Jason and the Golden Fleece
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Time Period: Unknown
References in Literature: Ovid's Metamorphoses (c 217 AD)
Sources: Dictionary of Literary Themes and Motifs, Vol. 1, too many
Tale:
Jason and crew of the Argos set sail in search of the Golden Fleece at the behest of his uncle, a ursurper King of Pelias.
King Aeetes told him to sow seeds at midnight, but when the seeds (which were actually dragon's teeth) turned into an army, Medea stepped in and told Jason to throw a stone in the center and the army would turn on itself. So he did toss the stone, and the armies attacked each other (sound a bit like Cadmus?).
Finally, later in the Argos’s journey, they finally came to the temple of the Golden Fleece, but it was guarded by the sleepless dragon. Medea again comes to the rescue and puts the dragon asleep with poppy seeds sprinkled from a branch so that Jason can steal the Fleece.
Variations:- They get away with the goods and noone dies.
- Jason fights the sea dragon but loses and gets swallowed.