Once upon a time, there lived a knight. This knight was more wealthy in name rather than in lands and gold, but his lands tended to the needs of his people and himself. Time passed, as it tends to do, and the knight married. He and his lady bore only one son, for his wife perished in childbirth. Now, the knight loved his son more than anything else in his possession. And next to this child, he valued his dog.
It happened one day that there was a big tournament in a neighboring fief. The knight went to the tourney, leaving the child in the care of his nurses, with the trusted dog lying beside the cradle. The nurses, being irresponsible sorts, crept out to the races in secret, assuming that the child would remain sleeping and they would be able to return before anyone discovered their absence. The dog remained, loyally guarding his charge.
In the stillness of the child's room, a serpent that lived in the corner crept out and advanced towards the cradle. The dog awoke and sounded a bark, which was not heard as the nurses were away. After a fierce conflict, during which the dog was wounded, the hound killed the snake then lay down on the ground to lick his wounds.
When the nurses returned, they found the cradle overturned, the child thrown out, and the ground and dog covered with blood. They immediately concluded the dog had killed the child.
The knight soon arrived to hear the story, and, maddened with fury, rushed forward to the spot. The wounded animal made an effort to rise, and welcome his master with his accustomed fondness; but the enraged knight received him on the point of his sword, and the dog fell lifeless to the ground.
On examination of the cradle the infant was found alive and unhurt, and the dead serpent lying by him. The knight now perceived what had happened, lamented bitterly over his faithful dog, and blamed himself for jumping to conclusions.