Page:Tales from the Fjeld.djvu/395

Rh parson, and more, he was quite ready to show the sheriff where he had laid 'his reverence.' But when the sheriff asked on what day it happened, Matt said, "It was the day when it rained brose over the whole world."

So when he got to the spot where he had buried the parson the sheriff pulled out the billy-goat, and asked—

"Had your parson horns?"

Now when the judges heard the story, they made up their minds that the lad was quite out of his wits, and so he got off scot-free.

So after all the bridal was to stand, and the goody had a long talk with her son, and bade him be sure to behave prettily when they sat at table. He was not to look too much at the bride, but to cast an eye at her now and then. Peas he might eat by himself, but he must share the eggs with her; and he was not to lay the leg bones by his side on the table, but to place them tidily on his plate.

Yes, Matt would do all that, and he did it well; yes, he did all that his mother bade him, and nothing else. First, he stole out to the sheepfold, and plucked the eyes out of all the sheep and goats he could find, and took them with him. So when they went to dinner he sat with his back to his bride; but all at once he cast a sheep's eye at her, so that it hit her full in her face; and a little while after he cast another, and so he went on. As for the eggs, he ate them all up to his own cheek, so that the lassie did not get a taste; but when the peas came he shared them with her. And when they had eaten a while Matt put his feet together, and up on his plate went his legs.