And the magic furrows opened, and the kind earth took them home again, and Jason’s work was done.

Then the heroes rose and shouted, and Jason cried to the King, “Lead me to the Golden Fleece this moment before the sun goes down.”

But Aietes thought, “Who is this, who is proof against all magic?  He may kill the serpent yet!” So he delayed, and sat taking counsel with his princes.  Afterwards he bade a herald cry, “To-morrow we will meet these heroes and speak about the Golden Fleece!”

Then he turned and looked at Medeia.  “This is your doing, false witch-maid,” he said; “you have helped these yellow-haired strangers.”

Medeia shrank and trembled, and her face grew pale with fear, and Aietes knew that she was guilty, and he whispered, “If they win the fleece, you die.”

Now the heroes went marching toward their ship, growling, like lions cheated of their prey.  “Let us go together to the grove and take the fleece by force,” they said.  But Jason held them back, while he praised them for brave heroes, for he hoped for Medeia’s help.

And after a time she came trembling, and wept a long while before she spoke.  At last she said, “I must die, for my father has found out that I have helped you.”

But all the heroes cried, “If you die we die with you, for without you we cannot win the fleece, and home we will never go without it.”

“You need not die,” said Jason to the witch-maiden.  “Flee home with us across the sea.  Show us but how to win the fleece, and come with us and you shall be my queen, and rule over the rich princes in Iolcos by the sea.”

And all the heroes pressed round and vowed to her that she should be their queen.

Medeia wept and hid her face in her hands.  “Must I leave my home and my people?” she sobbed.  “But the lot is cast:  I will show you how to win the Golden Fleece.  Bring up your ship to the woodside, and moor her there against the bank.  And let Jason come up at midnight and one brave comrade with him, and meet me beneath the wall.”

Then all the heroes cried together, “I will go—­and I—­and I!”

But Medeia calmed them and said, “Orpheus shall go with Jason, and take his magic harp.”

And Orpheus laughed for joy and clapped his hands, because the choice had fallen on him.

So at midnight they went up the bank and found Medeia, and she brought them to a thicket beside the War-god’s gate.

And the base of the gate fell down and the brazen doors flew wide, and Medeia and the heroes ran forward, and hurried through the poison wood, guided by the gleam of the Golden Fleece, until they saw it hanging on one vast tree in the midst.

Jason would have sprung to seize it, but Medeia held him back and pointed to the tree-foot, where a mighty serpent lay, coiled in and out among the roots.

When the serpent saw them coming, he lifted up his head and watched them with his small bright eyes, and flashed his forked tongue.