First published in 1853 as part of Tanglewood Tales (Greek mythology adapted for children), The Golden Fleece is the story of the ancient Greek hero Jason, leader of the Argonauts, and their quest for the Golden Fleece, owned by King Aeetes, which upon its presentation to Pelias, would remove that king from the throne, where Jason rightfully belonged.
The story is full of the usual stuff that makes epic tales fun to read: prophecy (Jason loses a sandal in the river after helping the goddess Hera, in disguise, cross it, fulfilling the legend that a one-sandaled man would take the throne from Pelias), adventure (fire-breathing oxen, warriors that spring from sowed dragon's teeth, and battle with the dragon itself), and romantic tension (Aeetes' daughter Media, an enchantress in love with Jason, uses her magic to help rescue the fleece), not to mention Hawthorne's delightful writing style:
Be that as it may, it has always been told for a fact (and always will be told, as long as the world lasts), that Chiron, with the head of a schoolmaster, had the body and legs of a horse. Just imagine the grave old gentleman clattering and stamping into the schoolroom on his four hoofs, perhaps treading on some little fellow's toes, flourishing his switch tail instead of a rod, and, now and then, trotting out of doors to eat a mouthful of grass! I wonder what the blacksmith charged him for a set of iron shoes?
Read it at http://www.eldritchpress.org/nh/tt07.html.
The story is full of the usual stuff that makes epic tales fun to read: prophecy (Jason loses a sandal in the river after helping the goddess Hera, in disguise, cross it, fulfilling the legend that a one-sandaled man would take the throne from Pelias), adventure (fire-breathing oxen, warriors that spring from sowed dragon's teeth, and battle with the dragon itself), and romantic tension (Aeetes' daughter Media, an enchantress in love with Jason, uses her magic to help rescue the fleece), not to mention Hawthorne's delightful writing style:
Be that as it may, it has always been told for a fact (and always will be told, as long as the world lasts), that Chiron, with the head of a schoolmaster, had the body and legs of a horse. Just imagine the grave old gentleman clattering and stamping into the schoolroom on his four hoofs, perhaps treading on some little fellow's toes, flourishing his switch tail instead of a rod, and, now and then, trotting out of doors to eat a mouthful of grass! I wonder what the blacksmith charged him for a set of iron shoes?
Read it at http://www.eldritchpress.org/nh/tt07.html.
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