The Cat's voice was heard in the distance, where she was craftily keeping out of sight:
"I can't come!" she whined. "I'm wounded!"
All this time, plucky little Tyltyl was defending himself as best he could, but he was alone against all of them, felt that he was going to be killed and, in a faltering voice, cried once more:
"Help!... Tylô! Tylô!... I can't hold out!... There are too many of them!... The Bear!... The Pig! The Wolf! The Fir-tree! The Beech!... Tylô! Tylô! Tylô!..."
Then the Dog came leaping along, dragging his broken bonds and elbowing his way through the Trees and Animals and flung himself before his master, whom he defended furiously:
"Here, my little god! Don't be afraid! Have at them! I know how to use my teeth!"
All the Trees and Animals raised a loud outcry:
"Renegade!... Idiot!... Traitor!... Felon!... Simpleton!... Sneak!... Leave him!... He's a dead man!... Come over to us!..."
The Dog fought on:
"Never! Never!... I alone against all of you!... Never! Never!... True to the gods, to the best, to the greatest!... Take care, my little master, here's the Bear!... Look out for the Bull!"