er, whistling one of the simple airs of the country as he
pursued his way. Striding along beneath the branches of the great oaks
and chestnuts, he began to reflect upon the hard fate which seemed to
doom him to toil and wretchedness, and, thus thinking, whistled no
longer. Presently he sat down upon a moss-covered rock, and laying his
ax by his side, let his thoughts shape themselves into words.

"This is a sad life of mine," said Ranier. "I might better it, perhaps,
were I to enlist in the army of the king, where I should at least have
food and clothing; but I cannot leave my mother, of whom I am the sole
stay and support. Must I always live thus,--a poor wood-chopper, earning
one day the bread I eat the next, and no more?"

Ranier suddenly felt that some one was near him, and, on looking up,
sprang to his feet and removed his cap. Before him stood a beautiful
lady, clad in a robe of green satin, with a mantle of crimson velvet on
her shoulders, and bearing in her hand a white wand.

"Ranier!" said the unknown, "I am the fairy, Rougevert. I know your
history, and have heard your complaint. What gift shall I bestow on
you?"

"Beautiful fairy," replied the young man, "I scarcely know what to ask.
But I bethink me that my ax is nearly worn out, and I have no money with
which to buy another."

The fairy smiled, for she knew that the answer of Ranier came from his
embarrassment; and, going to a tree hard by, she tapped on the bark with
her wand. Thereupon the tree opened, and she took from a recess in its
center, a keen-edged ax with an ashen handle.

"Here," said Rougevert, "is the most excellent ax in the world. With
this you can achieve what no wood-chopper has ever done yet. You have
only to whisper to yourself what you wish done, and then speak to it
properly, and the ax will at once perform all you require, without
taxing your strength, and with marvelous quickness."

The fairy then taught him the words he should use, and, promising to
farther befriend him as he had need, vanished.

Ranier took the ax, and went at once to the place where he intended to
labor for the day. He was not sure that the ax would do what the giver
had promised, but thought it proper to try its powers. "For," he said to
himself, "the ranger has given me a hundred trees to fell, for each of
which I am to receive a silver groat. To cut these in the usual way
would take many days. I will wish the ax to fell and trim them speedily,
so,"--h