The creature seemed to know what passed in Tom's mind, for it instantly
said: "I'm no bogle, but you'd better not ask what I am. Anyhow, I am a
good friend of yours."
Tom's knees smote together with terror. Certainly an ordinary body
couldn't have known what he had been thinking, but the thing looked so
kind and spoke so fair, that he made bold to say in a quavering voice,
"Might I be asking to know your honor's name?"
"H'm!" the creature said, pulling its beard, "as for that, you may call
me Yallery Brown. That's the way I look as you plainly see, and 'twill
do for a name as well as any other. I am your friend, Yallery Brown, my
lad."
"Thank you, master," Tom responded meekly.
"And now," it said, "I'm in a hurry to-night. So tell me without delay
what I can do for you. Would you like a wife? I can give you the finest
lass in the town. Would you like riches? I can give you as much gold as
you can carry. Or would you have me help you with your work? Only say
the word."
Tom scratched his head. "I have no hankering for a wife," he said.
"Wives are bothersome bodies, and I have women folk at home who will
mend my clothes. Gold is worth having, but if you could lighten my work
that would suit me best of all. I can't abide work, and I'll thank--"
"Stop!" Yallery Brown cried, as quick as lightning, "I'll help you and
welcome, but if ever you thank me you'll never see me more. Remember
that! I'll have no thanks"; and it stamped its tiny feet on the ground
and looked as wicked as a raging bull. "Harken! you great lump!" it went
on, calming down a bit. "If ever you need help, or get into trouble,
call on me. Just say, 'Yallery Brown, come from the earth, I want you!'
and I'll be with you at once; and now, good night."
So saying, it picked a dandelion puff and blew the winged seeds all up
into Tom's eyes and ears. When Tom could see again Yallery Brown was
gone, and he would have thought he had been dreaming, were it not for
the stone on end and the hole at his feet.