506 The Fresh Water Whale. [MAY, 



and water, but much worse than either. Getting out of that as soon as 

 he was able, he made off to a place, whereabouts he thought he would 

 find the big stone used for mounting his horse, when he had one ; but 

 just as he had reached it, a wave came betwixt his legs and glode off 

 with him, until he did not know if he was still on his township or in the 

 broad bed of the river. It was lucky for him he had learned to swim 

 before he got lazy } so striking out with an energy of which he did not 

 think himself capable, he floated on bravely, and in a few minutes 

 caught a large hog's trough. Bestriding his prize, he went with the 

 stream, and, by-and-by, bearing a small pig, wh'ch he had clutched up 

 in his passage, from among many that were hovering about their old 

 friend, the trough, he succeeded in reaching a harbour. 



" Here I am," said he, after he had landed a minute or so, " but where it is 

 1 am, I don't know at all. Here's grass three inches high, and there isn't 

 the shadow of a blade on my township. Eh ! what's that now, I'd like to 

 know ! Though high and dry, I don't feel on terra firma, Such a see-saw 

 and jolt as that is more than suspicious may be this is the whale I'm 

 upon the whale that's to enrich my dominions for ever. But no, 1 can't 

 think that, because o' the grass. Faith then, O'Rindan, its puzzled you 

 are, and no blame to you 1" 



After putting the pig under the trough meaning, if the facts of the 

 case would at all bear him out, to claim both as wreckage, by virtue of his 

 right thereto, flatsome and jetsome he lay down to ponder, but soon fell 

 asleep. On awaking, he found the sun up, and that he had been reposing 

 with his head on the hog's trough, in a field which he could not but think 

 he had seen somewhere else. Cows were lowing, hens cackling, and two or 

 three people in loud and anxious discourse within a short distance. The 

 ducks, by their noise, seemed to have had a jubilee ; but the pig under the 

 trough clearly did not like what had happened. A blackbird was building 

 in a bush beside him, whistling as he worked 5 the primrose-winged butter- 

 flies were flapping about, or basking on broad leaves, that hung hot and 

 uneasy towards the east ; the bees were breakfasting in buttercups j the 

 lark, busy with his morning carrol, was fluttering as if about to fall, from 

 the rosy flakes of clouds that chased one another throughthe blue heavens j 

 the dew-drops were still clinging to the gossamer in the shade j the field- 

 flowers that close at sunset, had almost, but not quite, been coaxed to open 

 their verdant casket j a thousand flies were contributing small snatches 

 of song to a general chorus j in short, Mister Day was not only wide 

 awake, but shaved, dressed, and powdered for business. 



Within a stone's throw was a cottage, nearly smothered with roses. 

 At first, Blundus thought that he had been drowned in trying to save his 

 probable property, the pig, and got into paradise ; but on reflecting for 

 a moment hearing, as he did, the tones of a passionate dairy-maid, he 

 banished that idea, and did not know what to think. By-and-by he got 

 up, and began to stroll stealthily about, like one who was a trespasser, 

 notwithstanding he felt sure that the objects about him were perfectly 

 familiar, though he could not, for the life of him, recollect where they were, 

 or to whom they belonged. At last he came to the conclusion that he 

 was upon Luckie O'Carrol's small morsel of a farm on the brink of the bog ; 

 but how he got there he was at a loss to know, and his heart chuckled 

 when he saw his cousin galloping towards him. 



" Blundus," said she, throwing herself from Meggie, her nag, and rushing 



