Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/330

 322 forest in plates and dishes. Grey Norris was ever so astonished at this; but at last he said, "Get a halter and bring to me the bull that is in yonder field." John as usual took the oldest halter and went to where the bull was; but as soon as the bull saw him he began bucking at him and John had to climb on to the wall which was round the field. The bull then began bucking the wall down, and poor John had to cut like mad round the top of it, the bull bucking down all the way.

When the princess came with his dinner, John was in a sad fix; but as before the princess said she would help him; and as she spoke she drew a whistle from her pocket and whistled, and as soon as the bull heard it he came running toward them, and put his head into the halter. "There, take him to my father." The old schemer seemed surprised, and for a time looked a bit down in the mouth; then his face brightened up, and he said: "Now, John, you must tell me a long tale, and at the same time you must be telling a tale to the top of my head, my nose, my ears, my mouth, and all my different parts."

John didn't know what to do now, but the princess whispered "Get a little bit of cowdung and put a little at the top of his head, and other parts of his body." This he did, and then she took him on one side and said, "Now is the time, John, for you and me to run away; go and bridle and saddle two of the quickest horses in my father's stable."

John did what he was told, and they rode away quickly. After John put the cowdung to Grey Norris it began telling tales to his different parts, and the last tale that was telling to the soles of his feet was, "Long ago last night they went away: long ago last night they went away." Old Grey Norris jumped up and sent an old big bitch after them. Now when the princess and John started they took the old bitch's three pups: so when she came up they threw her one of them, which she took home in her mouth. Grey Norris sent her out again after them; and they threw her the second pup: again she was sent after them, and returned with the third pup in her mouth; but when she was told to go out again she would not for fear she would lose her pups. So Grey Norris and his wife set out after them. After a while the princess said to John, "Look back and see if