it gave him
of saying all the fond things he had in his heart, pleased his fancy
almost as well as it did Ganimed's, who enjoyed the secret jest in
knowing these fine love-speeches were all addressed to the right
person.

In this manner many days passed pleasantly on with these young people;
and the good-natured Aliena, seeing it made Ganimed happy, let him
have his own way, and was diverted at the mock courtship, and did not
care to remind Ganimed that the lady Rosalind had not yet made herself
known to the duke her father, whose place of resort in the forest they
had learnt from Orlando. Ganimed met the duke one day, and had some
talk with him, and the duke asked of what parentage he came: Ganimed
answered, that he came of as good parentage as he did; which made the
duke smile, for he did not suspect the pretty shepherd-boy came of
royal lineage. Then seeing the duke look well and happy, Ganimed was
content to put off all further explanation for a few days longer.

One morning, as Orlando was going to visit Ganimed, he saw a man lying
asleep on the ground, and a large green snake had twisted itself about
his neck. The snake, seeing Orlando approach, glided away among the
bushes. Orlando went nearer, and then he discovered a lioness lie
couching, with her head on the ground, with a cat-like watch, waiting
till the sleeping man awaked (for it is said that lions will prey on
nothing that is dead or sleeping). It seemed as if Orlando was sent
by Providence to free the man from the danger of the snake and the
lioness: but when Orlando looked in the man's face, he perceived that
the sleeper, who was exposed to this double peril, was his own brother
Oliver, who had so cruelly used him, and had threatened to destroy him
by fire; and he was almost tempted to leave him a prey to the hungry
lioness: but brotherly affection and the gentleness of his nature soon
overcame his first anger against his brother; and he drew his sword,
and attacked the lioness, and slew her, and thus preserved his
brother's life both from the venomous snake and from the furious
lioness: but before Orlando could conquer the lioness, she had torn
one of his arms with her sharp claws.

While Orlando was engaged with the lioness, Oliver awaked, and
perceiving that his brother Orlando, whom he had so cruelly treated,
was saving him from the fury of a wild beast at the risk of his own
life, shame and remorse at once seized him, and he repented of his
unwo