Padraic Colum

The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles Padraic Colum

Jason was born the son of a king, his destiny to rule Iolcus. But his uncle, King Pelias, who has taken over the throne, is not willing to give it up, so he cunningly persuades Jason to accept a dare to bring back the famous Golden Fleece of Colchis. Jason accepts the challenge, unaware that he is being conned into a dangerous and perhaps fatal journey far from the land he loves. Jason sets out, along with Heracles and Theseus, Perseus and Atalanta, and the sorceress Medea, on a wondrous journey in the ship Argo to strange lands populated by even stranger inhabitants. As they travel, Orpheus, the storyteller, sings songs about the gods and goddesses and the creation of heaven and earth. This book is the story of Jason, the Argonauts, and their quest for the Golden Fleece.