ut he was alone against all of them, felt that he was going to
be killed and, in a faltering voice, cried once more:

"Help!... Tylo! Tylo!... I can't hold out!... There are too many of
them!... The Bear!... The Pig! The Wolf! The Fir-tree! The Beech!...
Tylo! Tylo! Tylo!..."

Then the Dog came leaping along, dragging his broken bonds and
elbowing his way through the Trees and Animals and flung himself
before his master, whom he defended furiously:

"Here, my little god! Don't be afraid! Have at them! I know how to use
my teeth!"

All the Trees and Animals raised a loud outcry:

"Renegade!... Idiot!... Traitor!... Felon!... Simpleton!... Sneak!...
Leave him!... He's a dead man!... Come over to us!..."

The Dog fought on:

"Never! Never!... I alone against all of you!... Never! Never!... True
to the gods, to the best, to the greatest!... Take care, my little
master, here's the Bear!... Look out for the Bull!"

Tyltyl vainly tried to defend himself:

"I'm done for, Tylo! It was a blow from the Elm! My hand's bleeding!"
And he dropped to the ground. "No, I can hold out no longer!"

"They are coming!" said the Dog. "I hear somebody!... We are saved! It
is Light!... Saved! Saved!... See, they're afraid, they're
retreating!... Saved, my little king!..."

And, sure enough, Light was coming towards them; and with her the dawn
rose over the forest, which became light as day.

"What is it?... What has happened?" she asked, quite alarmed at the
sight of the little ones and their dear Tylo covered with wounds and
bruises. "Why, my poor boy, didn't you know? Turn the diamond
quickly!"

Tyltyl hastened to obey; and immediately the souls of all the Trees
rushed back into their trunks, which closed upon them. The souls of
the Animals also disappeared; and there was nothing to be seen but a
cow and a sheep browsing peacefully in the distance. The forest became
harmless once more; and Tyltyl looked around him in amazement:

"No matter," he said, "but for the Dog ... and if I hadn't had my
knife!..."

Light thought that he had been punished enough and did not scold him.
Besides, she was very much upset by the horrible danger which he had
run.

Tyltyl, Mytyl and the Dog, glad to meet again safe and sound,
exchanged wild kisses. They laughingly counted their wounds, which
were not very serious.

Tylette was the only one to make a fuss:

"The Dog's broken my paw!" she mewed.

Tylo felt as if he could have made a mou