THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 51 



of people assembled on the Curragh ; and one coun- 

 tryman, 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. Fortunately 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 circumstance, 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. 



The WHISPERER was now sent for. This myste- 

 rious horse-tamer soon arrived, was shut up with the 

 horse all night, and in the morning exhibited the 

 hitherto ferocious animal following him about the 

 course like a dog lying down at his command suf- 

 fering his mouth to be opened, and any person's hand 

 to be introduced into it in short, as quiet almost as a 

 sheep. He came out the same meeting and won his 

 race, and his docility continued satisfactory for a con- 

 siderable period j^but at the end of three years his 

 vice returned, and then he is said to have killed a man, 

 for which he was destroyed. 



The man who effected the wonder we have just 

 recounted was an awkward, ignorant rustic of the 



