“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,”—­he continued aloud, as he had been taught by the fairy,—­“Ax! ax! chop! chop! and work for my profit!”

Thereupon the ax suddenly leapt from his hands, and began to chop with great skill and swiftness.  Having soon cut down, trimmed and rolled a hundred trees together, it returned, and placed itself in the hands of Ranier.

The wood-chopper was very much delighted with all this, and sat there pleasantly reflecting upon his good fortune in possessing so useful a servant, when the ranger of the forest came along.  The latter, who was a great lord, was much surprised when he saw the trees lying there.

“How is this?” asked the ranger, whose name was Woodmount.  “At this time yesterday these trees were standing.  How did you contrive to fell them so soon?”

“I had assistance, my lord,” replied Ranier; but he said nothing about the magic ax.