the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第30节
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out to the opening of the cave。 The youth drew back behind the boulder。
〃Sister； sister； there is nothing there；〃 said the one with the eye。
Then she said： 〃Sister； give me the tooth for I would eat my acorns。
Take the eye and keep watch。〃
The one who was eating held out the tooth； and the one who was
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watching held out the eye。 The youth darted into the cave。 Standing
between the eyeless sisters； he took with one hand the tooth and with the
other the eye。
〃Sister； sister； have you taken the eye？〃
〃I have not taken the eye。 Have you taken the tooth？〃
〃I have not taken the tooth。〃
〃Some one has taken the eye； and some one has taken the tooth。〃
They stood together； and the youth watched their blinking faces as
they tried to discover who had come into the cave； and who had taken the
eye and the tooth。
Then they said； screaming together： 〃Who ever has taken the eye and
the tooth from the Graiai； the ancient daughters of Phorcys； may Mother
Night smother him。〃
The youth spoke。 〃Ancient daughters of Phorcys；〃 he said； 〃Graiai； I
would not rob from you。 I have come to your cave only to ask the way to a
place。〃
〃Ah； it is a mortal； a mortal；〃 screamed the sisters。 〃Well； mortal； what
would you have from the Graiai？〃
〃Ancient Graiai；〃 said the youth； 〃I would have you tell me； for you
alone know； where the nymphs dwell who guard the three magic treasures…
…the cap of darkness； the shoes of flight； and the magic pouch。〃
〃We will not tell you； we will not tell you that；〃 screamed the two
ancient sisters。
〃I will keep the eye and the tooth；〃 said the youth； 〃and I will give
them to one who will help me。〃
〃Give me the eye and I will tell you；〃 said one。 〃Give me the tooth and
I will tell you；〃 said the other。 The youth put the eye in the hand of one
and the tooth in the hand of the other； but he held their skinny hands in his
strong hands until they should tell him where the nymphs dwelt who
guarded the magic treasures。 The Gray Ones told him。 Then the youth with
the bright sword left the cave。 As he went out he saw on the ground a
shield of bronze； and he took it with him。 To the other side of where
Atlas stands he went。 There he came upon the nymphs in their valley。
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They had long dwelt there； hidden from gods and men； and they were
startled to see a stranger youth come into their hidden valley。 They fled
away。 Then the youth sat on the ground； his head bent like a man who is
very sorrowful。
The youngest and the fairest of the nymphs came to him at last。 〃Why
have you come； and why do you sit here in such great trouble； youth？〃
said she。 And then she said： 〃What is this strange sickle…sword that you
wear？ Who told you the way to our dwelling place？ What name have
you？〃
〃I have come here；〃 said the youth； and he took the bronze shield upon
his knees and began to polish it； 〃I have come here because I want you； the
nymphs who guard them； to give to me the cap of darkness and the shoes
of flight and the magic pouch。 I must gain these things； without them I
must go to my death。 Why I must gain them you will know from my
story。〃
When he said that he had come for the three magic treasures that they
guarded； the kind nymph was more startled than she and her sisters had
been startled by the appearance of the strange youth in their hidden valley。
She turned away from him。 But she looked again and she saw that he was
beautiful and brave looking。 He had spoken of his death。 The nymph stood
looking at him pitifully； and the youth； with the bronze shield laid beside
his knees and the strange hooked sword lying across it； told her his story。
〃I am Perseus；〃 he said； 〃and my grandfather； men say； is king in
Argos。 His name is Acrisius。 Before I was born a prophecy was made to
him that the son of Danae； his daughter； would slay him。 Acrisius was
frightened by the prophecy； and when I was born he put my mother and
myself into a chest； and he sent us adrift upon the waves of the sea。
〃I did not know what a terrible peril I was in； for I was an infant newly
born。 My mother was so hopeless that she came near to death。 But the
wind and the waves did not destroy us： they brought us to a shore； a
shepherd found the chest； and he opened it and brought my mother and
myself out of it alive。 The land we had come to was Seriphus。 The
shepherd who found the chest and who rescued my mother and myself was
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the brother of the king。 His name was Dictys。
〃In the shepherd's wattled house my mother stayed with me； a little
infant； and in that house I grew from babyhood to childhood； and from
childhood to boyhood。 He was a kind man； this shepherd Dictys。 His
brother Polydectes had put him away from the palace； but Dictys did not
grieve for that； for he was happy minding his sheep upon the hillside； and
he was happy in his little but of wattles and clay。
〃Polydectes； the king； was seldom spoken to about his brother； and it
was years before he knew of the mother and child who had been brought
to live in Dictys's hut。 But at last he heard of us； for strange things began
to be said about my motherhow she was beautiful； and how she looked
like one who had been favored by the gods。 Then one day when he was
hurting； Polydectes the king came to the but of Dictys the shepherd。
〃He saw Danae； my mother； there。 By her looks he knew that she was
a king's daughter and one who had been favored by the gods。 He wanted
her for his wife。 But my mother hated this harsh and overbearing king； and
she would not wed with him。 Often he came storming around the
shepherd's hut； and at last my mother had to take refuge from him in a
temple。 There she became the priestess of the goddess。
〃I was taken to the palace of Polydectes； and there I was brought up。
The king still stormed around where my mother was； more and more bent
on making her marry him。 If she had not been in the temple where she was
under the protection of the goddess he would have wed her against her
will。
〃But I was growing up now； and I was able to give some protection to
my mother。 My arm was a strong one； and Polydectes knew that if he
wronged my mother in any way； I had the will and the power to be deadly
to him。 One day I heard him say before his princes and his lords that he
would wed； and would wed one who was not Danae； I was overjoyed to
hear him say this。 He asked the lords and the princes to come to the
wedding feast； they declared they would； and they told him of the presents
they would bring。
〃Then King Polydectes turned to me and he asked me to come to the
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wedding feast。 I said I would come。 And then； because I was young and
full of the boast of youth； and because the king was now ceasing to be a
terror to me； I said that I would bring to his wedding feast the head of the
Gorgon。
〃The king smiled when he heard me say this； but he smiled not as a
good man smiles when he hears the boast of youth。 He smiled； and he
turned to the princes and lords； and he said 'Perseus will come； and he will
bring a greater gift than any of you； for he will bring the head of her
whose gaze turns living creatures into stone。'
〃When I heard the king speak so grimly about my boast the fearfulness
of the thing I had spoken of doing came over me。 I thought for an instant
that the Gorgon's head appeared before me； and that I was then and there
turned into stone。
〃The day of the wedding feast
