Free Favorite Greek Myths (Yesterday's Classics) by Lilian Stoughton Hyde

else but spin and weave all your life."
    Upon this Arachne, in her new shape, ran quickly into the first dark corner she could find. She was now obliged to earn her living by spinning webs of exceeding fineness, in which she caught many flies, just as her father had caught fish in his nets. She was called the Spinner.
    The children of this first little spinner have become very numerous; but their old name of spinner has been changed to that of spider . Their delicate webs, which are as mist-like as any of Arachne's weaving, often cover the grass on a morning when the day is to be fine.

Jason and the Golden Fleece

I
The Man with One Sandal
    J ASON was the son of King Æson, and heir to his father's kingdom of Iolcus. One day, when Jason was a helpless infant in his cradle, a certain strong chief, called Pelias, came to the palace with a great body of armed men, broke through the gates, entered, and took King Æson captive.
    In the midst of all the noise and confusion, Jason's nurse managed to escape with her charge. She ran down a lonely country road, and across the marshes to the mountains, to Chiron's cave.
    Chiron was a centaur. Like all centaurs, he had the body and legs of a horse, and the head and shoulders of a man. He lived in a cave, as poor people often did in those days, and he supported himself by keeping a kind of school. His pupils became very expert horsemen, and good musicians. By hunting wild beasts in the forests, they learned the use of the spear, the shield, and other implements of war. Chiron's school was a rough, wild school, but it made brave men.
    When the nurse brought Jason to Chiron's cave, Chiron's wife took the child and cared for him as if he had been her own son, till he was old enough to profit by the centaur's teaching.
    Meanwhile, Pelias reigned in Iolcus, and the true king, Æson, languished in prison. But the reign of Pelias, the usurper, was not altogether undisturbed. It was believed among the people that their rightful king would one day be restored to them; and there was a prophecy abroad which warned King Pelias to beware of a man who would one day come down from the mountains, wearing only one sandal.
    When Jason was twenty years old, he was as well-developed and handsome a youth as any in Greece. His long waving hair fell down on his broad shoulders, and he had the sinewy walk of a young lion.
    Being old enough now to try his strength, he bade good-by, one day, to his good schoolmaster, Chiron, threw a leopard's skin over his shoulders, took a spear in each hand, and walked gayly down the road to Iolcus, for he meant to win back his kingdom from Pelias.
    On his way down the mountain, he came to a stream which was badly swollen, and on the bank he saw an old woman who did not dare to cross. He kindly offered to carry her over, and his offer was accepted. He noticed that she looked very small and thin, and thought she would be very light to carry, but when he had fairly entered the stream, he found her very heavy. In his effort to fight against the current, and at the same time to stand up under his burden, he left one of his sandals sticking in the mud at the bottom of the river. But he succeeded in reaching the opposite shore, where he set the little old woman down in safety. Then, what was his astonishment to find that he had carried the great goddess, Juno, across the stream. From this time Juno was Jason's friend.
    When he walked into the forum at Iolcus, the people thought a god had come, and wondered whether the stranger were not Apollo or Mars. But King Pelias, remembering the prophecy, gave a quick glance at Jason's feet, and saw only one sandal. With much misgiving he asked the stranger's name.
    Jason frankly told who he was, and how he had been brought up in Chiron's cave. The news spread quickly through the town, and Jason's kinsmen, the sons of Æolus, heard it and welcomed him to their houses.
    After Jason had been in Iolcus for about five days, he gathered his kinsmen