led fast away, and the Sirens' voices died
behind them, in the hissing of the foam.

But when the Sirens saw that they were conquered, they shrieked for
envy and rage and leapt into the sea, and were changed into rocks.

Then, as the Argonauts rowed on, they came to a fearful whirlpool, and
they could neither go back nor forward, for the waves caught them and
spun them round and round. While they struggled in the whirlpool,
they saw near them on the other side of the strait a rock stand in the
water--a rock smooth and slippery, and half way up a misty cave.

When Orpheus saw the rock he groaned. "Little will it help us," he
cried, "to escape the jaws of the whirlpool. For in that cave lives a
sea-hag, and from her cave she fishes for all things that pass by, and
never ship's crew boasted that they came safe past her rock."

Then out of the depths came Thetis, the silver-footed bride of one of
the heroes. She came with all her nymphs around her, and they played
like snow-white dolphins, diving in from wave to wave before the ship,
and in her wake and beside her, as dolphins play. And they caught the
ship and guided her, and passed her on from hand to hand, and tossed
her through the billows, as maidens do the ball.

And when the sea-hag stooped to seize the ship, they struck her, and
she shrank back into her cave affrighted, and the Argo leapt safe past
her, while a fair breeze rose behind.

Then Thetis and her nymphs sank down to their coral caves beneath the
sea, and their gardens of green and purple, where flowers bloom all
the year round, while the heroes went on rejoicing, yet dreading what
might come next.

They rowed away for many a weary day till their water was spent and
their food eaten, but at last they saw a long steep island.

"We will land here," they cried, "and fill our water casks upon the
shore."

But when they came nearer to the island they saw a wondrous sight. For
on the cliffs stood a giant, taller than any mountain pine.

When he saw the Argo and her crew he came toward them, more swiftly
than the swiftest horse, and he shouted to them, "You are pirates, you
are robbers! If you land you shall die the death."

Then the heroes lay on their oars in fear, but Medeia spoke: "I know
this giant. If strangers land he leaps into his furnace, which flames
there among the hills, and when he is red-hot he rushes on them, and
burns them in his brazen hands. But he has but one vein in all his
body f