"I will do so," she said.

She failed not, for that night she lay in her usual place, and her
husband took up his old quarters, and made no further advances than he
had on the previous nights. So she turned towards him, and throwing her
arms round him, said;

"Come here husband! Is this the pleasant time I was to expect? This is
the fifth night I have slept with you, and you have not deigned to come
near me! On my word I should never have wished to be married if I had
not thought married people did something else."

"And what did they tell you married people did?" he asked.

"They say," she replied, "that the one rides the other. I want you to
ride me."

"Ride!" he said. "I would not like to do that.--I would not be so
unkind."

"Oh, I beg of you to do it--for that is what married people do."

"You want me to do it?" he asked.

"I beg of you to do it," she said, and so saying she kissed him
tenderly.

"By my oath!" he said, "I will do it, since you ask me to though much
to my regret, for I am sure that you will not like it."

Without saying another word he took his stock of rods, and stripped his
wife, and thrashed her soundly, back and belly, legs and thighs, till
she was bathed in blood. She screamed, she cried, she struggled, and
it was piteous to see her, and she cursed the moment that she had ever
asked to be ridden.

"I told you so," said her husband, and then took her in his arms and
"rode" her so nicely that she forgot the pain of the beating.

"What do you call that you have just done?" she asked.

"It is called," he said, "'to blow up the backside'."

"Blow up the backside!" she said. "The expression is not so pretty as
'to ride', but the operation is much nicer, and, now that I have learned
the difference, I shall know what to ask for in future."

Now you must know that the cure was always on the look-out for when the
newly married bride should come to church, to remind her of her promise.
The first time she appeared, he sidled up to the font, and when she
passed him, he gave her holy water, and said in a low voice,

"My dear! you promised me that I should ride you when you were married!
You are married now, thank God, and it is time to think when and how you
will keep your word."

"Ride?" she said. "By God, I would rather see you hanged or drowned!
Don't talk to me about riding. But I will let you blow up my backside if
you like!"

"And catch your quartain fever!" said the cure, "beas