Ossian Collection > Peat-fire flame

ANIMAL LORE
(fox) and a wild-dog (wolf) quarrelled over a keg of butter.
It so happened that, while searching for food upon the
seashore of Vatersay, a fox and a wolf, who shared the
same den and conducted their predatory expeditions in
company with one another, chanced upon a keg of butter,
which they agreed to conceal in the ground. On the
following day the fox went out, unbeknown to the wolf.
When he returned, he told the wolf that he had been invited
to attend a baptism. He speedily attired himself in his best
raiment, and quitted the den in a hundred hurries, that
he might sample clandestinely the content of the keg.
On his return, the wolf asked what name was put on the
child at the baptism. Unhesitatingly, the fox replied Fo
Bhial, which name in English means ' under the mouth.'
On the morrow the fox again was abroad betimes. He
told his partner that he had another invitation to a baptism.
And off again went he to the keg of butter. As a result of
his second visit to the keg, he calculated that he had
consumed about half its content.
" Well," said the wolf to the fox, when the latter came
back a second time, " what name did they put on the child ? "
" Queer is the name — so c|ueer, in truth, that I myself
would not be giving it to a child of mine. The name on
the child is Moolay Moolay " (Mil leth), " which name, being
interpreted, signifies ' about half and half.'
On the third morning the russet-dog hastened off to a
third alleged baptism. On this occasion he finished the
butter, and even licked the inside of the keg. In answer to
the wild-dog's question, he replied on his return that the
name given at the third baptism was Buill Imlich, meaning
' tackling and licking it all up.'
On the fourth day the fox suggested to the wolf that they
should unearth the keg of butter they had hidden, and roll
it home. So, they set off together ; but, on digging up the
keg, the wolf could not see a shadow of butter in it.
" Ah ! " observed the wolf, who all along had been
harbouring suspicions regarding the spate of baptisms —
" Ah, it's not yourself that was long in coming to visit the
keg of butter ! "
And, although the russet-dog strove hard to refute the
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