Getting but a surly reply, and a threat to drive
over her, she cried, "Let me teach thee how to milk my cow." So saying she
seized hold of the cow's udder, crying out, "There's death in thee,
there's death in thee," and then ran away. The landlord on reaching home
was taking a cupful of the magic milk to his daughter, but setting it down
for a moment a cat unseen commenced to lap from the cup and died
instantly. The landlord then saw that in his greed he had outwitted
himself. The good dame was brought to milk it under a promise of
restoration, and all ended well.
The other story is known as "The Legend of Elphi." Elphi the Farndale
dwarf was doubtless at one time the central figure of many a fireside
story and Elphi's mother was almost equally famous. The most tragic story
in which they both play their leading parts is that of Golpha the bad
Baron of Lastingham and his wicked wife. The mother helped in hiding some
one Golpha wished to torture. In his rage he seized the mother, and
sentenced her to be burnt upon the moor above Lastingham.
Elphi to save his mother, called to his aid thousands of dragon-flies, and
bade them carry the news far and wide, and tell the fierce adders, the
ants, the hornets, the wasps and the weasels, to hurry early next day to
the scene of his mother's execution and rescue her. Next morning when the
wicked Golpha, his wife, and their friends gathered about the stake and
taunted the old dame, they were set upon and killed, suffering great
agonies.
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