Page:Ancient and modern history of Buck-haven in Fife-shire (3).pdf/22

                   ( 22 ) was banished for a slave to the May, to carry coals; he would not take with him, on account he had but ae aye. After that there was no more dancing at admitting of burgers; but the old usual way of scate- rumple, and then drink until they were almost blind. Upon the Rood day, four young Bucky lasses wen away early in the morning with their creels full of fish, and about mile frae the town, they saw coming down a brae, like a man driving a beast, when the came near, Tardy-Tib says, ‘tis a man driving a big mauken Tib flang her creel and fish away, the other three ran another way, and got clear; they said it

was a horned de'il. Tib told the frighsome story, and many ran to see the poor man, (or cadger and his ass) driving the auld mauken. The fishers look on all maukins to be devils and witches, and if they but see a sight of a dead maukin, it sets them a trembling. The fisher lasses look with disdain on a farmer's daugh- ter, and a‘ country lasses, they call them muck-byers and sherney-tail, jades. The Bucky lads and lasses when they go to gather bait tell strange stories about Ghosts, Witches