Will Ye page 13
"Will ye mortals never learn!"
But he noticed that the animal’s tongue was dangling out, as if he really enjoyed being caressed.
She gestured for him to come over and befriend the beast himself, and he decided to do so, with some hesitation, as you can well imagine.
He found its fur to be quite soft, contrary to the way it looked, and it made a contented noise deep within its throat.
"Now if that doesn’t beat all," said Sourjack. "They’ll never believe me back at the village!"
"Will ye mortals never learn!"
Only this time it was almost a question rather than a statement.
"Well, perhaps we can…." Said Sourjack.
Her complexion glowed a brighter pinkish orange than he had ever seen from her.
"However," he continued, "I hope they aren’t all your pets, because I killed one a few years ago." He saw her begin to turn livid as her colors dulled and quickly added: "But only in self defense! It spat fire at me -- as did this one -- so I had a right to treat it as I wished. I rode this one up here from the Forest of Malevolence, and tied it up."
"Will ye mortals never learn!"
"Oh come on!" said Sourjack with exasperation. "What was I supposed to do, let it fry me?"
She got a puzzled expression on her face, as if she began to resolve a question for herself, and took him by the hand.
"Smilerina," he said, while looking her in the eyes, "I realized while getting my mushrooms ready for market -- this evening, as a matter of fact -- that there isn’t any treasure in that cave--"
"Will ye mortals never learn!"
And with this said, she took out her fire-rod and pointed it at him.
