. Ganelon had
become step-sire to the young peer by wedding the widowed Bertha, but
the nearness of the tie between him and Roland only seemed to make him
yet more bent on injuring the emperor's favorite.

However much of truth there was in the charges of Roland's enemies, this
is certain,--he did become the very darling of the emperor's heart, and
he did perform such deeds of daring and prowess as made even the
knightly peerage of Charlemagne behold with wonder and amazement.

The first act of personal daring by which he distinguished himself was
his engaging and slaying the giant Ferragus. This achievement won for
Roland the hearts of the people, and led them to watch his crescent
glory with national pride.

Now in these days a terrible heathen enemy threatened the Christian
faith and civilization of Europe. Years before, several Mohammedan races
from Asia--dark, relentless, resistless--had swept over northern Africa,
and, crossing Gibraltar, overrun the fair land of Spain. North, east,
and west they spread, conquering the Christians and preaching their
heathen doctrines with fire and sword. So the beautiful and once
Christian Spain came to be ruled for many years by the invaders, who
founded cities, built palaces, and raised Moslem kings to her thrones.
Nor were the Mohammedans content here. They repeatedly attempted to
cross the Pyrenees Mountains and overrun the rest of Europe.

Now it chanced that just as a Moorish invasion seemed most imminent,
Charlemagne had serious trouble within his own kingdom. Guerin de
Montglave, Lord of Vienne and vassal to Charlemagne, revolted against
the emperor.

With his usual determination, King Karl dispatched a large army against
Guerin, and would have waged bloody war against him had not the peers
interposed and counselled otherwise. They represented to the emperor the
seriousness of beginning civil war when the Moors were daily threatening
invasion from the south, and finally succeeded in getting his consent to
a settlement of the quarrel with Guerin by single combat.

Guerin signifying his willingness to this plan, arrangements were soon
made for the combat. As all expected, Roland was chosen to maintain the
justice of the emperor's cause; and as both Roland's friends and enemies
wished a happy settlement of the quarrel with Guerin, the selection was
heartily approved.

Guerin de Montglave chose his youngest grandson to do battle for Vienne;
and many a smile was exchang