me that? Did I not tell you that she lies on the petsch in the night-gown?”
“When did you tell me that?” cried he.
“Not long ago,” said she; “but no doubt you were drowsy.”
“Now, farewell to our swine!” said Tim. “No doubt they have taken her away.” And springing from the bed he ran into the kitchen, but found no swine upon the petsch. Tim felt his knees quake under him. But the prospect of living with the thieves, as their slave, compelled him to cast aside all useless despondency, and to seek a remedy for the misfortune. Flinging himself upon his horse he galloped off in the hope of overtaking the travelling swine, in which he succeeded. He came up with the party just as they were entering the wood, and rode gently after them; the night, which was exceedingly dark, preventing the thieves from seeing him. By this time they were excessively weary, and
wishing to take some rest, they flung the swine upon the ground in a rage, and one of them said:
“What a weight! It’s enough to kill one. Yet one must not mind toiling when two hundred roubles are at stake.”
Quoth the other: “I would almost give up the roubles for a horse or something to carry this load of carrion for us.”
Meanwhile, Tim, leading his horse some way aside, tied it to a tree, then drawing softly nigh he began to make a jingling with the bridle and stirrups which he had taken off the horse. One of the thieves hearing the jingling said:
“Listen, brother! some horse is going about entangled in its harness.”
As Tim still continued jingling, one of them fully persuaded that there was a horse close at hand set off to catch it, whilst the other rested himself sitting close by the swine. Tim moved