wild wales-第97章
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bull to the market…place at Brecon； and calls out； 'Very fine bull
this； who will buy my fine bull？' Quoth the farmer who stood nigh
at hand； 'That very much like my bull； which thief stole t'other
night； I think I can swear to him。' Says Tom； 'What do you mean？
This bull is not your bull； but mine。' Says the farmer； 'I could
swear that this is my bull but for the tail。 The tail of my bull
was short； but the tail of this is long。 I would fain know whether
the tail of this be real tail or not。' 'You would？' says Tom；
'well； so you shall。' Thereupon he whips out big knife and cuts
off the bull's tail； some little way above where the false tail was
joined on。 'Ha； ha；' said Tom； as the bull's stump of tail bled；
and the bit of tail bled too to which the false tail was stuck； and
the bull kicked and bellowed。 'What say you now？ Is it a true
tail or no？' 'By my faith！' says the farmer； 'I see that the tail
is a true tail； and that the bull is not mine。 I beg pardon for
thinking that he was。' 'Begging pardon；' says Tom； 'is all very
well； but will you buy the bull？' 'No；' said the farmer； 'I should
be loth to buy a bull with tail cut off close to the rump。' 'Ha；'
says Tom； 'who made me cut off the tail but yourself？ Did you not
force me to do so in order to clear my character？ Now as you made
me cut off my bull's tail； I will make you buy my bull without his
tail。' 'Yes； yes；' cried the mob； 'as he forced you to cut off the
tail； do you now force him to buy the bull without the tail。' Says
the farmer； 'What do you ask for the bull？' Says Tom： 'I ask for
him ten pound。' Says the farmer； 'I will give you eight。' 'No；'
says Tom； 'you shall give me ten； or I will have you up before the
justice。' 'That is right；' cried the mob。 'If he won't pay you
ten pound； have him up before the justice。' Thereupon the farmer；
becoming frightened； pulled out the ten pounds and gave it for his
own bull to Tom Shone Catti； who wished him joy of his bargain。 As
the farmer was driving the bull away he said to Tom： 'Won't you
give me the tail？' 'No；' said Tom； 'I shall keep it against the
time I steal another bull with a short tail；' and thereupon he runs
off。〃
〃A clever fellow；〃 said I； 〃though it was rather cruel in him to
cut off the poor bull's tail。 Now； perhaps； you will tell me how
he came to marry the rich lady？
〃Oh yes； I will tell you。 One day as he was wandering about；
dressed quite like a gentleman； he heard a cry； and found one very
fine lady in the hands of one highwayman； who would have robbed and
murdered her。 Tom kills the highwayman and conducts the lady home
to her house and her husband； for she was a married lady。 Out of
gratitude to Tom for the service he has done； the gentleman and
lady invite him to stay with them。 The gentleman； who is a great
gentleman； fond of his bottle and hunting； takes mightily to Tom
for his funny sayings and because Tom's a good hand at a glass when
at table； and a good hand at a leap when in field； the lady also
takes very much to Tom； because he one domm'd handsome fellow； with
plenty of wit and what they call boetry … for Tom； amongst other
things； was no bad boet； and could treat a lady to pennillion about
her face and her ancle； and the tip of her ear。 At last Tom goes
away upon his wanderings； not； however； before he has got one
promise from the lady； that if ever she becomes disengaged she will
become his wife。 Well； after some time； the lady's husband dies
and leaves her all his property； so that all of a sudden she finds
herself one great independent lady； mistress of the whole of Strath
Feen； one fair and pleasant valley far away there over the Eastern
hills； by the Towey； on the borders of Shire Car。 Tom； as soon as
he hears the news of all this； sets off for Strath Feen and asks
the lady to perform her word； but the lady； who finds herself one
great and independent lady； and moreover does not quite like the
idea of marrying one thief； for she had learnt who Tom was； does
hum and hah； and at length begs to be excused； because she has
changed her mind。 Tom begs and entreats； but quite in vain； till
at last she tells him to go away and not trouble her any more。 Tom
goes away； but does not yet lose hope。 He takes up his quarters in
one strange little cave； nearly at the top of one wild hill； very
much like sugar loaf； which does rise above the Towey； just within
Shire Car。 I have seen the cave myself； which is still called
Ystafell Twm Shone Catty。 Very queer cave it is； in strange
situation； steep rock just above it； Towey River roaring below。
There Tom takes up his quarters； and from there he often sallies
forth； in hope of having interview with fair lady and making her
alter her mind； but she will have nothing to do with him； and at
last shuts herself up in her house and will not go out。 Well； Tom
nearly loses all hope； he； however； determines to make one last
effort； so one morning he goes to the house and stands before the
door； entreating with one loud and lamentable voice that the lady
will see him once more； because he is come to bid her one eternal
farewell； being about to set off for the wars in the kingdom of
France。 Well； the lady who hears all he says relents one little；
and showing herself at the window； before which are very strong
iron bars； she says： 'Here I am！ whatever you have to say； say it
quickly and go your way。' Says Tom： 'I am come to bid you one
eternal farewell； and have but one last slight request to make；
