From Chapter 1: Boys, Dragons, and Golden Fleece
In this excerpt, the classroom teacher, Bartholomew Smythe, lectures on Jason and Medea trying to take back the golden fleece. He likes to pretend he is British and uses the proper title for a young boy, "Master" Calhoun. Sophia mentally comforts herself by use of her parenthetical secret comments.
Please pull up the handout for ‘Jason and the Golden Fleece.’" There was a rustling in the classroom as all the students moved to pull the handout up on their laptops.
The story begins with Jason finding the fleece draped over the branches of a large oak tree. It’s as if fiery beams of sunrise are shining through a fluffy cloud. However, the serpent who never sleeps guards the tree. Rising from a crouch to his full height, the dragon extends his neck and hisses. The sound was deafening echoing far away. Smoke and soot rise surround the dragon. Coils of dried skin roil along the ridge of his back. Enraged, he clasps Jason in his jaws. The goddess Medea appears and charms the dragon to rest. The dragon once again raises his mighty head to clasp Jason and Medea in his murderous jaws. Medea stops him. Wielding a fresh-cut sprig of juniper, she splashes him with a magical potion, while she sings her siren song causing the dragon to crumple to the ground.”
“I’m sure all you young men are familiar with the various dragons in the Harry Potter series. Master Calhoun, which Harry Potter dragon is the most similar to the one Jason and Medea battle?”
(I, Sophia MacGregor of sound mind and body, hereby check out of this BORING class. Well, it wouldn’t be so boring if girl-prejudiced Bartholomew Smythe, a.k.a., Mr. Bowler Head, would ever call on me. He thinks only boys know anything about myths and dragons.)
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