Page:Ancient and modern history of Buck-haven, in Fife-shire.pdf/21

 BUCK-HAVEN IN FIFE-SHIRE. 21 fear they are ſeen, and be made to carry ſeate or fith, or be carted; and witches are the warſt kind of devils, and mak uſe of cats to ride upon, or kill-kebbers, and beſoms, and fail over ſeas in cockle-ſhells, and witch lads and laſſes, and dif- able bridegrooms. As for Willy and the Wiſp, he is a fiery devil, and leads people off their road in order to drown them, for he ſparks ſometimes at our feet, and then turns before us with his candle, as if he were twa or three miles before us, many a good boat has Spunkie drown'd; the boats coming to land in the night-time, they ob- ſerve a light off the land, and ſet in upon it and drown. The Kelpy is a ſly devil, he roars before a loſs jat ſea, and frightens both young and old upon the ſhore. Fairies are terrible troubleſome, they gang dancing round ſouks Jums, and rin through the houſes, they haunt, and play odd tricks, and lift new born bairns from their mothers, and cone of them is ſafe to ly with their mothers, a night for two after they are born, unleſs the mother gets a pair of med's breeches under her head for the firſt three nights; when the Fairies are fright- ed, they will leave an old ſtock with the woman, and whip away the child. One tried to burn an bold ſtock that the Fairies left in the cradle; but when the fire was put on, the old ſtock jumped on upon a cat and up the dum. Maukens are moſt - terrible, and have bad luck, none will go to ſea that day they fee a Mauken, or if a wretched body put in a Mauken's fit in their creels, they need not lift them that day, as it will be bad luck, either broken backs, or legs, or arms, or hear bad ac counts of the boats at ſea. "They are terrified for all ſorts of boggles both by land and by ſea,