was Chiron, taller than any man. The hair of his head flowed back
into his horse's mane, his great beard flowed over his horse's
chest; in his man's hand he held a great spear.

Not swiftly he came, but the slave could see that in those great
limbs of his there was speed like to the wind's. The slave fell
upon his knees. And with eyes that were full of majesty and
wisdom and limbs that were full of strength and speed, the
king-centaur stood above him. "O my lord," the slave said, "I
have come before thee sent by Aeson, my master, who told me where
to come and what blasts to blow upon the horn. And Aeson, once
King of Iolcus, bade me say to thee that if thou dost remember
his ancient friendship with thee thou wilt, perchance, take this
child and guard and foster him, and, as he grows, instruct him
with thy wisdom."

"For Aeson's sake I will rear and foster this child," said Chiron
the king-centaur in a deep voice.

The child lying on the moss had been looking up at the
four-footed and two-handed centaur. Now the slave lifted him up
and placed him in the centaur's arms. He said:

"Aeson bade me tell thee that the child's name is Jason. He bade
me give thee this ring with the great ruby in it that thou mayst
give it to the child when he is grown. By this ring with its ruby
and the images engraved on it Aeson may know his son when they
meet after many years and many changes. And another thing Aeson
bade me say to thee, O my lord Chiron: not presumptuous is he,
but he knows that this child has the regard of the immortal