other foot
bare!"

"Do not take it to heart," answered his companion cheerily. "You never
met with better fortune than in losing that sandal. It satisfies me that
you are the very person whom the Speaking Oak has been talking about."

There was no time just then to inquire what the Speaking Oak had said.
But the briskness of her tone encouraged the young man; and, besides, he
had never in his life felt so vigorous and mighty as since taking this
old woman on his back. Instead of being exhausted he gathered strength
as he went on; and, struggling up against the torrent, he at last gained
the opposite shore, clambered up the bank and set down the old dame and
her peacock safely on the grass. As soon as this was done, however, he
could not help looking rather despondently at his bare foot, with only a
remnant of the golden string of the sandal clinging round his ankle.

"You will get a handsomer pair of sandals by and by," said the old
woman, with a kindly look out of her beautiful brown eyes. "Only let
King Pelias get a glimpse of that bare foot and you shall see him turn
as pale as ashes, I promise you. There is your path. Go along, my good
Jason, and my blessing go with you. And when you sit on your throne
remember the old woman whom you helped over the river."

With these words she hobbled away, giving him a smile over her shoulder
as she departed. Whether the light of her beautiful brown eyes threw a
glory round about her, or whatever the cause might be, Jason fancied
that there was something very noble and majestic in her figure after
all, and that, though her gait seemed to be a rheumatic hobble, yet she
moved with as much grace and dignity as any queen on earth. Her peacock,
which had now fluttered down from her shoulder, strutted behind her in
prodigious pomp and spread out its magnificent tail on purpose for Jason
to admire it.

When the old dame and her peacock were out of sight Jason set forward on
his journey. After traveling a pretty long distance he came to a town
situated at the foot of a mountain and not a great way from the shore of
the sea. On the outside of the town there was an immense crowd of
people, not only men and women, but children, too, all in their best
clothes and evidently enjoying a holiday. The crowd was thickest toward
the seashore, and in that direction, over the people's heads, Jason saw
a wreath of smoke curling upward to the blue sky. He inquired of one of
the multitude what tow