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5. Jason and the Golden Fleece

Scattering the dragon’s teeth widely, Jason, leaning on the pommel of his sword, yawned as he
waited to see what would happen. Although Medea, the king of Colchis’ daughter, had informed
him during the previous evening what would occur, he was still extremely sceptical as he did not
believe in sorcery and magic and therefore, when nothing happened for thirty seconds or so,
Jason nodded wisely to himself and turned to leave the ploughed field.
A faint crackling sound from behind him alerted him and he whirled round, storm-grey eyes
opening wide in shock as he watched the ground part and a gleaming white skull emerge,
pushing up through the earth like the stalk of a flower. Suddenly, all over the field, others
appeared and within a few moments, Jason found himself faced by hundreds of skeletal warriors,
all staring disconcertingly at him from empty eye sockets. Throat drying up abruptly and heart
beating like a drum in his chest, he tried to remember Medea’s advice but his mind had gone
totally blank!
Rustling dryly like autumn leaves, the bony warriors, legs moving in unison, edged towards him
and he shuffled backwards in fear. His foot struck a large stone, nearly tripping him up, and, as
he stumbled, memory dawned. Bending down swiftly, Jason, arms aching with the effort, lifted

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the rounded boulder off the ground then rolled it at the advancing skeletons.
Like a bowling ball, the stone smashed through the bony pins in front of it, knocking the
skeletons to the ground and causing havoc. Totally confused and livid with each other, the
skeletal soldiers turned and fought, bony arms flashing fast in the dawn light. One by one, they
toppled to the ground and lay unmoving until only the victor remained. Approaching cautiously,
Jason shuddered as its skull slithered round and faced him, empty eye sockets staring blankly and
unwaveringly forward, before it charged.
Stepping swiftly to one side, Jason brought his sword down and chopped off a bony arm then a
leg and the skeleton sank down to the ground. Jason whirled his sword round, the silver-steel
J.S
blade catching the sun, and chopped its head off then gazed in awe as the bony remains of the
warriors disappeared back into the earth from which they had come. Whistling cheerfully, Jason
slid his sword back into its leather scabbard and wondered how good he would look in the
golden fleece when he returned home to pose in front of the man responsible for his long
journey, his wicked uncle, King Pelias.
Questions
1. Why didn’t Jason believe Medea?
2. What was the first part of the warriors to appear?
3. What colour are Jason’s eyes?
4. What do the warriors sound like as they move?
5. How do we know that Jason is afraid?
6. What does the word ‘livid’ mean?
7. Why does Jason suddenly remember what he has to do to defeat the
warriors?
8. What first caused Jason to turn round?
9. What simile is used about the stone?
10. What does Jason do with the dragon’s teeth?
11. Why do the soldiers fight each other?
12. What simile is used about the appearance of the skull?
13. Who has sent him to obtain the golden fleece?

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Creative option You are King Pelias and Jason strides in wearing the fleece. Describe your
thoughts and feelings as he walks up towards you. Remember that you really wanted him to die
on his quest!

Comprehensions based on Mediaeval Times

6. The Knighthood!
The squire danced on the spot in delight as he took in the knight’s words. It was incredibly
exciting to think that he had earned such an honour already and so he almost fainted in surprise
and shock. The hot sun on his bare head added to his dizziness and he staggered backwards until
the cool stone of the stable wall came to his rescue, propping him up before he fell into a pile of
steaming manure.
What had he done to deserve it? His brown eyes crinkled slightly at the corners and his hand
cupped his pointy chin as he could not think of anything at all. Perhaps it was for long service?

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Yet he had only been with Sir James Courtney for a few months. Maybe it was for some act of
outstanding heroism? He frowned, thin lips turning down at the corners as he tried to think of
something that qualified as heroic. Chasing off a few rats…cleaning out the privy after Sir James
had used it…finding a new flagon of ale for his lord and master to quaff after Lady Margaret had
forbidden her husband to have any more? None of those acts of brilliance and bravery seemed to
be quite enough and so the squire scratched his head thoughtfully, squashing a nit under his
fingernail as he waited for inspiration to strike.
Instead Sir James struck! A mailed fist thumped the squire on the chest and he collided painfully
with the stone wall behind him once again.
J.S
“Knight hood, squire! Now!”
“Of course, sir. I would be honoured…”
The squire’s tremulous voice tailed off into nothingness as Sir James fixed his eyes, as beady and
black as a shark’s, on his servant.
“I want my hood, Jenkins. It is raining and my head is getting wet so go and get my knight hood
now or I will begin sword practice early and chop you into more pieces than the jigsaw my wife
is currently completing!” bellowed the knight, his face getting as red as a tomato while his great
belly strained at the seam of his steel corselet.
Realisation finally dawned on Jenkins and, eyes filling up with tears of disappointment, he
scurried off like a rat into the castle to fetch the knight’s hood from the solar. At least he prayed
it was still there. Earlier that morning he had seen the castle cat stalking the furry object with
wicked intent in its green eyes!

