THE CARPENTER OF THE WOODS. 87 
woodpeckers, and wounded him slightly in the 
wing. The woodpecker was more frightened 
than hurt; and made a noise like the crying 
of a child. The horse the traveller was riding 
took fright at it, and reared and capered 
about, and nearly threw him off. But he suc- 
ceeded in picking up the bird ; and put it 
under his cloak to carry it home. All the 
way he went, it kept on making the same 
piteous cry; and as he passed along, everybody 
he met stopped to look at him, and thought 
he must be carrying a baby. 
Presently he reached the town ; and had to 
ride through the streets, with the woodpecker 
at full cry, and the people running after him 
to know what it was all about. He was glad 
to take refuge at an inn ; but his troubles did 
not end there. 
He locked the woodpecker up in his room, 
while he went to see after his horse. 
The moment he was gone, the woodpecker 
set about trying to get his liberty. He ran 
up the wall, nearly as high as the ceiling, and 
began to bore away with his bill. When the 
traveller came back, he was horrified to see the 
mischief the woodpecker had done. The bed 
