The stories in Greek Mythology often center on heroes—men who aren’t perfect but who prove themselves to be ______1_____the crowd.
One way they demonstrate this is by going on a quest to distant lands, to claim a prize that lesser men have failed to capture.
Just getting there is_____2_______, usually involving a long difficult journey, with dangers and pitfalls that test the hero’s bravery, intelligence and physical strength.
They myth of Jason and the Argonauts is the father of all hero quests.
It’s the oldest_____3______ epic in Greek mythology, and it sets the pattern for all hero stories that follow.
For Jason, the object of his quest was the mythical Golden Gleece—the greatly prized skin of a magical ______4_____ram.
Yet Jason’s perils began when he was only a baby and if his father, King Aeson, hadn’t done some fast thinking, Jason might not have survived to fulfill his destiny.
There once was a king named Aeson whose throne was_____5_____ by his own brother, Pelias.
King Aeson was wise enough to know that his infant son, Jason, was in the gravest of danger.
The baby Jason was the rightful heir to the throne, and the treacherous Pelias would
____6______nothing to kill him.
In the dead of night, Aeson smuggled his son out of the palace—but where would the baby be safe from his______7_____ uncle Pelias?
Deep in the woods lived a centaur named Chiron.
Centaurs were magnificent creatures—half horse and half man.
And while most centaurs were violent and unpredictable, Chiron was wise and noble, and _____8______gifted in the arts, medicine and warfare.
His skills were so respected that young men came from far and wide to be trained by
Chiron as future heroes.
Who goes there?
_____9_____did Chiron know that he was about to receive one of his most celebrated pupils.
My name is Aeson. And I come in haste because my brother Pelias has taken over my kingdom, and plans to imprison me.
This is my son, Jason—the true heir to the throne.
I ask you to_____10______ him for me, and teach him to be a leader among men.
He will need great courage and strength to one day reclaim the throne from my brother.
_____11______, my king. I shall care for him and teach him well.
The patient, wise Chiron brought up Jason to be a skilled and disciplined athlete.

But he also taught him the subtleties of music, medicine, and the most important
_______12______of all—leadership.
And now, Jason, it is time for you to leave my care, and take your place in the world.
You must claim the throne from your uncle Pelias.
The forces against you will be strong and I fear your_____13______ will be many.
Goodbye, my friend.
So Jason set out to return to the land of his birth, and reclaim the throne that was rightfully his.
It wasn’t long before he encountered the first of what would be many tests of his
_____14_______and strength.
This one came in the form of old lady who asked for help in getting across a river.
Of course I will help you.
Here, _____15_____up on my back and I will carry you across.
This act of kindness would prove to have a profound impact on Jason’s future.
At first the going was easy. But the old lady seemed to be getting____16______ with every step.
Thank you, young man, but I fear you’ve lost your sandal.
You’ve done an old lady a good_____17______, and I shan’t forget you.
Jason didn’t know that the old lady he helped was none other than Hera, the queen of the Gods, in disguise.
Hera had her eye on young Jason, and she and the other gods would continue to test his worthiness ______18_______his many travels.
By passing this crucial first test, Jason was starting his heroic career on the right foot—even if he now has only one shoe.
Meanwhile, Jason’s uncle Pelias continued to hold on to his power and____19_____.
But his twenty years as king had not been worry free, for he lived in fear of a prophecy made to him by an oracle many years______20_____.
Pelias, beware the arrival of a stranger wearing only one sandal.
For he, above all, holds the key to your ruin.
So when Jason arrived at the palace, Pelias immediately noticed the missing sandal, and was terrified.
But Pelias was ruthless and clever, and he had a plan for getting rid of Jason.
Who are you, and what do you want?
I am Jason, son of King Aeson.
I have come to claim my throne.
It is my birthright, and I demand that you turn it over at one.
Surely you realize that I could never give you the throne without some proof that you are worthy of reigning over the good people of this kingdom.

The only question is—what can you do to prove it?
Hmmm. I know!
Bring back the Golden Fleece, which will bestow gook luck on your people—and then the kingdom will be yours.
I will gladly retrieve the Golden Fleece for my people.
Now Pelias was quite sure that the task was impossible, and that this foolish young man would certainly be killed along the way.
But he didn’t figure on Jason’s resolve, his intense training as a hero, and the watchful eyes of the gods.
Legend has it that the Golden Fleece was the skin of a magical flying ram who once rescued a Greek child from being sacrificed to the gods.
The fleece was prized the world over since it was believed to bring wealth, fame and good fortune to whoever kept it.
A king named Aeetes possessed it now, and it was guarded day and night by a dragon who never slept in the far-off land of Colchis.
And even though Jason knew of the terrible danger that awaited him there, that’s exactly where he was headed.
Word of Jason’s incredible mission spread throughout the land, and heroes from all parts of Greece rushed to share in the fame and glory of such a great adventure.
For the sea journey ahead, Jason had large ship built.
He called it the Argo, and his crew of heroes became known as the Argonauts.
With Jason at the helm, the Argo set sail and the quest for the Golden Fleece had begun.
A few weeks into their journey, the Argo landed on a small island kingdom.
The island was ruled by a sickly old blind man, named Phineus.
Once a powerful king and prophet, Phineus was being punished by Zeus for revealing too many secrets in his prophesies.
1.
far above

2.
tough
3.
heroic
4.
flying
5.
stolen
6.
stop at
7.
cruel
8.
highly
9.
Little
10.
Raise
11.
Worry not
12.
Virtue
13.
Trials
14.
Courage
15.
Climb
16.
Heavier
17.
Deed
18.
Throughout
19.
Riches
20.
earlier