Page:West Irish folk-tales and romances - William Larminie.djvu/143

 Rh night-time. Jack was a good servant-boy. He put in his time.

When he left his master he went to the big town. He went tailoring. His master had twelve boys before he came. Jack wasn't long with him when he was a great hand at the sewing. His time was nearly up. His master thought he would keep no one but Jack. The times were hard. He dismissed them every one but Jack. He kept him. They were tailoring one day. The master said to Jack it was a bad year.

“Don't be afraid,” said Jack. “Do you see that field full of cattle over there?”

When night came Jack and his master went out. They went to the field. Jack took one of the bullocks. He skinned the skin off it. He cut the flesh off the bones. He sewed the skin on the bullock again. They went home, and two loads of meat with them. They had enough that time. To make a long story short, they didn't leave a bullock in the field but they did the same to. When the last of the cattle was eaten, they began with the sheep. They played the same trick on the sheep.

When the king thought it was time to kill a bullock he went to the butcher. They went to the field. When they went to look at a bullock, the bullock was barely able to walk. They were all like that. The king couldn't tell what