Читать книгу The Pedestrian's Guide through North Wales. A tour performed in 1837 онлайн

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On the following day, the peaceful inhabitants of this lovely spot were startled from their various occupations by a loud shout which issued from the thick woods of the vale, and then

“There rose so wild a yell

From out yon dark and hollow dell,

As all the fiends from heaven that fell

Had pealed the banner cry of hell.”

The clamour was raised by the revilings of Roger’s friends against Mary, and Mary’s friends against Roger, as the object of interest (Roger’s cow) approached the dwelling of the deceived and neglected fair one, who mounted astride upon its back, turned her fierce glances or benignant smiles, upon her enemies or friends, as they alternately hooted and hurrahed her.

Mary’s mother, an ancient gammer, whose sun-tanned skin seemed, as Shakspeare has it, capable of

“Keeping out water a long while,”

armed with a branch of tough ash, was urging the progress of the beast, and at every push she made, a yell of indignation burst from the opposite party, which was answered by a shout of exultation from the friends of Mary. At length the barber, one Gryffyd, was called on to lend his aid, which he did, in a masterly manner by lathering, and shaving the beast’s tail of every hair that adorned it, from the insertion to the tuft, and afterwards greasing and soaping it thoroughly. Mary eyed it, meanwhile, as though she longed to convert it into soup.