The afflicted household were devoutly engaged in prayer during the combat, but on the fortunate issue, the knight, according to promise, blew a blast on his bugle to assure his father of his safety, and that he might let loose his favourite hound which was destined to be the sacrifice. The aged father, forgetting everything but his parental feelings, rushed forward to embrace his son.
When the knight beheld his father he was overwhelmed with grief. He could not raise his arm against his parent, but, hoping that his vow might be accomplished, and the curse averted by destroying the next living thing he met, he blew another blast on his bugle.
His favourite hound broke loose and bounded to receive his caresses, when the gallant knight, with grief and reluctance, once more drew his sword, still reeking with the gore of the monster, and plunged it into the heart of his faithful companion. But in vain—the prediction was fulfilled, and the Sibyl’s curse pressed heavily on the house of Lambton for nine generations.
THE OLD WOMAN AND THE CROOKED SIXPENCE.
An old woman was sweeping her house, and she found a crooked sixpence.
“What,” says she, “shall I do with this sixpence? I will go to the market and buy a pig with it.”
She went; and as she was coming home she came to a stile. Now the pig would not go over the stile. The woman went on a little further and met a dog—
“Dog,” said she, “bite pig. Piggy won’t go over the stile, and I shan’t get home to-night.”