BOEEOWDALE. 121 



Bees. After duly considering the casCj he gave hia 

 counsel. He suggested that the goodman should 

 draw his feet out of his shoes. This was done, 

 amidst the blessings of the family ; and the good 

 man was restored to his* occupation and to liberty. 

 The wife was so delighted that she said if she had 

 a score of children, she would make them all 

 scholars, — if only she had to begin life again. 



It is by no means to be supposed, however, that 

 there was no wit in the valley, but what came from 

 St. Bees. On the contrary, a native genius, on 

 one occasion, came to a conclusion so striking that 

 that it is doubtful whether any university could 

 rival it. A stranger came riding into the dale on 

 a mule, and, being bound for the mountains, went 

 up the pass on foot, leaving the animal in the care 

 of his host. The host had never seen such a 

 creature before, nor had his neighbours. Fearing 

 mischief, they consulted the wise man of the dale ; 

 for they kept a Sagum, or medicine-man, to supply 

 their deficiencies. He came, and after an exam- 

 ination of the mule, drew a circle round it, 

 and consulted his books while his charms were 

 burning, and, at length, announced that he had 

 found it ; the creature must be, he concluded, a 

 peacock. So Borrowdale could then boast, without 

 a rival, of a visit from a stranger who came riding 

 on a peacock. There is a real and strong feeling 

 in the district about these old stories. Only last 

 year, when a Borrowdale man entered a country 

 inn, a prior guest said simply " Cuckoo," and was 

 instantly knocked down; and a passionate fight 

 ensued. This cannot last much longer, — judging 

 by the number of new houses, — abodes of gentry, 



