18
Get up, Billy, said the little man, taking one of the rushes from him and stridding across it.
Where shall I get up, please your honour? said Billy.
Why, upon horseback, like me, to be sure, said the little man.
Is it after making a fool of me you'd be, said Billy, bidding me get a horse-back upon that bit of a rush? May be you want to persuade me that the rush I pulled, but while ago out of the bog over there, is a horse?
Up! up! and no words, said the little man, looking very angry; the best horse you ever rode was but a fool to it. So Billy, thinking all this was in joke, and fearing to vex his master, straddled across the rush; Borram! Borram! Borram! cried the little man three times, (which, in English, means to become great,) and Billy did the same after him; presently the rushes swelled up into fine horses, and away they went full speed; but Billy, who had put the rush between his legs, without much minding how he did it, found himself sitting on horseback the wrong way, which, was rather awkward, with his face to the horse's tail; and so quickly, had his steed started off with him, that he had no power to turn round, and there was therefore nothing for it but to hold on by the tail.
At last they came to their journey's end, and
