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This is a tale from the
West Highlands and a "White Pet" is a lamb brought up by
hand.
THERE was a farmer before
now who had a White Pet, and when Christmas was drawing near, he thought
that he would kill the White Pet. The White Pet heard that, and he thought
he would run away; and that is what he did.
He had not gone far when a
bull met him. Said the bull to him, "All hail! White Pet, where art
thou going?" "I," said the White Pet, "am going to
seek my fortune; they were going to kill me for Christmas, and I thought I
had better run away." "It is better for me," said the bull,
"to go with thee, for they were going to do the very same with
me."
"I am willing,"
said the White Pet; "the larger the party the better the fun."
They went forward till they
fell in with a dog.
"All hail! White
Pet," said the dog. "All hail! thou dog." "Where art
thou going?" said the dog.
"I am running away, for 1 heard that
they were threatening to kill me for Christmas."
"They were going to do the very same
to me," said the dog, "and I will go with you." "Come,
then," said the White Pet.
They went then, till a cat joined them.
"All hail! White Pet," said the cat "All hail! oh
cat."
"Where art thou going?" said the
cat. "I am going to seek my fortune," said the White Pet,
"because they were going to kill me at Christmas."
"They were talking about killing me
too," said the cat, "and I had better go with you."
"Come on then," said the White
Pet.
Then they went forward till a cock met
them. "All I hail! White Pet," said the cock. "All hail to
thyself! oh cock," said the White Pet "Where," said the
cock, "art thou going?" "I," said the White Pet,
"am going away, for they were threatening my death at
Christmas."
"They were going to kill me at the
very same time," said the cock, "and I will go with you."
"Come, then," said the White Pet.
They went forward till they fell in with a
goose. "All hail ! White Pet," said the goose. "All hail to
thyself! oh goose," said the White Pet "Where art thou
going?" said the goose.
"I," said the White Pet, "am
running away, because they were going to kill me at Christmas."
"They were going to do that to me
too," said the goose, "and I will go with you."
The party went forward till the night was
drawing on them, and they saw a little light far away; and though far off,
they were not long getting there. When they reached the house, they said
to each other that they would look in at the window to see who was in the
house, and they saw thieves counting money; and the White Pet said,
"Let every one of us call his own call. I will call my own call; and
let the bull call his own call; let the dog call his own call; and the cat
her own call; and the cock his own call; and the goose his own call."
With that they gave out one shout—GAIRE!
When the thieves heard the shouting that
was without, they thought the mischief was there; and they fled out, and
they went to a wood that was near them. When the White Pet and his company
saw that the house was empty, they went in and they got the money that the
thieves had been counting, and they divided it amongst themselves; and
then they thought that they would settle to rest. Said the White Pet,
"Where wilt thou sleep to-night, oh bull?" "I will
sleep," said the bull, "behind the door where I used" (to
be). "Where wilt thou sleep thyself, White Pet?" "I will
sleep," said the White Pet, "in the middle of the floor where I
used" (to be). "Where wilt thou sleep, oh dog?" said the
White Pet. "I will sleep beside the fire where I used" (to be),
said the dog. "Where wilt thou sleep, oh cat?" "I will
sleep," said the cat, "in the candle press, where I like to
be." "Where wilt thou sleep, oh cock?" said the White Pet
"I," said the cock, "will sleep on the rafters where I
used" (to be). "Where wilt thou sleep, oh goose?" "I
will sleep," said the goose, "on the midden (dung-heap), where I was
accustomed to be."
They were not long settled to rest, when
one of the thieves returned to look in to see if he could perceive if any
one at all was in the house. All things were still, and he went on forward
to the candle press for a candle, that he might
kindle to make him a light; but when he put his hand in the box the cat
thrust her claws into his hand, but he took a candle with him, and he
tried to light it. Then the dog got up, and he stuck his tail into a pot
of water that was beside the fire; he shook his tail and put out the
candle. Then the thief thought that the mischief was in the house, and he
fled; but when he was passing the White Pet, he gave him a blow; before he
got past the bull, he gave him a kick; and the cock began to crow; and
when he went out, the goose began to belabour him with his wings about the
shanks.
He went to the wood where
his comrades were, as fast as was in his legs. They asked him how it had
gone with him. "It went," said he, "but middling; when I
went to the candle press, there was a man in it who thrust ten knives into
my hand; and when I went to the fireside to light the candle, there was a
big black man lying there, who was sprinkling water on it to put it out;
and when I tried to go out, there was a big man in the middle of the
floor, who gave me a shove; and another man behind the door who pushed me
out; and there was a little brat on the loft calling out
CUIR-ANEES-AN-SHAW-AY-S-FONI-MI-HAYN.DA --Send him up here and I’ll do
for him; and there was a shoemaker out on the midden, belabouring me about
the shanks with his apron."
When the thieves heard
that, they did not return to seek their lot of money; and the White Pet
and his comrades got it
to themselves; and it kept them peaceably as long as they lived.
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