The Witch's Pig
A Cornish folk-tale Now Betty Trenowith claimed the power to heal or ill wish & she was known for a witch, but her cousin Tom said she was naught but a naughty old woman. He said she didn't have since enough to be a witch. It happened one day that Betty saw a fine young pig at the market & she determined to buy the pig to fatten for winter's use. She began to bargain over the price of the pig-keeper. Well, Tom was at the market, & he wanted that pig too, but he thought he'd let old Betty do his work for him. He watched her haggle the price down until she & the seller were only a few pents apart. "Thirty pents, & that's a bargain for a fifty pents pig," said the pig-keeper. "Twenty-three pents, & not a farthing more!" declared Betty. She turned away as if she didn't care, to let the pig-keeper think about his lost sale. He was about to call her back & offer the pig for twenty-five pents, when up stepped Tom. "I'll give you twenty-eight pents," he said, "& rid you of that haggling old woman." "Done." Said the pig-keeper. Tom paid over the money, just as Betty came back for her pig. "Too late cousin, I've bought the sow." Tom laughed in Betty's face. "Why did you interfere, when I was nearly in price," cried the old woman. "You'll find that sow the dearest bargain you ever had. You'll have no use of her." Betty shook her bony finger at Tom & the pig. "Squawnk," grunted the pig. Over hill, she led Tom a merry dash until he got her home. He herded the sow in to the pigsty & latched the gate. "Now, stay put." He said. "Clever, I was to get you at a bargain price." Next morning the pig sty gate was open & the young sow was routing in a neighbor's garden. She snooted up potatoes with her snout. She stood on her hind legs & chewed corn from the stalks & when Tom came after her, she ran. Tom needed half the boys of Churchtown perish to herd the troublesome beast back in to her pin again. The boys said the pig was bewitched, but Tom said all pigs were contrary, yet no matter how Tom barred the gate, that light-footed pig got out & scampered through the lanes. She routed in many a neighbor's field & Tom had to pay for the mischief she did. One morning, when Tom was taking his pig home again, along came Betty, knitting at a stocking, clicking her needles. Not a bit like a witch, friendly as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, she said," Cousin Tom, I know how to tame a run away pig. Better to sell her to me at my price, 25 pents." "Nay, I'll never sell her to you, you naughty old woman. "i'll Feed the sow better," Tom decided, & then she'd stay home. For the next month, he fed the pig on corn & meal & milk, but the more she ate, the leaner & lankier she became, & she still ran away. Tom told of his troubles at the local Inn. A neighbor said, "That sow has been ill-wished by Witch Betty." "Ahh! Her head is as wooly as her knitting yarn," Tom declared. "She's naught but a naughty old woman." One day, Betty leaned over the pig sty fence, clicking the needles at her knitting. Nice as if cheese wouldn't choke her, she said, "Well, Tom Trenowith, are you going to fatten that pig for Christmas? Better sell her to me, though she's no longer worth twenty-five pents." "Squawnk" the sow stood up with her hooves on the fence and looked at Betty. "Nay, you've begrudged that pig to me," Tom cried, "and I wouldn't sell her to you if she didn't fatten in seven years." The pig didn't fatten, in the next month anyway. Tom saw she had eaten or destroyed more than she was worth. To spite old Betty, he decided to sell the pig at market. He put a rope on the pig's leg & led her down to the stream where Betty wouldn't see them going. At the stream, however, there was no bridge, & the pig refused to inter the water. "Squawnk." The sow sat down on her haunches. Tom picked up her hind legs & tried to trundle the pig through the water wheelbarrow-fashion, but she dug in her front hooves. Tom tried to drag her through the water, but the pig turned & bolted between his legs. "Squawnk." Tom toppled in the muddy water. The rope slipped from his hand, then the pig led Tom a chase across the moors, over hedges & ditches, "Squawnk," through bogs & brambles, "Squeee-eee-awnk." When at last he caught up with her, on the high-road to market, Tom Trenowith's clothes were torn to rags & he was very tired, but the pig gave nary a puff. She trotted along as peaceful as pudding. She squeaked not a squawnk, when Tom snatched up her rope & wrapped it around his wrist. "You phened sow, I'll get you to market yet!" growled Tom. The minute he spoke the words, a hare jumped across the road, making a little sound. "Scheea, scheea," Away raced the pig after the hare, down the moor, dragging Tom by the rope. At the bottom was a road, & a little bridge over a trickle of water that ran through a drain hole. The hare darted in to the drain. "Scheea, scheea" & the pig dashed after the hare. Tom's arm was nearly dragged out of his shoulder, but he had a knife, so he cut the rope. The sow scuttled in to the drain, & there, she stuck, with her haunches poking out of the hole. Tom seized her hind legs & pulled. "Squawnk," the pig heaved. She was stuck like a cork in a bottle, half in, & half out of the hole. It was past noon & Tom was very hungry, yet he didn't dare leave, for if he did, the sow might wiggle out some how & bolt away. He went to the other end of the drain, & poked a stick at the pig. He blathered & coaxed & threw rocks at the pig. Skinny she was, & struggle she did, but the sow couldn't go forward or come back. "Then, stick there," Tom, cried in disgust. "Bad riddens to you." Just then, down the lane, came old Betty, basket in her arms, needles working at her knitting, clickity, clickity. "My dear cousin, why are you shouting under the bridge?" she asked, nice as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, or cheese choke her. "Have you no eyes?" Tom exclaimed. "Can't you see my pig is in the drain?" "My pig," said Betty mildly enough. "Now will you sell her to me?" She's gone to skin & bones, so she's lost her worth, but I'll give you ten pents." Tom thought cleverly, "Let the naughty old woman find out for her self that the pig was stuck forever more in the drain." "Add to that price some bread from your basket," he said "& you may have her." Betty laughed. "Cousin Tom, you may learn yet to do your own bargaining. Very well." She gave him ten pents & a two-penny loaf from her basket, & then she called to the pig, "Scheea, scheea." There was the sound of squeaking & scuffling, & the sow backed out of the hole, slick as a greased pig. Away she followed old Betty. Tom sat on the bridge & gnawed his bread. Sadly, he thought, never again would he call Betty Trenowith a naughty old woman. Not she, who could take the shape of a hare, Never again, would he cheat a witch to get a bargain. As for Betty, she led the pig home. "Squawnk." There, she fattened her soon & kept her for a brewed sow & many a fat piglet grew up child to the witch's pig. Delma --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
