英语故事Jason And The Golden Fleece.docx

英语故事Jason And The Golden Fleece.docx

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英语故事JasonAndTheGoldenFleece

英语故事

JasonAndTheGoldenFleece

　　ThegoodcentaurChirontaughtmanyoftheheroes.HetaughtthemightyHerculestolabourallhislife.HetaughtthevaliantJasontovowvengeanceagainstevil.JasonfledtoChirontoescapehisunclePelias，awickedmanwhohaddrivenJason’sfather，Eson，fromhiskingdomofThessaly.

　　’IshalltakerevengeonPelias，’JasonsworetoChiron，‘forhe’sthrownmyfatheroffhisthrone.’

　　’Finewords，’saidChiron，butdon’tbetooboldanddon’tberashandboastful.Itcouldlandyouindeeptrouble.’

　　’Theworldshalllearntofearme，’Jasonsaid.

　　’Rememberit’sonlyPeliaswho’swrongedyou，’saidthecentaur.‘Fightagainsthim，ifyouwill，butfightforalltheweakaswell.’

　　’Hmmph！

’saidJasoninahuff.‘WhydoIhavetowastemytimeinhelpinghopelesscauses？

’

　　’Becausethat’stheverystuffofheroes！

’Chironsaid.

　　Jasonputonhissandals，girdedhisswordtohissideandsetoffforThessalytothumphisunclePelias.Hecametoastreamswollenbythespringrains.Justashewasgoingtodiveintothewildlysurgingwatertoswimacross，hesawanoldwomanstandinghelplessbythebank.

　　’CanIgiveyouahand？

’heasked.

　　’Thatwouldbekind，’shesaid.

　　Heboreheronhisback，strugglingagainstthefoamingtorrent.Severaltimeshenearbyslipped.Helostasandalinmid-stream.Butatlasthereachedtheotherside.

　　AssoonasJasondroppedhersafeanddryonthegrass，shestoodupstraight，threwoffherolddisguiseandbecamethegoddessJuno.UnliketheheroHercules，Jasongotonratherwellwithher.

　　’Thankyou，’shesmiled.‘Ifeveryouneedhelp，youonlyhavetoask.’

　　Withthat，shevanishedandJasoncontinuedtohisway.AtlasthereachedthecourtofThessaly.ThefalseKingPeliashadheardarumourthatheshouldbewareamanwearingoneshoe.HegazedinfearatJason’sfeet.

　　’Whoareyou？

’heaskedinatremblingvoice.‘Whocomestothreatenmewithoneshoeonandoneshoeoff？

’

　　’IamJason，sonofEson，truekingofthiscountry，’saidthehero.‘Ihavecometogivemyfatherbackhisthrone.’

　　’Let’sdiscussitoverdinner，’Peliasreplied.

　　Jason，whowasconfidentthathewouldwin，agreed.

　　’Imustsay，youaremostcourageous，’saidthefalseking，‘tocomealonetocaptureakingdom.Havesomemorewine.’

　　’Heroesintheolddaysusedtodoit，’Jasonsaid，knockingbackthesparklingdrink.‘IthinkitistimeIgaveagoodexampletomodernyouth.’

　　’Splendid！

’saidPelias.‘Anotherglassofwine？

Tellme，what’syourhobby？

’

　　Monsters，maidensandallthat，’saidJason.‘Thiswineisverygood.Whydoyouask？

’

　　’Asillylittlethought，’saidPelias.‘Ihavejustrememberedthere’sawaytomanageamonsterandamaidenbothinthesameadventure，ifyoulike.’

　　Jasondrunkhiswineandaskedforyetanotherglass.

　　’Tellmehow，’hesaid.

　　’TheGoldenFleecethathangsonatreeinColchisisguardedbybullsandgiantsanddragon，’saidthefalseking.‘TheKingofColchisalsohasadaughter.SheiscalledMedea.Howaboutit？

AGoldenFleeceandawickedlywonderfulprincess，twobirdswithonestone，sotospeak.’

