the bracket bull used to be the first one of the cattle that used to come in every night , and the stepmother sent for two butchers , and she set them on each side of the gate to kill the bracket bull when he would come . the bracket bull said to the boy , " i 'll be swept ( done for ) to - night , unless another cow goes before me . " he put another cow out before him , and the two butchers were standing on each side of the gate to kill the first one that would come in . the bull sent the cow out before him , going through the gate , and they killed her . then the stepmother got a piece of her to eat , and she thought that it was the bracket bull that she was eating , and she got better then . the next night , when the lad came home with the cattle , he ate no more of his supper than any other night , and there was wonder on the stepmother . she heard after this that the bracket bull was in it ( i.e. , alive ) all through , and that he was not killed at that time . when she heard that she killed a cock , and she let down some of its blood into her bed . she put a sup of the blood into her mouth , and she played the same trick over again , and said that there was nothing at all to cure her but a piece of the bracket bull .
the first one of the cattle that used to come in every night .
what did the bracket bull used to be ?
what did the bracket bull used to be ?