If The Tail Breaks

Another story is told of two Highlanders who found a litter of young pigs in a cave, and arranged to kill and carry them off when the big wild sow was out of the way. At last the opportune moment arrived, and Sandy crept in by the low and narrow aperture through which alone either person or light could enter, and began his work, while Donald kept watch outside. To his horror, before he bad been many minutes watching, he heard a noise in the wood, and, behold, the wild sow tearing through the undergrowth and making straight for the cave. Just when it reached the narrow entrance and was
passing through, Donald sprang forward, clutched the tail, twisted it round his hands, and held on like grim death. When the sow struggled to get in, Donald pulled back. When it tried to back out, Donald with all his might pressed it forward. Meantime Sandy had found himself suddenly in the dark, and, unaware of the cause and the terrible crisis that had come, shouted, “Donald, what’s keeping out the light?” to whom Donald, when he had breath enough, cried, “If the tail breaks, you’ll find out.”

Return To Highland Humor