As the youth stood watching them , not knowing what to do next , it came into his head that his father 's cow was put out to grass at no great distance ; and he forthwith made such a noise that he quite frightened the oxen , who were easily persuaded to take the path he wished . When they heard the cow lowing they galloped all the faster , and soon they all arrived at his father 's house . The old man was standing before the door of his hut when the great herd of animals dashed round a corner of the road , with his son and his own cow at their head . ` Whose cattle are these , and why are they here ? ' he asked ; and his son told him the story . ` Take them back to your master as soon as you can , ' said the old man ; but the son only laughed , and said : ` No , no ; they are a present to you ! They will make you fat ! ' For a long while the old man refused to have anything to do with such a wicked scheme ; but his son talked him over in the end , and they killed the oxen as they had killed the sheep and the pigs . Last of all they came to the king 's cherished ox . The son had a rope ready to cast round its horns , and throw it to the ground , but the ox was stronger than the rope , and soon tore it in pieces . Then it dashed away to the wood , the youth following ; over hedges and ditches they both went , till they reached the rocky pass which bordered the herdsman 's land . Here the ox , thinking itself safe , stopped to rest , and thus gave the young man a chance to come up with it . Not knowing how to catch it , he collected all the wood he could find and made a circle of fire round the ox , who by this time had fallen asleep , and did not wake till the fire had caught its head , and it was too late for it to escape . Then the young man , who had been watching , ran home to his master . ` You have been away a long while , ' said the herdsman . ` Where are the cattle ? ' The young man gasped , and seemed as if he was unable to speak . At last he answered : ` It is always the same story ! The oxen are -- gone -- gone ! ' ` G-g-gone ? '
cried the XXXXX .
G-g-gone cattle escape fire ground herdsman horns house rope sheep