　　’Whydon’tyougo？

’Jasonaskedsuspiciously.

　　’OfcourseIwould，’saidPelias，‘IfonlyIwasyounger.Heroesnowadays，’hesighed，‘havenoambitionanymore！

’

　　’That’salie！

CriedJason，jumpingfromhisseat.‘I’llgettheGoldenFleeceandtheprincess，too.’

　　’Verygood，’laughedPelias.‘Thatshouldkeepyoubusyforawhile.Icanenjoymykingdomnow.Don’tyouthinkyououghttogoandbuyanothersandal，beforeyoubegin？

’

　　Thenextday，whenJason’sheadwasclearfromwine，hecursedhimselfforafoolbutcouldnotchangehisvow.HehadawordwithJunoandshehelpedhimbuildamarvelousshipfrompinetrees，withabranchfromtheSpeakingOakcarvedintoafigure-head.Thecarvinghadthepowertospeaktohimandadvisehimintimesofperil.

　　JasoncalledtheshiptheArgo，whichmeans‘swiftsailing’，andhecalledthesailorsArgonauts.Youneversawabraverbandofheroesthanthecrewofthatstrangecraft.Herculeswasone，theseusanother，andOrpheuswithhislyreathird.ThereweremanyotherboldadventureswhosailedwithJasontoseektheGoldenFleece.

　　Theymetwithdangerafterdanger.Theylostoneofthecrewtosomebeautifulnymphswhobeckonedhimdowntotheirwateryplayground.TwomoresailorsfoughtwiththeHarpies，vilecreatures，halfwomanandhalfbird.Thentheshippassedbeneathaflightofbrass-featheredfowls，whorainedtheirplumagedownattheArgonautslikedeadlydarts.

　　’WhatshallIdo？

’Jasonaskedtheoakenfigure-head.

　　’Theyhatetoomuchnoise，’thefigure-headreplied.‘Bangyourweaponsandclangyoushields.’

　　Upanddownthedeck，theweaponsbangedandclanged.Thebrazenbirdsshriekedwithfuryandflewoff.

　　Nextcametheclashingrocks.Likeironicebergs，theyfloatedintheseaandcrashedtogether，squashingallthattriedtopassbetweentheirtoweringsides.

　　’WhatshallIdo？

’Jasonaskedtheoakenfigure-head.

　　’Followthedoveandsailasfast，’thefigure-headreplied.

　　Jasonletflyadovebetweentherocks.Itwasbarelyfastenough.Asitflewthrough，therocksclashedandcaughtthefeathersofitstail.JasonandtheArgonautsrowedwithalltheirmight.Therocksclashedtheydrewapart.Theshipsurgedforward，themenstrainingattheoars.Theywerealmostthroughwhentherockscamecrashingtogetherwithathunderousroar.Butonlytherudderwascaught.TheArgowassafe.ThelandofColchislayahead.

　　JasonstoodbeforetheKingofColchis.

　　’WehavecomefortheGoldenFleece，’hesaid.

　　’I’msureyouhave，’thekingreplied.‘Heroeshavecomebefore.Butit’smyfavouritetrophy.What’sitworth？

’

　　’Ahero’sfame，’saidJasonproudly.

　　’Here’swhatyouhavetodo，’theKingofColchissaid.‘Slaythegiantswhichgrowfromthedragon’steethwhicharesowninthestonyfieldwhichisploughedwiththefire-breathingbulls.AndthenyoumusttackletheserpentthatsleepsinthetreewherehangstheGoldenFleece.’

　　’Towork！

’criedJason.‘Notimetowaste！

’

　　’Comeandtellmewhenit’sdone！

’theKingofColchislaughed.

　　Anyoneofthosedreadfultaskswouldhavedismayedanormalman.ButJasonwasahero.Hewenttoasktheoakenfigure-headforhelp.

　　’Youdon’tneedme，’thefigure-headreplied.‘AskthewickedlywonderfulMedea.’

