Page:Ancient and modern history of Buck-haven in Fife-shire (1).pdf/23

23 ly with the Wiſp, and the Kelpy, Fairies and Mau- kens, and boggles of all ſorts. The Ghovtſ, like old horſes, go all night for fear they are ſeen, and be made to carry ſeate or fiſh, or be carted; and witches are the wart kind of devils, and make uſe of cats to ride upon, or kill-kebbers, and before, and ſail over ſeas in cockle ſhells, and witch the lads and laſſes, and diſable bridegrooms. As for Willy and the Wiſp, he is a fiery devil, and leads peo- ple off their road in order to drown them for he ſparks ſometimes at our feet, and then runs before with his candle, as if he were twa or three mile before us, many a good boat has Spunkie drowned; the boats coming to land in the night-time, they obſerve a light off the land, and let upon it and are drown't. The Kelpy is a fly devil, he tours before a loſs at ſea, and frightens both young und old upon the ſhore. Fairies are terrible troubleſome, they gang dancing round folks lums, and in through the hou- ses they haunt, and play odd tricks, and lift new-born bairns from their mothers, and none of them are ſafe to lye with their mothers a night or two after they are born, unless the mother gets a pair of mens breaches under her head for the firſt three nights : when the fairies are frighted, they will leave an old lock with the woman, and whip away the child. One tried to burn an old 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 lum. Mau- kenſ are moſt terrible and have bad luck none will go to ſea that day they ſee a Maukin; or if a wretehed body put in a Maukin'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 accounts of the boats at few. They are terrified for all ſorts of bogles both by land and fes.