"My master Chiron," replied Jason, "taughi
me, long ago, the story of Cadmus. Perhaps I
can manage the quarrelsome sons of the drag-
on's teeth as well as Cadmus did."

"I wish the dragon had him," muttered King
Aeetes to himself, "and the four-footed pedant,
his schoolmaster, into the bargain. Why, what a
foolhardy, self-conceited coxcomb he is! We'll
see what my fire-breathing bulls will do for him.
Well, Prince Jason," he continued, aloud, and as
complaisantly as he could, "make yourself com-
fortable for to-day, and to-morrow morning, since
you insist upon it, you shall try your skill at
the plough."

While the king talked with Jason, a beautiful
young woman was standing behind the throne.
She fixed her eyes earnestly upon the youthfuJ
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

[[314]]

p313 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p314w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p315

v?