Page:Comical tricks of Lothian Tom (3).pdf/3



3         gets on the bauk, and gives it a swing, so that the pikes in the end of it, came with full drive against the horses's back- side, which made him fling and the more he flung and struck at it, it rebounded back and struck him again; the battle lasted with great fury for a long time, which was good fun for Tom, until his father hearing some noise in the stable, came in to know the matter, and was surprised to see the poor animal tanning his own hide, with his legs all cut and bloody! he cut the rope and the battle was ended; but the poor horse would never afterwards kick at any thing that came behind him. It happened one day that Tom went a fishing, and brought home a few small fish, which his grandmother's cat snapt up in the dark. So Tom to have justice of the cat for so doing, catches her, and puts her into a little tub, or cog, then sets her adrift in a small mill-dam., order- ing her to go a fishing for herself; then sets two or three dogs upon her, and a         most terrible sea fight ensued as ever was seen on fresh water; for if any of the dogs, when attempting to board her, set up their noses, baudrins came fly- ing to that place, to repulse them with her claws; then the vessel was like to be