Page:Ancient and modern history of Buck-haven in Fife-shire (4).pdf/14

14 The next exploit was an action of law, againſt the goodman of Muir-Edge, a farmer who lived near by, that kept ſheep and ſwine, his ſheep came down and broke into their yard and ate up their kail; the wild hares, they thought, belonged to the ſame man, as they ran towards his houſe when they were hunted: the ſwine came very often in about their houſe ſeeking fiſh guts, and ony thing they could get, ſo it happened that one of their children ſitting eaſing itſelf, one of the ſwine tumbles it over, and bites a

piece out of the child's backſide, the whole town roſe in an uproar, and after Grunkie, as they called her, they catched her, and takes her before Wiſe Willie, Willie takes an axe and cuts two or three inches off her long noſe. now ſays Willie, I true I have made thee ſomething chriſtian like, thou had ſic a lang mouth and noſe before, it wada frighted a very de'il to look at ye; but now ye're fac'd like a little 'orſe or cow; the poor ſow ran home roaring all blood and wanting the noſe, which cauſed Muir-edge to warn them in before my Lord: ſo the wives who had their kail eaten, appeared firſt in the court, complaining againſt Muir-edge, Indeed my lord, Muir-edge is no a good man when he's ſic an ill neighbour, he keeps black hares, and white hares, little wee brown backed hares wi' white arſes, and looſe wagging horns; de muckle anes loups o'er dyke and eats a' de kail, and de little anes wi' de waggin horns creep in at our water guſh holes, and does de like, when we cry piſuie, they rin away hame to Muir-edge but