, "what are the conditions
which you must fulfil before getting possession
of the Golden Fleece?"

"I have heard," rejoined the youth, "that a
dragon lies beneath the tree on which the prize
hangs, and that whoever approaches him runs
the risk of being devoured at a mouthful."

"True," said the king, with a smile that did
not look particularly good natured. "Very true,
young man. But there "are other things as
bard, or perhaps a little harder, to be done,

[[312]]

p311 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p312w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p313

v?