Crafticus stood on his hind legs, and his eyes blinked because of the light from the ruby, which made him look as if covered with blood.
"State the charge," said the king turning to his counsellor.
"Crafticus," said Primeval solemnly, "you are charged with wilfully slaying Awkwardibus, the king's gander, last night up beside Lake Snow among the Topaz Hills. What have you got to say in self-defence?"
"I did not know that the gander was the king's," replied the fox in a humble tone.
"Crafticus, you must have known, knowing that the king's ganders and geese are green, while all the others are gray, black, and white," and the counsellor thought he had promptly caught the fox, and that the king would be highly pleased.
But Crafticus replied—"There was a storm up there last night, and the gander was covered with snow—in my eyes he was white."
Old Primeval looked perplexed and annoyed.
But king Muffler laughed and his mane shook. "Crafticus is clever," said he. "I know something myself about the case, nevertheless call for witnesses."
"There is but one witness, O king, and that is the gander's widow."
"Call her," said the king.