" So the
landlord brought him; and when he was brought in, they asked him what
was in the dish with the cover; and he thought he was done for, and he
said: "The fox is caught at last." And what was under the cover but a
fox! So whatever name he had before, he got a three times greater name
now.
'But another gentleman made the same bet with the landlord; and when
they came into the dinner, there was a dish with a cover, and the man
had no notion what was under it; and he said: "Robin's done this
time"--his own name being Robin. And what was there under the cover but
a robin! So he got great rewards after that, and he settled down and
lived happy ever after.'
* * * * *
Then a red-faced young man said: 'There was a young man one time, and
his name was Stepney St. George, and his people said it was time for him
to get married; and they brought twelve young ladies to stop in the
house, the way he would make a choice among them. And he used to be
talking with them and walking in the garden; and there was one of them
he got to like better than the rest, and the others got jealous of her,
and used to be picking at her. And when Stepney saw that, he brought her
out one day into a field where there was a bull, and he covered with
rings and bells of gold, and a golden door in his side. And he opened
the door and bade her to go in there, where she would be safe from the
other eleven women.
'So she went in and he shut the door; and the others did not know where
was she gone, and they were looking for her in every place.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153