was explaining the situation to his brothers the
Trees and to the Animals. Treacherous Tylette had been quite right in
reckoning on their hatred.

"The child you see before you," said the Oak, "thanks to a talisman
stolen from the powers of Earth, is able to take possession of our
Blue Bird and thus to snatch from us the secret which we have kept
since the origin of life.... Now we know enough of Man to entertain no
doubt as to the fate which he reserves for us, once he is in
possession of this secret.... Any hesitation would be both foolish and
criminal.... It is a serious moment; the child must be done away with
before it is too late...."

"What is he saying?" asked Tyltyl, who could not make out what the old
Tree was driving at.

The Dog was prowling round the Oak and now showed his fangs:

"Do you see my teeth, you old cripple?" he growled.

"He is insulting the Oak!" said the Beech indignantly.

"Drive him out!" shouted the Oak, angrily. "He's a traitor!"

"What did I tell you?" whispered the Cat to Tyltyl. "I will arrange
things.... But send him away."

"Will you be off!" said Tyltyl to the Dog.

"Do let me worry the gouty old beggar's moss slippers!" begged Tylo.

Tyltyl tried in vain to prevent him. The rage of Tylo, who understood
the danger, knew no bounds; and he would have succeeded in saving his
master, if the Cat had not thought of calling in the Ivy, who till
then had kept his distance. The Dog pranced about like a madman,
abusing everybody. He railed at the Ivy:

"Come on, if you dare, you old ball of twine, you!"

The onlookers growled; the Oak was pale with fury at seeing his
authority denied; the Trees and the Animals were indignant, but, as
they were cowards, not one of them dared protest; and the Dog would
have settled all of them, if he had gone on with his rebellion. But
Tyltyl threatened him harshly; and, suddenly yielding to his docile
instincts, Tylo lay down at his master's feet. Thus it is that our
finest virtues are treated as faults, when we exercise them without
discrimination.

From that moment, the Children were lost. The Ivy gagged and bound
the poor Dog, who was then taken behind the Chestnut-tree and tied to
his biggest root.

"Now," cried the Oak, in a voice of thunder, "we can take counsel
quietly.... This is the first time that it is given us to judge Man! I
do not think that, after the monstrous injustice which we have
suffered, there can remain the least doubt