“Stop!” said Rooshkulum; “stay back! don’t make a noise! There! did not you see something moving? Ay! THAT must be the cuckoo!”
So saying, he hurled the axe up into the holly bush with his whole force, cutting away the branches, scattering the leaves and berries, and with one blow severing the head from the shoulders of the farmer’s mother!
“O!” said the farmer, “my poor old mother! O! what have you done, you villain! You have murdered my mother!”
“And,” said Rooshkulum (seemingly surprised), “I suppose you BLAME me for this, do you?”
And now was the farmer taken by surprise, and in the heat of his passion answered, “How dare you, you black-hearted villain, ask me such a question? Of course I do! Have you not murdered my mother? Alas! my poor old mother.”
“O, very well!” said Rooshkulum, as the farmer continued looking at his mother, and lamenting, “perhaps you also remember our own little agreement. I have but too good reason to think that you and your accursed old mother, by your schemes, caused the death of my two fine brothers. But now for the fulfilment of my share of the bargain!”
In a moment the axe descended on his head; and Rooshkulum, the wise simpleton, having now got rid of his enemies, took possession of all the farmer’s property, returned home for his mother, and lived free from care or further sorrow for the remainder of his happy life; but he never forgot the services of the greyhound, and never allowed her to want.
And here let us conclude our legend, by observing, by way of moral, “Be ever charitable to the distressed, whether of the brute or human kind, for you know not but that they also may belong to the ranks of ‘the good people!’”
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR THE WORKING CLASSES.
That agricultural improvement is extending with very rapid strides in many parts of Ireland, is evident to all who have had an opportunity of observing the country; the best proof of which is, perhaps, that our agricultural exports have been greatly increased for some years past, whilst during the same period the population has been augmented to a degree unprecedented in any of the old countries of the world. That our exporting food to such an extent is a proof of the wealth or happiness of those who produce it, may well admit of doubt, otherwise the miserable serfs of Russia, Poland, and other corn-growing countries, would be entitled to rank higher in the scale of happiness than the English farmers, who are not able to raise sufficient food for their own country! But notwithstanding the pleasing proofs of improvements in farming which meet the eye of the tourist in various parts of the country, and particularly in the north, he will in too many places find it difficult to imagine anything worse either in the farms, the habitations, the cattle, or the implements, even should he extend the retrospect to a period ever so remote.