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peacock； the pomegranate； and the cuckoo staff； whom you carried over
the river； and； likewise； who it is that speaks through the lips of the oaken
image； that stands in the prow of your galley。 I am acquainted with some
of your secrets； you perceive。 It is well for you that I am favorably
inclined； for； otherwise； you would hardly escape being snapped up by the
dragon。〃
〃I should not so much care for the dragon；〃 replied Jason； 〃if I only
knew how to manage the brazen…footed and fiery…lunged bulls。〃
〃If you are as brave as I think you； and as you have need to be；〃 said
Medea； 〃your own bold heart will teach you that there is but one way of
dealing with a mad bull。 What it is I leave you to find out in the moment
of peril。 As for the fiery breath of these animals； I have a charmed
ointment here； which will prevent you from being burned up； and cure you
if you chance to be a little scorched。〃
So she put a golden box into his hand； and directed him how to apply
the perfumed unguent which it contained； and where to meet her at
midnight。
〃Only be brave；〃 added she； 〃and before daybreak the brazen bulls
shall be tamed。〃
The young man assured her that his heart would not fail him。 He then
rejoined his comrades； and told them what had passed between the
princess and himself； and warned them to be in readiness in case there
might be need of their help。 At the appointed hour he met the beautiful
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Medea on the marble steps of the king's palace。 She gave him a basket； in
which were the dragon's teeth； just as they had been pulled out of the
monster's jaws by Cadmus； long ago。 Medea then led Jason down the
palace steps； and through the silent streets of the city； and into the royal
pasture ground； where the two brazen…footed bulls were kept。 It was a
starry night； with a bright gleam along the eastern edge of the sky； where
the moon was soon going to show herself。 After entering the pasture； the
princess paused and looked around。
〃There they are；〃 said she； 〃reposing them。 selves and chewing their
fiery cuds in that farthest corner of the field。 It will be excellent sport； I
assure you； when they catch a glimpse of your figure。 My father and all his
court delight in nothing so much as to see a stranger trying to yoke them；
in order to come at the Golden Fleece。 It makes a holiday in Colchis
whenever such a thing happens。 For my part； I enjoy it immensely。 You
cannot imagine in what a mere twinkling of an eye their hot breath
shrivels a young man into a black cinder。〃
〃Are you sure； beautiful Medea；〃 asked Jason； 〃quite sure； that the
unguent in the gold box will prove a remedy against those terrible burns？〃
〃If you doubt； if you are in the least afraid；〃 said the princess； looking
him in the face by the dim starlight； 〃you had better never have been born
than to go a step nigher to the bulls。〃
But Jason had set his heart steadfastly on getting the Golden Fleece；
and I positively doubt whether he would have gone back without it； even
had he been certain of finding himself turned into a red…hot cinder； or a
handful of white ashes； the instant he made a step farther。 He therefore let
go Medea's hand； and walked boldly forward in the direction whither she
had pointed。 At some distance before him he perceived four streams of
fiery vapor； regularly appearing and again vanishing； after dimly lighting
up the surrounding obscurity。 These； you will understand； were caused by
the breath of the brazen bulls； which was quietly stealing out of their four
nostrils； as they lay chewing their cuds。
At the first two or three steps which Jason made； the four fiery streams
appeared to gush out somewhat more plentifully； for the two brazen bulls
had heard his foot tramp； and were lifting up their hot noses to snuff the
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air。 He went a little farther； and by the way in which the red vapor now
spouted forth； he judged that the creatures had got upon their feet。 Now he
could see glowing sparks； and vivid jets of flame。 At the next step； each of
the bulls made the pasture echo with a terrible roar； while the burning
breath； which they thus belched forth； lit up the whole field with a
momentary flash。 One other stride did bold Jason make； and； suddenly as a
streak of lightning； on came these fiery animals； roaring like thunder； and
sending out sheets of white flame； which so kindled up the scene that the
young man could discern every object more distinctly than by daylight。
Most distinctly of all he saw the two horrible creatures galloping right
down upon him； their brazen hoofs rattling and ringing over the ground；
and their tails sticking up stiffly into the air； as has always been the
fashion with angry bulls。 Their breath scorched the herbage before them。
So intensely hot it was； indeed； that it caught a dry tree under which Jason
was now standing； and set it all in a light blaze。 But as for Jason himself
（thanks to Medea's enchanted ointment）； the white flame curled around his
body； without injuring him a jot more than if he had been made of
asbestos。
Greatly encouraged at finding himself not yet turned into a cinder； the
young man awaited the attack of the bulls。 Just as the brazen brutes
fancied themselves sure of tossing him into the air； he caught one of them
by the horn； and the other by his screwed…up tail； and held them in a gripe
like that of an iron vice； one with his right hand； the other with his left。
Well； he must have been wonderfully strong in his arms； to be sure。 But
the secret of the matter was； that the brazen bulls were enchanted creatures；
and that Jason had broken the spell of their fiery fierceness by his bold
way of handling them。 And； ever since that time； it has been the favorite
method of brave men； when danger assails them； to do what they call 〃
taking the bull by the horns〃； and to gripe him by the tail is pretty much
the same thingthat is； to throw aside fear； and overcome the peril by
despising it。 It was now easy to yoke the bulls； and to harness them to the
plow； which had lain rusting on the ground for a great many years gone by；
so long was it before anybody could be found capable of plowing that
piece of land。 Jason； I suppose； had been taught how to draw a furrow by
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the good old Chiron； who； perhaps； used to allow himself to be harnessed
to the plow。 At any rate； our hero succeeded perfectly well in breaking up
the greensward； and； by the time that the moon was a quarter of her
journey up the sky； the plowed field lay before him； a large tract of black
earth； ready to be sown with the dragon's teeth。 So Jason scattered them
broadcast； and harrowed them into the soil with a brush…harrow； and took
his stand on the edge of the field； anxious to see what would happen next。
〃Must we wait long for harvest time？〃 he inquired of Medea； who was
now standing by his side。
〃Whether sooner or later； it will be sure to come；〃 answered the
princess。 〃A crop of armed men never fails to spring up； when the dragon's
teeth have been sown。〃
The moon was now high aloft in the heavens； and threw its bright
beams over the plowed field； where as yet there was nothing to be seen。
Any farmer； on viewing it； would have said that Jason must wait weeks
before the green blades would peep from among the clods； and whole
months before the yellow grain would be ripened for the sickle。 But by
and by； all over the field； there was something that glistened in the
moonbeams； like sparkling drops of dew。 These bright objects sprouted
higher； and proved to be the steel heads of spears。 Then there was a
dazzling gleam from a vast number of polished