A handsome lad once sought a brave and noble knight¹, asking leave to serve him as page. The knight was greatly charmed by the graceful² manners of the young lad, and was pleased with his unusual request. He granted the lad’s prayer, and never once did he have cause to regret it.

The little page did every duty with great cheerfulness and skill. He was so devoted³ to his master that he was able to foresee almost every wish. It was not long before he had won his master’s love, and the two became constant comrades.

The years passed swiftly by. The knight had never before been so happy, and never so successful. Everything seemed to turn out just as he wished it.[14] Nothing had gone wrong since the day that the little page had entered his gate.

One day as the two were riding along the banks of the Rhine, they noticed a band of robbers coming toward them. These men had often sought to harm the good knight. The band was so large that it was easy to see that the brave knight could make no headway against them. There seemed to be no way of escape.

“Would to God,” cried the brave man, “that you were safe within my castle walls, my faithful little page! We are lost, my lad, but we must sell our lives as dearly as possible. Let us die like heroes. Do you get behind me, my page, and, if possible, I bid you flee.”

“My dear master,” replied the little page, “follow me. I will show you a way to escape. Follow me.”

The page put spurs to his horse and galloped⁴ along the river bank. Suddenly he turned the unwilling⁶ steed directly into the rushing stream.

[15]“Rash boy, come back!” called the knight, dashing forward with the hope of overtaking the daring page. “Better die fighting bravely than perish miserably⁷ in the river. Come back, my page, come back!”

“Have no fear, my dear master, but follow me,” still cried the little page.

The sound of his voice rose so confidently above the noise of the wind and waves that the knight obeyed, hardly knowing what he was doing. A few minutes later the horses had found a firm footing in the river. Guided by the faithful little page, the knight safely forded the stream. He reached the farther shore just as his enemies came down to the water’s edge.

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