J. F. Campbell Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

2 40 WEST HIGHLAND TALES.
" Tliat is a good brown horse of tlie bishop's," said
he, "with your leave, master."
" Yes, my man," said the master, " he has the best
horse in London."
""^Tiat think you," said the servant, "would he
take for the horse, if he were to sell it 1 "
"Oh ! you fool," said his master, "I thought you
were a sensible fellow ; many a man has tried to buy
that horse, and it has defied them as yet."
"I'll return and try," said he.
His master returned along with him to see what
would happen. This was on a Thursday. The young
man asked the bishop, would he " sell the horse 1 "
The bishop became amazed and angry, and said he did
not expect that he could buy it.
" But what beast could you, or any man have,"
said the young man, " that might not be bought 1 "
" Senseless fellow," said the bishop ; " how foolish
you are ! go away home, you shan't buy my horse."
"What will you wager," said the young man,
" that I won't have the horse by tliis time to-morrow ?"
" Is it my horse you mean 1" said tlie bishop.
" Yes, your horse," said the young man. " What
wdU you wager that I do n't steal it ? "
" I'll wager five hundred merks," said the bishop,
"that you don't."
" Then," said the young man, " I have oidy one
pound, but I'll Avager that, and my head besides, that
I do."
" Agreed," said the bishop.
"Observe," said the young man, "that I have
wagered my head and the pound with you, and if I
steal the horse he will be my ow^n property."
" That he will, assuredly," said the chief magistrate.
" I agree to that," said the bishop.