Page:Ancient and modern history of Buck-haven in Fife-shire (1).pdf/8

8 catch'd in a net a' your pith will neither hang nor drown him, and the country he comes frae is a' het ceals, he'll never burn, we'll go to him in a civil man- ner and ſee what he wants; get out Eppie the ale- wife and lingietail,d Nancy, wi' the Bible and the Saum book, ſo aff they came in a crowd either to kill the devil or catch him alive, and as they came near the place the aſs fell a crying, which cauſed ma- ny of them to faint and run back: na, na, co' Willy, that's no the de'il a words ava, it's my lord's trumpe- ter touting on his braſs whittle Willy; ventured till he ſaw the rise's twa logs, now, cried Willy back to the reſt, come forward and haud him faſt, I ſee his twa horns, hech firs, he has a white beard like an wuld beggar man, ſo they encloſed the poor aſs on all ſides thinking it was the de'il, but when wife Willy ſaw he had nae cloven feet, he cried out, fear na luds, this is no the de'il tis ſome living beat, 'tis neither o cownor a horſe, and what is it then Willy? Indeed co' Willy, 'tis the father o' a' the maukers I ken by its lugs. Nowſoneſay this is too ſatirical s hiſtory, but it Decording to the knowledge of thoſe times, nottoſay is any place by another old wives will get tell us of many ſuch ſtories, as the devil appearing to their grandfathers and grandmothers, and dead wives Coming again to viſit their families long after their being buried; but this Buckhaven which was once noted for droll exploits is now become more know- ing, and is a place ſaid to produce the beſt and hardieſt watermen of ſailors of any town on the Scots coaſt, yet many of the old people in it ſtill retain the old cture of their and uncultiva- ted ſpeech, as be go laddie, alſo of a fiery nature, if you ak any of the wives where their college hands, they'll tell you, if your noſe were in their wife, your mouth would be at the door of it.