senses well matters soon grew worse and worse in and the people loudly complained because they had no king at last the declared that all their misfortunes had befallen them because of the anger of concerning the fate of and and they said that the mighty one could never be appeased until the golden himself had been offered as a sacrifice on his altar then the people loudly demanded that this thing should be done for what is the life of a mad king said they compared with the lives of our children but when the went to fetch poor to the sacrifice behold he had fled into the forest he wandered long through the great woods moaning and weeping and praying the mighty ones to remove the curse of madness from him at length took pity on him and declared that whenever the wild beasts should feed him his senses would be restored even though the curse against his family might not be removed now as was passing through a lone and savage place he saw some wolves devouring the body of a deer he ran toward them shouting and the beasts fled leaving the half eaten behind being almost with hunger knelt down and the flesh from the bones and lo his senses returned to him � the wild beasts had fed him nevertheless the curse that was laid upon his house remained for it was that no one of his race should sit upon his throne and that all who claimed to be descended from him should be the perilous quest � � � � � upon the altar of the father of the gods but this curse may be removed and the family of forgiven if only some hero shall bring back to greece the golden that hangs in the treasure house of king in the distant land of when had ended this story he looked straight into the eyes of to read if possible the thoughts that were stirring in his mind but seemed unmoved and carelessly asked whether it was known to a certainty that the was still in among the treasures of the king there is no doubt about it answered for not three months ago a man came to who said that he was the son of i questioned him with much care and found that he spoke the truth his name is and he was then on his way to to claim the kingdom of his grandfather he it was who told me all about the life of in it seems that old king took a great fancy to him and gave him his eldest daughter to be his wife as the king s son in law he won great renown and bore the standard of the folk in many a battle with the savage people of the neighboring hills at last as he lay on his bed of death he bade this same his son to come to greece the golden and claim his from the folk of old now i doubt if can make good his claim for the curse of rests on him also but he is a truthful man and he told me all about the wondrous a treasure more precious than all the riches of greece he told me how it still where old placed it in the inner chamber of his treasure house there it is guarded day and night by a fierce that never sleeps and now when looked into the eyes of the young hero he saw that strange thoughts were moving him and that a heroic purpose was being formed within his mind if i were a young man strong and ambitious as i once was went on i would gather the young heroes of greece together and lead them to distant a and i would bring home the golden thus i would remove the curse from the house of and at the same time win great wealth and never dying fame but i am old and they say that the race of heroes is dying out and that young men no longer to make themselves a name then arose his face all and his heart beating fast because of the resolve which had suddenly taken hold of him silent he strode up the perilous quest and down through the length of the spacious hall while the brightly and the maidens danced merrily and the music swelled into a mighty chorus thrice he strode to and fro as though forgetful of everything save the mighty thought that had come into his mind then he seated himself again by the false king s side and said � you are right to go in quest of the golden and to bring it in triumph back to greece is a deed the of any that i know i the son of son will undertake that quest and if only ten brave men will aid me we shall win glory thereby and everlasting fame the false king leaped to his feet and seized his nephew s hand he said may father bless your undertaking and bring you safe again to your kingdom and your friends surely great honor shall be yours and power such as no king before you has ever known to morrow your father shall take my place on the throne to rule over in his own right till your return nay uncle said warmly my father has no joy in ruling men it is you who must still govern and hold my kingdom in trust for me while i make this perilous quest perhaps i shall die in a foreign land perhaps the waves of some unknown sea shall roll above my head but golden � i the golden never until i return with the precious will i require my at your hand had gained all that he desired his face beamed with pleasure and his words were and kind as he hung 