Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/225

Rh, and was received by the lady with great joy. He remained there some time, and then departed, armed with the power of his father, against the traitorous despoiler of the royal forest. In the end, he overthrew him, cut off his head, and returned in triumph to the king's palace.

My beloved, the emperor is God; the forest, the world, whose wall is the divine precepts. The traitor is any evil Christian; the dogs and nets, are vices. The son is Christ; and the castle, the Virgin Mary.

made a law, by which whosoever was suddenly to be put to death, in the morning,