54 THE HORSE AND HTS RIDER. 



tunity, he would turn his head round, seize his rider 

 by the leg with his teeth, and drag him down from 

 his back. For this reason he was always ridden with 

 what is called a sword; this is a strong flat stick, 

 having one end attached to the check of the bridle, 

 and the other to the girth of the saddle a con- 

 trivance to prevent a horse of this kind from getting 

 at his rider. 



King Pippin had long been difficult to manage, 

 and dangerous to go near; but on the occasion in 

 question, he could not be got to run at all : nobody 

 could put the bridle on his head. There was a large 

 concourse of people assembled on the Curragh ; and 

 one countryman, more fearless than the rest of the 

 lookers on, volunteered his services to bridle the 

 horse. No sooner had he commenced operations, 

 than King Pippin seized him somewhere about the 

 shoulders, and shook him as a dog does a rat. For- 

 tunately for the poor fellow his body was very thickly 

 covered with clothes, for on such holiday occasions 

 an Irishman of his class is fond of displaying his 

 wardrobe, and if he has three coats in the world, he 

 is sure to put them all on. Owing to this circum- 

 stance, the horse never fairly got hold of his skin, 

 and the man escaped with little injury, except the 

 rent and ruined condition of his holiday attire. 



