wit?'

Dawdles went to see what wor th' matter an' t'others followed him; but
when they saw what a mistak they'd made, the mooast on 'em slink'd off
for fear they wud hev to pay for some o'th' damage. Dawdles wor ommost
ranty abaat it when he saw it ligged deead, but he said as little as he
could, for his furst thowt wor hah mich brass he could mak on it as it
war. 'Well,' he sed, 'it's deead enuff, soa ther's nowt for it but to
send for a butcher an' hey it killed, for aw knaw it'll be a bit ov as
nice mait as ivver wor etten.' Soa he fotched a butcher an' had it
skinned an' dressed, an' as he lukt at it he thowt it happen wodn't turn
aght so varry bad after all, an' as th' poleese paid for th' winder, an'
th' wife an' th' childer fettled up withaat sayin' a word, he decided to
be as quiet as he could an' mak th' best of his bargain. Th' fact is he
thowt it had nobbut sarved it reight, considerin' what a life it had led
him th' day befoor. After a bit o' braikfast he set off to see if he
could find a customer for it, but th' tale had flown all ovver th'
district, an' whearivver he went he gate soa chaffed abaat it wol he wor
fain to go back hooam.

'Nah, lass,' he sed to his wife, 'aw've tried all ovver, an' aw cannot
sell a pund o' that cauf, so ther's nowt for it but to set to an ait it,
for aw'm detarmined it shalln't be wasted.'

'Why, Dawdles, tha knows we can nivver ait it wol it's sweet.'

'Aw dooan't care whether it's sweet or saar, it'll have to be etten, soa
tha'd better set to an' salt it, for ther isn't another aance o' mait
comes into this haase till that's etten.'

Shoo did as shoo wor tell'd, an' shoo stew'd th' heead an' made some
cauf-heead broth, an' rare an' nice it wor. Next day they had a rooast,
an' th' childer sed they wished ther fayther'd buy another cauf when
that wor done. It went on varry weel for th' furst wick, but towards th'
end o'th' second they'd rayther ha' seen a boggard walk into th' haase
nor another piece o' that cauf walk on to th' table. But Dawdles wor as
gooid as his word, an' long befoor it wor done he declared it wor th'
cheapest mait he ivver bowt. But aitin soa mich o' one sooart o' stuff
seemed to have a strange-effect o'th' childer, for they fair seem'd to
grow gaumless an' th' hair o' ther heead stood up like a caah toppin,
an' Dawdles hissen wor terrified if one on 'em complained ov a pain i'
ther heead, for fear th' horns should be buddin'.

'Nah, then, hah lon