Strona 130 z 626

But Chanticleer was no coward, and returned the duck's blows with

his sharp spurs so fiercely that she soon began to cry out for

mercy; which was only granted her upon condition that she would

draw the carriage home for them. This she agreed to do; and

Chanticleer got upon the box, and drove, crying, 'Now, duck, get

on as fast as you can.' And away they went at a pretty good pace.

After they had travelled along a little way, they met a needle

and a pin walking together along the road: and the needle cried

out, 'Stop, stop!' and said it was so dark that they could hardly

find their way, and such dirty walking they could not get on at

all: he told them that he and his friend, the pin, had been at a

public-house a few miles off, and had sat drinking till they had

forgotten how late it was; he begged therefore that the

travellers would be so kind as to give them a lift in their

carriage. Chanticleer observing that they were but thin fellows,

and not likely to take up much room, told them they might ride,

but made them promise not to dirty the wheels of the carriage in

getting in, nor to tread on Partlet's toes.