_Tom._ But, Paddy, is Saint Patrick yet alive?
_Teag._ Arra, dear honey, I don't know whether he be dead or alive, but
it is a long time since they killed him. The people all turned heathens,
but he would not change his profession, and was going to run the country
with it, and for taking the gospel away to England, so the barbarous
Tories of Dublin cutted off his head; and he swimmed over to England,
and carried his head in his teeth.
PART II.
_Tom._ How did you get safe out of Scotland?
_Tom._ By the law, dear honey. When I came to Port Patrick, and saw my
own kingdom, I knew I was safe at home, but I was clean dead, and almost
drowned before I could get riding over the water; for I, with nine
passengers more, leapt into a little young boat, having but four men
dwelling in a little house in the one end of it, which was all thacked
with deals; and, after they had pulled up her tether-stick, and laid her
long halter over her mane, they pulled up a long sheet, like three pair
of blankets, to the rigging of the house, and the wind blew in that,
which made her gallop up one hill and down another, till I thought she
would have run to the world's end.
_Tom._ Well, Paddy, and where did you go when you came to Ireland again?
_Teag._ Arra, dear honey, and where did I go but to my own dear cousin,
who was now become very rich by the death of the old buck, his father,
who died but a few weeks before I went over, and the parish had to bury
him out of pity; it did not cost him a farthing.
_Tom._ And what entertainment did you get there?
_Teag._ O, my dear shoy, I was kindly used as another gentleman, and
would have stayed there long enough, but when a man is poor his friends
think little of him. I told him I was going to see my brother Harry.
"Harry!" said he, "Harry is dead." "Dead!" said I, "and who killed him?"
"Why," said he, "Death." "Allelieu, dear honey, and where did he kill
him?" said I. "In his bed," says he. "Arra, dear honey," said I, "if he
had been upon Newry mountains, with his brogues on, and his broad sword
by his side, all the deaths in Ireland had not have killed him. O that
impudent fellow Death. If he had let him alone till he died for want of
butter milk and potatoes, I am sure he had lived all the days of his
life."
_Tom._ In all your travels when abroad, did you never see none of your
countrymen to inform you of what happened at home concerning your
relations?
_Teag._ Arra, dear shoy, I saw none but Tom Jack, one day in the street;
but when I came to him, it was not him, but one just like him.
_Tom._ On what account did you go a-travelling?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account