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〃It doesn't matter；〃 said I； 〃I am never happier than when keeping
my own company。〃 Bidding the woman good night； I went on。 The
moon now shone tolerably bright； so that I could see my way； and I
sped on at a great rate。 I had proceeded nearly half a mile； when
I thought I heard steps in advance； and presently saw a figure at
some little distance before me。 The individual； probably hearing
the noise of my approach； soon turned round and stood still。 As I
drew near I distinguished a stout burly figure of a man； seemingly
about sixty； with a short pipe in his mouth。
〃Ah； is it you？〃 said the figure； in English； taking the pipe out
of his mouth； 〃good evening； I am glad to see you。〃 Then shaking
some burning embers out of his pipe； he put it into his pocket； and
trudged on beside me。
〃Why are you glad to see I me？〃 said I； slackening my pace； 〃I am a
stranger to you； at any rate； you are to me。〃
〃Always glad to see English gentleman；〃 said the figure； 〃always
glad to see him。〃
〃How do you know that I am an English gentleman？〃 said I。
〃Oh； I know Englishman at first sight； no one like him in the whole
world。〃
〃Have you seen many English gentleman？〃 said I。
〃Oh yes； have seen plenty when I have been up in London。〃
〃Have you been much in London？〃
〃Oh yes； when I was a drover was up in London every month。〃
〃And were you much in the society of English gentlemen when you
were there？〃
〃Oh yes； a great deal。〃
〃Whereabouts in London did you chiefly meet them？〃
〃Whereabouts？ Oh； in Smithfield。〃
〃Dear me！〃 said I； 〃I thought that was rather a place for butchers
than gentlemen。〃
〃Great place for gentlemen； I assure you；〃 said the figure； 〃met
there the finest gentleman I ever saw in my life； very grand； but
kind and affable； like every true gentleman。 Talked to me a great
deal about Anglesey runts； and Welsh legs of mutton； and at parting
shook me by the hand； and asked me to look in upon him； if I was
ever down in his parts； and see his sheep and taste his ale。〃
〃Do you know who he was？〃 said I。
〃Oh yes； know all about him； Earl of Leicester； from county of
Norfolk； fine old man indeed … you very much like him … speak just
in same way。〃
〃Have you given up the business of drover long？〃 said I。
〃Oh yes； given him up a long time； ever since domm'd railroad came
into fashion。〃
〃And what do you do now？〃 said I。
〃Oh； not much； live upon my means； picked up a little property； a
few sticks； just enough for old crow to build him nest with …
sometimes； however； undertake a little job for neighbouring people
and get a little money。 Can do everything in small way； if
necessary； build little bridge； if asked； … Jack of all Trades …
live very comfortably。〃
〃And where do you live？〃
〃Oh； not very far from Tregaron。〃
〃And what kind of place is Tregaron？〃
〃Oh； very good place； not quite so big as London but very good
place。〃
〃What is it famed for？〃 said I；
〃Oh； famed for very good ham； best ham at Tregaron in all Shire
Cardigan。〃
〃Famed for anything else？〃
〃Oh yes！ famed for great man； clever thief； Twm Shone Catti； who
was born there。〃
〃Dear me！〃 said I； 〃when did he live？〃
〃Oh； long time ago； more than two hundred year。〃
〃And what became of him？〃 said I； 〃was he hung？〃
〃Hung； no！ only stupid thief hung。 Twm Shone clever thief； died
rich man； justice of the peace and mayor of Brecon。〃
〃Very singular；〃 said I； 〃that they should make a thief mayor of
Brecon。〃
〃Oh Twm Shone Catti very different from other thieves； funny
fellow； and so good…natured that everybody loved him … so they made
him magistrate； not； however； before he had become very rich man by
marrying great lady who fell in love with him。〃
〃Ah； ah；〃 said I； 〃that's the way of the world。 He became rich； so
they made him a magistrate； had he remained poor they would have
hung him in spite of all his fun and good…nature。 Well； can't you
tell me some of the things he did？〃
〃Oh yes； can tell you plenty。 One day in time of fair Tom Shone
Catti goes into ironmonger's shop in Llandovery。 'Master；' says
he； 'I want to buy a good large iron porridge pot； please to show
me some。' So the man brings three or four big iron porridge pots；
the very best he has。 Tom takes up one and turns it round。 'This
look very good porridge pot；' said he； 'I think it will suit me。'
Then he turns it round and round again； and at last lifts it above
his head and peeks into it。 'Ha； ha；' says he； 'this won't do； I
see one hole here。 What mean you by wanting to sell article like
this to stranger？' Says the man； 'There be no hole in it。' 'But
there is；' says Tom； holding it up and peeking into it again； 'I
see the hole quite plain。 Take it and look into it yourself。' So
the man takes the pot； and having held it up and peeked in； 'as I
hope to be saved；' says he； 'I can see no hole。' Says Tom； 'Good
man； if you put your head in； you will find that there is a hole。'
So the man tries to put in his head； but having some difficulty；
Tom lends him a helping hand by jamming the pot quite down over the
man's face； then whisking up the other pots Tom leaves the shop；
saying as he goes； 'Friend； I suppose you now see there is a hole
in the pot； otherwise how could you have got your head inside？〃'
〃Very good；〃 said I； 〃can you tell us something more about Twm
Shone Catti？〃
〃Oh yes； can tell you plenty about him。 The farmer at Newton； just
one mile beyond the bridge at Brecon； had one very fine bull； but
with a very short tail。 Says Tom to himself： 'By God's nails and
blood； I will steal the farmer's bull； and then sell it to him for
other bull in open market place。' Then Tom makes one fine tail；
just for all the world such a tail as the bull ought to have had；
then goes by night to the farmer's stall at Newton； steals away the
bull； and then sticks to the bull's short stump the fine bull's
tail which he himself had made。 The next market day he takes the
bull to the market…place at Brecon； and calls out； 'Very fine bull
this； who will buy my fine bull？' Quoth the farmer who stood nigh
at hand； 'That very much like my bull； which thief stole t'other
night； I think I can swear to him。' Says Tom； 'What do you mean？
This bull is not your bull； but mine。' Says the farmer； 'I could
swear that this is my bull but for the tail。 The tail of my bull
was short； but the tail of this is long。 I would fain know whether
the tail of this be real tail or not。' 'You would？' says Tom；
'well； so you shall。' Thereupon he whips out big knife and cuts
off the bull's tail； some little way above where the false tail was
joined on。 'Ha； ha；' said Tom； as the bull's stump of tail bled；
and the bit of tail bled too to which the false tail was stuck； and
the bull kicked and bellowed。 'What say you now？ Is it a true
tail or no？' 'By my faith！' says the farmer； 'I see that the tail
is a true tail； and that the bull is not mine。 I beg pardon for
thinking that he was。' 'Begging pardon；' says Tom； 'is all very
well； but will you buy the bull？' 'No；' said