been to get up to ride.  He managed to twist th’ rooap raand its heead an’ he pooled for his life, but it didn’t mak a bit o’ difference.  ‘Wo up! connot ta?’ he sed, ’tha’rt as heeadstrong as tha’rt strong i’th’ heead.  If ivver aw have th’ orderation o’ thee agean aw’ll bet aw tak some o’ that nowtiness aght on thee.’  He’d hardly getten th’ words aght ov his maath when, as they wor passin some pighoils ‘at stood o’ th’ roadside, th’ cauf made a dash at th’ door o’ one ’at wor nobbut just heigh enuff for it get in at, brast it oppen, gooin in an’ strippin off Dawdles, left him sittin i’ th’ middle o’ th’ rooad, wonderin who’d hit him wi a looad o’ bricks.  Trubbles nivver come singly, an’ to mak matters war aght rushed a lot o’ pigs ’at rolled him ovver an’ ovver wol he couldn’t tell when he put up his hand whether it wor on his heead or his hat.  Th’ furst thing ’at browt him to his senses wor sumdy shakkin him an’ shaatin aght, ’What business has ta to let out my pigs?  Aw’ll ha thi lock’d up!’ ’Maister! maister! do let me spaik!  Aw’ve had nowt to do wi’ th’ orderation o’ this mullock, an’ if ther’s owt lost aw’ll pay for it.  Hah mony wor ther?  Ther’s my bull cauf i’ th’ pighoil an’ if yo’ll tak care on it for a bit aw’ll goa an’ see if aw can find th’ pigs.’

Th’ chap, thowt that wor fair enuff, soa he let him goa, tellin him ther wor six on ’em, an’ he must find’ em all.  Owd Dawdles had nivver had sich a job in his life, it tuk him aboon an haar, an’ when he coom back it wor droppin dark.

’Well, has ta fun ’em?’

‘Eea, they’re all here.’

’Why, whear did ta find ’em?’

‘Aw fan one together, an’ two bi thersen, an’ three amang one o’ Amos’s.’

‘Well, that’s all reight, tak thi cauf an’ be off hooam.  It luks a varry nice en; it’s just such a one as aw wor intendin to buy.’

‘Yo can have this at yor own price, or aw’ll trade wi’ yo.’

’Nay, it luks too quiet for my brass, aw’d rayther ha one ‘at’s a’ bit life in it.’

’Well, then, to be honest, aw dooan’t think this will suit yo, for aw’m blessed if aw think ther can be much life left i’ this considerin what it’s let aght sin aw bowt it.  Gooid neet.’

‘Gooid neet, owd chap.  Cannot ta walk i’ th’ front an’ let it suck thi fingers?  It ud be sewer to follow.’

‘Happen it wod; but th’ chap aw bowt it on suckt me quite enuff withaat lettin th’ cauf suck me.’

After that he managed to get hooam wi’ it withaat ony moor mishaps.  It wor varry lat, an’ all th’ family wor i’ bed, but he detarmined he wodn’t goa huntin up an’ daan for a stable at that time o’ neet, soa he unlocked th’ door an’ tuk it into th’ haase an’ teed it fast to th’ wringin machine i’ th’ back kitchen, an’ then he went upstairs to bed.

‘Tha’rt varry lat, Dawdles,’ sed his wife, ‘has ta ridden or walked?’

‘Aw walked pairt o’ th’ way.’

‘Has ta browt owt wi’ thee?’