A French Version of John Grumley.

Otago Witness, Issue 1957, 23 May 1889, Page 37

A French Version of John Grumley.

„ ,Onoe upon a-iime 'that his tyi(e didn^'do eribugH'wori'in'fthe ifouse;' '(M ev^mg[yhM s %6'^moick from mowing be grumbied!~ so mQ'ch fchaihis wife'said l tp-hirii*'^> 1 ' I*l}''*!l*>ilit Well; gt/odman, ctorft be'so'cfisagifeeHlJle. 'If you like we'll 'maW an'"eM^ange]| y'du'll take taj.placojii Jhc^b^use^atndTudo your work in the' fields." :*"*""": *"*""" The ni'an consented willingly, laugliing the * 1 while' at hef simplicity: , / * ' " '* -"1 ~- ' " > ' .;' "A ;vaa^t amount of work^^-^aid^e'tb *' Ten' f ' woriien - don't' jdo a^ inuoh 'work'iri'a-day as brie man:"^ ''• "■ Early in the morning of the'^rl^ifc day the 'wife started forcthe^fieldftcarjpyiiig4fej:*.oytho n& woald-comra^ciiby^^g^^^h^ueir r bubiia&m} ehamiiig d;Cte«^wf6j!*.>s>few > ' ra^|^Md^|^*'dOTrtf^ to

Talking, about in the cream yhict^iran over "the floor. At this sight our grumbler" got 1 Jjato such a passion that he forgot' the beer- , barrel, and 'commenced to chase the pig as hard as he was able. When he reaohed'it, he struck it so violent a blow that he stretched it; deadat his feet. He then observed that ' he had still the spigot in his hand, and made to get back to the cellar j but, he Was ,j;oo. late, for all the beer had run out of the "Cask. 'Somewhat troubled, he went id the . ( dairy, and, finding that there was still enough' ' dream to nil the churn, he again set about .making butter for dinner. After having churned for a quarter of an hour, be remembered that the cow was etill in the stable, and that he had given her nothing either to [ eat or to' drink, although it wps now late. \ As he had no time to take her to pasture, he determined to bring her on the roof , for the | -cottage was covered with turf, and the grass ~ Vfas ; "bo|;h high and thick. The house being built close to a small hill, it was only necessary to bridge the distance from one to the other by means of a plank for the cow to get on the roof. But our hero dared not leave the churn, for the calf was scampering .about, and there was danger of her upsetting . it. He therefore carried the churn upon his J back while he led the cow to drink, previous ,to .driving her upon the roof. But when he stooped to draw the water the cream ran all ' , over his neck and then down into the well. ) it was now getting on to noon, and as yet there was no butter. He then thought he would make some porridge, and'hungjn the " fireplace a large pot full of water. Suddenly ; remembering that the cow might fall and break her legs, he ascended to the roof and fl| fastened a rope round her neck, one end of „ \yhicti he let drop through the chimney, so ' i that he might tie it round his leg'| for the '„' water, was how boiling in the pot; and he ' " had to grind the meal. While he was thus , .occupied, endeavouring to make, up for lost J( time, the cow fell, anther weight pulled the , man suddenly up the chimney. There he 1 hung, knocking against the sooty walls, and crying put like .one possessed, while- the cow hovered between earth and heaven. His wife, who had been expecting him for a long time to ' call her' to dinner, at 'last lost patience, and, suspecting something had gone wrong, returned to the house. 1 When. ' ' she saw the predicament the cow was iri, : without, being able to imagine what had ' '.happened, she hastened to cut the rope with ' ; the and at the same moment the <! 'man fell into the pot. He had had sufficient 'experience ; next day he went to znow.-r Translated by Fred P. Outram, LL.B. • • •