ds,
the ax fell upon the villains, and so hacked and hewed them that they
were at once destroyed. But it seemed to the knight thus rescued that it
was the arm of Ranier that guided the ax, for such was the magic of the
fairy.

So soon as the assailants had been slain, the ax came back into Ranier's
hand, and Ranier went to the knight, who was faint with his wounds, and
offered to lead him to his house. And when he examined him fully, he
bent on his knee, for he discovered that it was the king, Dagobert, whom
he had seen once before when the latter was hunting in the forest.

The king said: "This is the deputy-ranger, Master Ranier. Is it not?"

"Yes, sire!" replied Ranier.

The king laid the blade of his sword on Ranier's shoulder, and said:

"I dub thee knight. Rise up, Sir Ranier! Be trusty, true and loyal."

Sir Ranier arose a knight, and with the king examined the faces of the
would-be assassins, who were found to be great lords of the country, and
among them was Lord Woodmount.

"Sir Ranier," said the king, "have these wretches removed and buried.
The office of chief ranger is thine."

Sir Ranier, while the king was partaking of refreshments at Ranier's
house, sent trusty servants to bury the slain. After this, King Dagobert
returned to his palace, whence he sent the new knight his own sword, a
baldrick and spurs of gold, a collar studded with jewels, the patent of
chief ranger of the forest, and a letter inviting him to visit the
court.

Now, when Sir Ranier went to court, the ladies there, seeing that he was
young and handsome, treated him with great favor; and even the king's
daughter, the Princess Isaure, smiled sweetly on him, which, when divers
great lords saw, they were very angry, and plotted to injure the
new-comer; for they thought him of base blood, and were much chagrined
that he should have been made a knight, and be thus welcomed by the
princess and the ladies of the court; and they hated him more as the
favorite of the king. So they conferred together how to punish him for
his good fortune, and at length formed a plan which they thought would
serve their ends.

It must be understood that King Dagobert was at that time engaged in a
war with King Crimball, who reigned over an adjoining kingdom, and that
the armies of the two kings now lay within thirty miles of the forest,
and were about to give each other battle. As Sir Ranier, it was
supposed, had never been bred to feats of arms, they th