So no one could get the golden fleece.

The Good Ship Argo

Jason was a brave young man. He lived a little way from the king’s city.

One day the king gave a big party and invited Jason.

It was a very dark night and it rained hard.

Jason had to go across a creek, but there was no bridge.

A Primary Reader: Old-Time Stories, Fairy Tales and Myths Retold by Children

The creek was full of water and Jason had to wade.

One of his shoe-strings came untied and he lost his shoe in the water.

When he came to the king’s house, he had but one shoe.

The king did not like this, for a fairy had said, “The man who shall come to your house with one shoe, will be king.”

So he knew Jason was to be king. Then he said to Jason, “You may be king when you bring me the golden fleece.”

Jason was glad to go, and asked many brave men to go with him.

To get the golden fleece they would have to fight wild men and animals.

They made a big ship which they named “Argo.”

The men who went on the Argo were called Argonauts.

Jason and the Harpies

The ship Argo sailed a long way. There were two strong men on the ship. They had wings and could fly.

One day the Argo came to a land where the blind king lived.

This poor king had a hard time. When he sat down to the table to eat, some ugly birds called Harpies, came too. The Harpies had skin like brass and nobody could hurt them. They had claws of iron, and scratched people when they tried to drive them away.

When the king’s dinner was ready, the Harpies came and took it away. When Jason and his men came, the king told them all about it. Jason said they would help him.

They all sat down to the table. When the food was put on the table, the Harpies came flying in. Jason and his men took their swords.

A Primary Reader: Old-Time Stories, Fairy Tales and Myths Retold by Children

They cut at the Harpies but could not hurt them.

Then the two men with wings flew up in the air. The Harpies were afraid and flew away. The men flew after them.

At last the Harpies grew very tired and fell into the sea and were drowned.

Then the men with wings came back.

Now the blind king could eat all he wanted.

It was now time for Jason and his friends to go away.

The king thanked them over and over again for helping him.

When they said good-bye, he told them how to get to the land where they would find the golden fleece.

On the sea where Jason and his men had to sail, were two big rocks. These rocks moved on the water like icebergs.

They were as high as a big hill. They would come close to each other, then they would go far apart.

When fishes swam in the water the rocks would come together and kill the fishes.

If birds flew in the air, the rocks would come together and kill birds.

If a boat sailed on the water, the rocks would come together and break the boat into little pieces.

These rocks had been put in the sea, so no one could go to the land where the golden fleece was.

When the ship Argo came to the rocks, Jason sent a dove out.

The rocks came together when the dove was almost past.

Then they went far apart. Jason made his men row as hard as they could.

The rocks began to come together. “Row hard, my men,” said Jason.

Just as they got past, the rocks hit, but Jason and his men were all right.

So they came to Colchis.

The Brass Bulls

When Jason came to Colchis, he went to the king and said, “Will you give me the golden fleece?”

The king wanted to keep the fleece.

So he said to Jason, “You may have it, but you must do something for me first.”

“You must plow with the brass bulls, and plant the dragon’s teeth.”

The brass bulls looked like real bulls, but they were larger and stronger.

They blew out fire and smoke from their noses and mouths.

The bulls had a stall made of iron and stone. They had to be tied with strong iron chains.

When the dragon’s teeth were planted, iron men grew up.

They always killed the one who had planted them.

The king wanted the bulls to kill Jason.

A Primary Reader: Old-Time Stories, Fairy Tales and Myths Retold by Children

He said, “If the bulls do not kill him the iron men will.”

The king had a daughter named Medea. She saw Jason was a brave young man and did not want him killed.

She knew how to help him. She stepped into her carriage, which was pulled by flying snakes.

Then Medea flew through the air. She went to hills and creeks and picked all kinds of flowers.

She took the flowers home and cooked them.

Then Medea went to Jason when the king did not know it.

She said to Jason, “Rub your face and hands and legs with this juice.”

A Primary Reader: Old-Time Stories, Fairy Tales and Myths Retold by Children

When he did this, he was as strong as a giant.

Nothing could hurt him then. Fire could not burn him, and swords could not cut him.

The next day Jason had to plow with the brass bulls and plant the dragon’s teeth.

Early in the morning, the king and princess went out to the place.

They had good seats where they could see well.

All the people in the city came out to see Jason plow.

The little boys climbed the trees so they could see better.

Then Jason came to the place. The stall where the brass bulls were tied was not far off.

The door was opened and Jason went in.

He untied the bulls and took hold of their horns.

Then he made the bulls come out of their stall.

The bulls were very angry and blew fire and smoke from their mouths.

This made the cruel king glad. But the people who saw it were afraid. They did not want Jason killed. They did not know that the princess had helped him.

Jason pushed the bulls’ heads down to the ground. Then they kicked at him with their feet, but could not hurt him.

He held their heads down to the ground until the plow was ready.

Jason took the chains in one hand. He took the handle of the plow in the other.

The bulls jumped and wanted to run away.

But Jason held so hard they had to go very slowly.

When it was noon the ground was all plowed.

Then Jason let the bulls go.

They were so angry that they ran away to the woods.

Now Jason went to the king and said, “Give me the dragon’s teeth.”

The king gave him his hat full.

Then Jason planted the dragon’s teeth, just as a man plants wheat.

By this time he was very tired, so he went to lie down.

A Primary Reader: Old-Time Stories, Fairy Tales and Myths Retold by Children

In the evening he came back.

The iron men were growing up. Some of the men had only their feet in the ground.

Some of them were in the ground up to their knees.

Some had only their heads out. They all tried to get out so they could kill Jason.

Then Jason did what Medea told him he should do.

He took a giant’s marble and threw it near the men.

All the iron men wanted to get the marble.

So they began to fight each other. As soon as one had his feet out of the ground, he cut at the man next to him. So they killed each other.

Then Jason took his sword and cut off all the heads that were out of the ground.

So all the iron men were killed and the king was very angry.

But Medea and the people were glad.

Jason and the Dragon

The next day Jason went to the king and said, “Now, give me the golden fleece.”

The king did not give it to him, but said, “Come again.”

Then Medea said, “If you want the golden fleece, you must help yourself. My father will not give it to you. A dragon is by the tree where the golden fleece is, and he never sleeps. He is always hungry and eats people if they go near him. I can not kill him but I can make him sleep. He is very fond of cake. I will make some cake and put in something to make the dragon sleep.”

So Medea made the cakes and Jason took them and threw them to the dragon.

The dragon ate them all and went to sleep.

Then Jason climbed over the dragon and took the nail out of the tree.

He put the golden fleece under his coat and ran to the ship Argo.

Medea went with him and became his wife.

A Primary Reader: Old-Time Stories, Fairy Tales and Myths Retold by Children

Oh, how angry the king was! He had lost the golden fleece and the brass bulls and the dragon’s teeth. And now his daughter was gone.

He sent his men in ships to take Jason, but they could not get him.

At last Medea and Jason and the other Argonauts came to Greece.

Jason’s father was there. He was a very old man. Jason wanted his father to be king, so he asked Medea to make the old man young.

Then Medea took her carriage and flew through the air.

She did not come back for nine days. She picked flowers from the hills. She found all kinds of stones, too.