A few years ago, a man who lived at Allerton, near Liverpool, by trade
a tailor, but who could occasionally handle his fiddle, as well as
his needle, on his way home, from whence he had been exercising his
musical talents, for the entertainment of his country neighbours, in
passing through a field, about three o’clock, in the morning, in the
month of June, he was attacked by a bull. After several efforts to
escape, he attempted to ascend a tree; not, however, succeeding in the
attempt, a momentary impulse directed him to pull out his fiddle, and,
fortifying himself behind the tree as well as he could, began to play;
upon which the enraged animal became totally disarmed of his ferocity,
and seemed to listen with great attention. The affrighted tailor,
finding his fierce and formidable enemy so much appeased, began to
think of making his escape, left off playing, and was moving forward.
This, however, the bull would not suffer, for, no sooner had the
tailor ceased his fascinating strain, than the bull’s anger appeared
to return with as much rage as before: he, therefore, was glad to have
recourse a second time to his fiddle, which instantly operated again,
as a magic charm upon the bull, who became as composed and attentive
as before. He afterwards made several more attempts to escape, but all
in vain; for no sooner did he stop his fiddle, than the bull’s anger
returned, so that he was compelled to keep fiddling away, till near six
o’clock, (about three hours,) when the family came to fetch home the
cows, by which he was relieved and rescued from a tiresome labour and
frightful situation. This is, perhaps, the first man upon record, who
may be really said to have fiddled for his life, and, who so truly
fulfilled the poet’s idea, that
“Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast.”
It is proper, and farther curious, to observe, that this man lodged
at the farm-house where the bull was kept; and that, as he frequently
played upon the fiddle, in an evening, to amuse the family, he had
observed the bull, (who always attended the cows home to be milked,)
constantly endeavoured to get as near as possible to that part of the
house where he happened to be playing, and always appeared to listen,
with the greatest attention, which, fortunately struck him with the
idea of having recourse to his fiddle, and, in all probability,
preserved his life.