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Questions

1. What heroic tasks does Jenkins think of?

2. How do we know that the knight is overweight?
3. What two things made the squire dizzy?
4. What creature does the squire kill?
5. What prevents Jenkins from toppling into the manure?
6. What is the knight’s wife’s name?
7. What simile is used about the knight’s eyes?
8. What is the cat stalking?
9. What two things tell us that the knight is in armour?
10. What threat does the knight use towards Jenkins?
11. What honour does Jenkins think that he is getting at the start and
why?12: What two physical signs tell us that Jenkins is thinking?
13. Find the meaning of the following words as they are used in the passage:
a. flagon
b. quaff

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c. tremulous
d. privy

7. An Arthurian Ode
The creature was crouching in the far corner;
Arthur wanted to shout at Guinevere to warn her
But the words got stuck, just wouldn’t come out;
Not a squeak or a squeal, let alone a shout!
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Trembling with terror, Arthur stared into its eyes,
Feeling their power as they did mesmerise.
Sweat flowed freely, cascaded down his chest,
Running like a river below his string vest.
With a great effort of will, he tried to stay calm,
Reached down to his hip with his right arm.
Plucked out his dagger and threw it hard;
Cursed as it missed by far more than a yard!
Reaching down further, he snatched up his lance,
Aimed more carefully, risked a swift glance.
Plunged the point forward, pierced Guinevere’s
ear; She turned, frowned fiercely and beckoned
him near!
“Now, now, my beloved, don’t panic!” she said,
Brushing the curls on the top of her head.
The queen stood up then adjusted her robe,
Adding, “Arthur, you’re such an arachnophobe!”
Swiftly, she reached out and picked up the
creature,

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Examined it carefully, looked at each feature.

“It’s only a little one, so cute and so sweet…
And as I haven’t had breakfast, it’s time to eat!”
She opened her mouth, showing sharp, pointy teeth,
Then popped it in whole, by her tongue, just beneath.
It wriggled and squiggled and rushed round inside her
But that was the end of the poor little spider!

Questions
1. What was Arthur wearing?

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2. What do we know about Guinevere’s hair?
3. Where was Arthur’s dagger?
4. Why couldn’t Arthur shout?
5. How much did Arthur miss by?
6. Why did Guinevere eat the spider?
7. What did Arthur do with his lance?
8. How does Guinevere describe the spider?
9. Where exactly does Guinevere place the spider?
10. Where was the spider to begin with?
11. What simile is used about the sweat?
12. What is an arachnophobe?
J.S
8. Warhorse Comprehension
The giant stallion champed at the bit, sending flecks of slobber flying; sea-foam thrown off the
waves. His eyes, fiery as the sun, rolled frenziedly in their sockets and sweat stood out on his
massive legs as he waited to charge towards the enemy. Sunshine glinted blindingly off the steel
that encased his head whilst his flanks were covered completely in a thick cloth of dark blue
emblazoned with his master’s coat of arms.
The trumpets sounded and the knight released his grip on the reins, settling himself into the
saddle as his mount trotted forward. Slowly at first, like a gentle rolling wave sweeping over the
sand, the line advanced, keeping perfect station. The signals blared out again and the speed
increased, changing from a trot to a canter as the gap between the two armies narrowed to just a
hundred yards or so. The horse accelerated seamlessly, hooves pounding; drum beats of death on
the green grass underneath.

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The opposing soldiers stared at the massed ranks of knights; some prayed, others braced
themselves for the impact while a few edged backwards slightly, fear flooding through their
veins like a tsunami of terror. Mouths as dry as the desert, they pushed their kite-shaped shields
forward and gripped their weapons, knuckles whitening like their faces as they waited for just a
few seconds longer.
The final signal horn blew and the knight spurred on his colossal steed, aiming at a slight gap in
the enemy lines. The ground beneath blurred in his limited vision as he stared through his narrow
visor and then came the collision of man and mount against metal. The shields seemed to ripple
like a field of corn as the destriers struck; a surging sea of tanks that crushed everything in their
path and left only death and destruction in their wake. Lances, the tank guns, spitting men like a
pig roasting over the fire while the iron-shod hooves trampled them down into the blood-soaked
earth.

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Questions
1. What reflects the sunshine?
2. What metaphor is used about the saliva of the horse?
3. Why did the soldiers’ knuckles whiten?
4. What shape were the soldiers’ shields?
5. Why did the knight’s vision become blurred?
6. What three things did the soldiers waiting to receive the charge do?
J.S
7. What metaphor is used about the pounding of the hooves?
8. What metaphor is used about the lances?
9. What two different speeds does the horse move at?
10. Why are the horses described as tanks?
11. What trampled the soldiers’ down?
12. What other words are used for horse in the passage?
13. What three adverbs are used in the first paragraph?
14. What three similes are in the third paragraph?

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