inestimable prize, which so many heroes had
longed to behold, but had perished in the quest
of it, either by the perils of their voyage, or by
the fiery breath of the brazen-lunged bulls.

"How gloriously it shines!" cried Jason, in a
rapture, "It has surely been dipped in the
richest gold of sunset. Let me hasten onward,
and take it to my bosom."

"Stay," said Medea, holding him back. "Have
you forgotten what guards it?"

To say the truth, in the joy of beholding the
object of his desires, tbe terrible dragon had
quite slipped out of Jason's memory. Soon,
however, something came to pass, that reminded
him what perils were still to be encountered.
An antelope, that probably mistook the yellow
radiance for sunrise, came bounding fleetly
through the grove. He was rushing straight
towards the Golden Fleece, when suddenly there
was a frightful hiss, and the immense head and
half the scaly body of the dragon was thrust
forth, (for he was twisted round the trunk of the
tree on which the fleece hung,) and seizing
the poor antelope, swallowed him with one snap
of his jaws.

After this feat, the dragon seemed sensible

[[333]]

p332 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p333w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p334

v?