Page:Tales from the Fjeld.djvu/154

132 All this time the man knew nothing of what had happened. He rolled down bundle after bundle of leaves, and when he thought he had enough to load his sledge, and went down to bind on the bundles, he could find neither horse nor sledge.

So he had to tramp along the road to find his horse again, and after a while he met the pedlar.

"Have you met my horse and sledge?" he asked.

"No," said the pedlar; "but lower down along the road I met the sheriff; he drove so fast, he was surely going to lay some one by the heels."

A while after he met the beggar-woman.

"Have you seen my horse and sledge?" said the man.

"No," said the beggar-woman; "but I met the parson lower down yonder; he was surely going to a parish meeting, he drove so fast, and he had a borrowed horse."

A while after the man met the fox.

"Have you seen my horse and sledge?"

"Yes, I have," said the fox; "and Bruin Goodfellow sat on it and drove just as though he had stolen both horse and harness."

"De'il take him," said the man, "I'll be bound he'll drive my horse to death."

"If he does, flay him," said Reynard, "and roast him before the fire! But if you get your horse again you may give me a lift over the fell, for I can ride well, and besides I have a fancy to see how it feels when one has four legs before one."

"What will you give for the lift?" said the man.

"You can have what you like," said Reynard;