The dragon had probably heard the voices;
for swift as lightning, his black head and forked
tongue came hissing among the trees again,
darting full forty feet at a stretch. As it ap-
proached, Medea tossed the contents of the gold
box right down the monster's wide-open throat.
Immediately, with an outrageous hiss and a
tremendous wriggle, flinging his tail up to the
tip-top of the tallest tree, and shattering all its
branches as it crashed heavily down again, the
dragon fell at full length upon the ground, and
lay quite motionless.

"It is only a sleeping potion," said the en-
chantress to Prince Jason. "One always finds
a use for these mischievous creatures, sooner or
later; so I did not wish to kill him outright.
Quick! Snatch the prize, and let us begone.
You have won the Golden Fleece."

Jason caught the fleece from the tree, and
hurried through the grove, the deep shadows of
which were illuminated as he passed by the
golden glory of the precious object that he -bore
along. A little way before him, he beheld the
old woman whom he had helped over the stream,
with her peacock beside her. She clapped her
hands for joy, and beckoning him to make haste,

[[335]]

p334 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p335w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p336

v?