The Ship of Heroes

Jason Story Part 1: The Ship of Heroes

King Pelias of Iolcus had a nephew called Jason, a strong, handsome
young man who had been hidden in Chirοn's cave since he was a
child to keep him safe from his enemies. He was the true heir to the throne of lolcus, and one day he decided to go and take his kingdom back from his wicked uncle. As he walked down the slopes of the mountain, he came to a river, where an old woman stood looking feebly at the foaming waters.

"Can I help you across, my lady?" he said politely. The old woman jumped on to his back without a word, and they set off As Jason got further and further into the middle of the river, the old woman seemed to get heavier and heavier, until he was sinking into the mud at every step. As he struggled to reach the other side the sticky mud sucked one of his sandals off, and it was lost forever. Jason set the old lady down on the bank, and as he did so he gasped. There in front of his eyes was the goddess Hera, revealed in all her glory.

"You are a good boy to carry such a heavy load without complaining; she said. "I shall certainly help you to get your throne back." And she disappeared.

Jason limped into the palace, one sandal on and one sandal off His Uncle Pelias noticed him at once and turned pale with horror. An oracle had once told him that a boy with one sandal would overthrow him, so he knew just who Jason was.

However, he smiled sweetly and embraced his nephew, shouting orders for a great feast to be prepared. "Now, dear boy, he said. "You must certainly have your throne back, for I have 1' reigned long enough. But first you must do a heroic deed to prove that you can be a good king to our people." Then he told Jason that he must go

and fetch the magical golden fleece from the land of Colchis.

"When the fleece hangs in the throne room of Iolcus, then the crown will be yours;' he said. What Pelias didn't say was that the fleece was  guarded by a fierce dragon which never slept. Jason gathered together all his old school friends, and together they built a wonderful ship which they called the Argo, with seeing eyes in the prow and fifty oars.

Before they set off they gave sacrifices to all the gods and goddesses, making sure that no one was left out or offended, and when the Argo sailed, she was full of fifty heroes, all ready for any kind of adventure. Heracles was there, with his friends Admetus and Hylas. Atalanta the huntress came, and so did Orpheus the poet and Castor and Polydeuces, the sons of Leda and Zeus. They called themselves the Argonauts, and Jason was their leader and captain.

The Argonauts sailed east, on and on, until they landed in a strange country to ask the way. All the people there were smiling and contented, except for the king, who was so thin and bony that he looked as if he might fall apart at any moment.

"Whatever is the matter?" asked Jason. The king explained that every night and morning he tried to eat, but as soon as the food was set on the table three revolting fat bird-women flew down and ate what was on his plate.

"They call themselves Harpies, and whatever they don't eat they sit in and make a mess of, so that it can't be touched;' he whispered weakly. "None of my people can get rid of them, and believe me, we've tried!"

Jason and the Argonauts were hungry themselves, so they told the king to lay on a feast for that night. As soon as the disgusting Harpies swooped into the room, Calaϊs and Zetes, the sons of the North Wind, flew into the air with swords and sticks and chased and whipped the Harpies until they screamed and begged for their lives. The Argonauts laughed and cheered as they sat down to their dinner, and the king laughed with them as he stuffed food into his poor starved stomach. The Harpies never came back, and the Argonauts got back into Argo and they sailed towards Colchis.