which is that you vouchsafe to stretch out of the window your lily…
white hand； that I may impress one last burning kiss of love on the
same。' Well； the lady hesitates one little time； at last； having
one woman's heart； she thinks she may grant him this last little
request； and stretching her hand through the bars； she says：
'Well； there's my hand； kiss it once and begone。' Forthwith Tom；
seizing her wrist with his left hand； says： 'I have got you now；
and will never let you go till you swear to become my wife。'
'Never；' said the lady； 'will I become the wife of one thief；' and
strives with all her might to pull her hand free； but cannot； for
the left hand of Tom is more strong than the right of other man。
Thereupon Tom with his right hand draws forth his sword； and with
one dreadful shout does exclaim； … 'Now will you swear to become my
wife； for if you don't； by God's blood and nails； I will this
moment smite off your hand with this sword。' Then the lady being
very much frightened； and having one sneaking kindness for Tom； who
though he looked very fierce looked also very handsome； said； …
'Well； well！ a promise is a promise； I promised to become your
wife； and so I will； I swear I will； by all I hold holy I swear； so
let go my hand； which you have almost pulled off； and come in and
welcome！' So Tom lets go her hand； and the lady opens her door；
and before night they were married； and in less than one month Tom；
being now very rich and Lord of Ystrad Feen； was made justice of
the peace and chairman at quarter session。〃
〃And what kind of justice of the peace did Tom make？〃
〃Ow； the very best justice of the peace that there ever was。 He
made the old saying good： you must get one thief to catch one
thief。 He had not been a justice three year before there was not a
thief in Shire Brecon nor in Shire Car； for they also made him
justice of Carmarthenshire； and a child might walk through the
country quite safe with a purse of gold in its hand。 He said that
as he himself could not have a finger in the pie； he would take
care nobody else should。 And yet he was not one bloody justice
either； never hanged thief without giving him a chance to reform；
but when he found him quite hardened he would say： 'Hang up de
rogue！' Oh； Tom was not a very hard man； and had one grateful
heart for any old kindness which had been sewn him。 One day as Tom
sat on de bench with other big wigs； Tom the biggest wig of the
lot； a man was brought up charged with stealing one bullock。 Tom
no sooner cast eye on the man than he remembered him quite well。
Many years before Tom had stole a pair of oxen； which he wished to
get through the town of Brecon； but did not dare to drive them
through； for at that very time there was one warrant out against
Tom at Brecon for something he had done。 So Tom stands with his
oxen on the road； scratching his head and not knowing what to do。
At length there comes a man along the road； making towards Brecon；
to whom Tom says： 'Honest man； I want these two oxen to be driven
to such and such a public…house two miles beyond Brecon； I would
drive them myself only I have business to do elsewhere of more
importance。 Now if you will drive them for me there and wait till
I come； which will not be long； I will give you a groat。' Says the
man； 'I will drive them there for nothing； for as my way lies past
that same public…house I can easily afford to do so。' So Tom
leaves the oxen with the man； and by rough and roundabout road
makes for the public…house … beyond Brecon； where he finds the man
waiting with the oxen； who hands them over to him and goes on his
way。 Now； in the man brought up before him and the other big wigs
on the bench for stealing the bullock； Tom does recognise the man
who had done him that same good turn。 Well！ the evidence was heard
against the man； and it soon appeared quite clear that the man did
really steal the bullock。 Says the other big wigs to Tom： 'The
fact has been proved quite clear。 What have we now to do but to
adshudge at once that the domm'd thief be hung？' But Tom； who
remembered that the man had once done him one good turn； had made
up his mind to save the man。 So says he to the other big wigs：
'My very worthy esteemed friends and coadshutors； I do perfectly
agree with you that the fact has been proved clear enough； but with
respect to de man； I should be very much grieved should he be hung
for this one fact； for I did know him long time ago； and did find
him to be one domm'd honest man in one transaction which I had with
him。 So my wordy and esteemed friends and coadshutors I should
esteem it one great favour if you would adshudge that the man
should be let off this one time。 If； however； you deem it
inexpedient to let the man off； then of course the man must be
hung； for I shall not presume to set my opinions and judgments
against your opinions and judgments； which are far better than my
own。' Then the other big wigs did look very big and solemn； and
did shake their heads and did whisper to one another that they were
afraid the matter could not be done。 At last； however； they did
come to the conclusion that as Tom had said that he had known the
fellow once to be one domm'd honest man； and as they had a great
regard for Tom； who was one domm'd good magistrate and highly
respectable gentleman with whom they were going to dine the next
day … for Tom I must tell you was in the habit of giving the very
best dinners in all Shire Brecon … it might not be i
