"And, as if that were not enough," quoth he, "thou couldst
not be contented without bringing thy pet pig hither, to make a fool
both of thyself and me. Why, verily, we are the laughing-stock of the
whole city."
Bladud mildly assured his master that it was through no act of his that
the pig had followed them to his father's court.
"Thy father's court, forsooth!" retorted the old man, angrily; "I do
verily believe it is all a trick which thou hast cunningly planned, for
the sake of stealing my best pig. Else why shouldst thou have
permitted it to follow thee thither?"
Bladud was prevented from replying to this unjust accusation by a
rabble of rude boys, who had gathered round them, and began to assail
the poor pig with sticks and stones. Bladud at first mildly requested
them to desist from such cruel sport; but finding that they paid no
attention to his remonstrances, he began to deal out blows, right and
left, with his stout quarter-staff, by which he kept the foremost at
bay, calling at the same time on his master to assist him in defending
the pig.
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