The Death "Bree" - Page 2

says the ghost, starting up in his awry
habiliments. "What do you say, you limmer?" repeated he in a great rage.
"By the great oath, you had better leave my grandfather's head." Upon
matters coming this length, the wily wife of Camp-del-more thought it
proper to assume a more conciliatory aspect. Telling the claimant the
whole particulars of the predicament in which she was placed, she
promised faithfully that if his honour would only allow her to carry off
his grandfather's skull or head in a peaceable manner, she would restore
it again when done with. Here, after some communing, they came to an
understanding; and she was allowed to take the head along with her, on
condition that she should restore it before cock-crowing, under the
heaviest penalties.

On coming out of the churchyard and looking for her companion, she had
the mortification to find her "without a mouthful of breath in her body";
for, on hearing the dispute between her friend and the guardian of the
grave, and suspecting much that she was likely to share the unpleasant
punishments with which he threatened her friend, at the bare recital of
them she fell down in a faint, from which it was no easy matter to
recover her. This proved no small inconvenience to Camp-del-more's wife,
as there were not above two hours to elapse ere she had to return the
head according to the terms of her agreement. Taking her friend upon her
back, she carried her up a steep acclivity to the nearest adjoining
house, where she left her for the night; then repaired home with the
utmost speed, made _dead bree_ of the head ere the appointed time had
expired, restored the skull to its guardian, and placed the grave in its
former condition. It is needless to add that, as a reward for her
exemplary courage, the "_bree_" had its desired effect. The cattle
speedily recovered, and, so long as she retained any of it, all sorts of
diseases were of short duration.