　　Jasonhadforgottenher.Hewenttofindtheking’sprincess.

　　’Youwantmyhelp，Ithink，’shesmiled.

　　Jasonfoundherabsolutelybeautiful.

　　’Ido，’hesighed.‘Idoindeed.’

　　’I’msomethingofasorceress，’shemurmured.

　　’Iknow，’thoughtJason，whohadfallenforhercharms.

　　’IfIhelpyou，willyoumarryme？

’sheasked.

　　’Alwaysthesamequestioneveryherohears，’laughedJason.‘Ican’tseethatthereismuchalternative.ButIwouldlovetoanyway.’

　　AndsoMedeahelpedJasonwithhistasks.Hecaughtthebullsthatbreathedoutfire，withouthimselfbeingburnt.Hehitchedthemtotheplough，withouthimselfbeinghurt.Heploughedthestonyfiledinlessthanhalfaday.Andthenhesowedthemagicdragon’steethfromendtoendofthedeep-dugfurrows.

　　Firstthetipsofspearslikebladesofnew-sowngrassgrewupslowlyfromthesoil.Thetopsofhelmetsbrokethesurfaceliketurnipswiththeirplumesofleaves.Headslikepumpkinsnextappeared，thenshoulders，armsandhandswithswordsandspears，andthickchestslikestrawberrybarrels.AtlasttheregrewgreatlegslikegiantrhubarbstemsthatmadethesoldiersthricetheheightofJason.

　　Theyshooktheirswordsandspears，afiledripewithflashingfoeswhosweptdownuponthedumbstruckJason.Thereisamomentwheneveryherostandsalone.Butheheldhisheadhigh，astheharvestofthehostofgiantschargedathim.Thenhestooped，pickedupsomedustandflungitintheirfaces.Thefirstgiantswereblindedforamoment.Theystruckoutatwhoeverwasthenearest.Jasonthrewmoredust.Thegiantsfoughteachotherfuriously.Soonallweredead.Theirbodiessankintotheground，likeplantsthatdieanddecay.

　　’Nowfortheserpent，’Jasonsaid.

　　ThemagicpotionofMedeaandthemusicofOrpheussentthesnaketosleep.JasoncutoffitsheadandreachedfortheGoldenFleece.Ithungonbranch，agolden，gleamingfleece，withthehornsofaram.Jasonsnatcheditdown.

　　’Quick！

’criedMedea.‘MyfatherdoesnotwanttolosetheGoldenFleece.’

　　SheseizedherlittlebrotherandranwithJasontotheArgo，wheretheArgonautswerewaitingattheoars.

　　’Setsailandrowwithallthespeedyoucan，’saidJason.

　　ButtheKingofColchis，findingtheserpentslain，thegiantsdecayed，thefleecestolen，hisdaughterandhissonescapedandtheArgonautsgone，camesailingafterthem.

　　’Hegainsonus，’criedJason.

　　’Hewon’tforlong，’Medeareplied.‘I’mgoingtoshowyouwhatawickedheartIhave.’

　　Sheheldherlittlebrotherandcuthimupandthrewhiminthesea.PoorKingofColchis！

Hestoppedhisship，hepickedupthepiecesandputthembacktogether.ButthedelaywasenoughtolettheArgonautsescape.

　　’Thatwascruel，Jasonsaid.

　　’Don’tsulk，’repliedMedea.‘DoyouwanttogivehimbacktheGoldenFleece？

’

　　’No，’saidJason，‘butweshouldhavefoughthimfacetoface.’

　　TheysailedbacktoThessaly，gladandsadatthesametime.JasonfoundPeliasstillinhisfather’spalace.Heflungthefleeceatthefalseking’sfeet.

　　’Getout，’hecried，‘anddon’tcomeback！

’

　　Jasonfetchedhisfather，Eson，butEsonnowwasoldandnotfittobeaking.SoMedeabrewedamagicrecipethatmadehimyoungagain，tomakeupfortheevilshehaddone.

　　Peliasheardaboutthem