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serve any person faithfully that will hire me till the cuckoo sings, for I intend after that to go to England. The farmer said he would engage him, at the same time telling him his terms, adding, I will give you a couple of shirts and a pair of shoes, because you are a good looking fellow, and I have a liking for you. John having agreed to the bargain, was desired to rise early. Accordingly in the morning he was first up, and got a stout stick for a paddle to the plough: having proceeded to the field, his master told him he must plough whatever his dog would go over. The dog was at this time two or three rigs beyond him, and taking the paddle in his hand, he struck him on the head and killed him. What made you kill my dog? I am only to plough what he has gone over, and that is not much. I hope you are not angry with me. O no, said he, I am not; so John began to his work, and in a short time he had ploughed all the dog ran over, and then came home. Well John, said the farmer, you have soon done your work this day, go and take your dinner, I have nothing more for you to do, you may play yourself to bedtime. All that night the farmer and his wife were plotting how to be revenged of John, for they saw it would not be easy to make him say he was angry, and they would willingly part with him if the bargain could be broke. The next morning when the farmer called John to him, and told him he had six cows beyond the river; there is a good ford, said he, but you must bring them over without wetting their feet. That is a hard task, master, but I will do what I can: so he went to the next house, and borrowing a hatchet, crossed the river and cut the feet off the cows, putting them into a sack which he carried home to his master. What is this you have got in the sack, said he? Faith, said John, I was plotting all morning how to get the cows over the river dry shod, and I could not think of a better way than cutting the feet off them. You scoundrel, said the farmer, is that the way you have used my cattle? Indeed, said John, you may blame yourself, for how was it possible I could get them over a large river without wetting their feet, but by the method I have taken, and I hope you are not angry. No, I am not, said he, but you must look to yourself better than you are doing, or you will ruin me. The farmer and his wife were more spited than ever. I do not know what will be done with this fellow, if we do not find some way to break the bargain, he will ruin us. I will tell you what we will do, said she,—I see we must try some plan to get him away. You must put him on the house to-morrow to fasten the slates, and I will go up into the ivy bush and cry cuckoo three times, and then his time will be expired. I
