What are kings made for , save to succor the feeble and distressed ? But do as you please . Either take me on your back , or with my poor old limbs I shall try my best to struggle across the stream . '' Saying this , the old woman poked with her staff in the river , as if to find the safest place in its rocky bed where she might make the first step . But Jason , by this time , had grown ashamed of his reluctance to help her . He felt that he could never forgive himself , if this poor feeble creature should come to any harm in attempting to wrestle against the headlong current . The good Chiron , whether half horse or no , had taught him that the noblest use of his strength was to assist the weak ; and also that he must treat every young woman as if she were his sister , and every old one like a mother . Remembering these maxims , the vigorous and beautiful young man knelt down , and requested the good dame to mount upon his back . `` The passage seems to me not very safe , '' he remarked . `` But as your business is so urgent , I will try to carry you across . If the river sweeps you away , it shall take me too . '' `` That , no doubt , will be a great comfort to both of us , '' quoth the old woman . `` But never fear . We shall get safely across . '' So she threw her arms around Jason 's neck ; and lifting her from the ground , he stepped boldly into the raging and foaming current , and began to stagger away from the shore . As for the peacock , it alighted on the old dame 's shoulder . Jason 's two spears , one in each hand , kept him from stumbling , and enabled him to feel his way among the hidden rocks ; although every instant , he expected that his companion and himself would go down the stream , together with the driftwood of shattered trees , and the carcasses of the sheep and cow . Down came the cold , snowy torrent from the steep side of Olympus , raging and thundering as if it had a real spite against Jason , or , at all events , were determined to snatch off his living burden from his shoulders . When he was half way across , the uprooted tree -LRB- which I have already told you about -RRB- broke loose from among the rocks , and bore down upon him , with all its splintered branches sticking out like the hundred arms of the giant Briareus . It rushed past , however , without touching him .
But the next moment his foot was caught in a crevice between two rocks , and stuck there so fast , XXXXX , in the effort to get free , he lost one of his golden-stringed sandals .
If So about although for in into that to without