Page:Ancient and modern history of Buckhaven in Fife-shire.pdf/8

 is a' het coals he'll never burn; we'll go to him in a civil manner, and see what he wants. Get out Eppie, the ale-wife, and lingle-tail'd Nancy, wi' the Bible and the Saum-book. So aff they came in a crowd, either to kill the de'il or catch him alive, and as they came near the place, the ass fell a crying, which caused many of them to faint and run back. Na, na, co' Willy, that's no the deil's words ava, it's my Lord's trumpter routing on his brass whistle. Willy ventured till be saw the ass's twa lugs; Now, cried Willy back to the rest, come forward and haud him fast, I see his twa horns! Hech sirs! he has a white beard, like an auld beggar man. So they enclosed the poor ass on all sides, thinking it was the de'il. But when Wise Willy saw he had nae cloven feet, he cried out, Fearna lads, this is no the de'il it's some living beast; 'tis neither a cow nor a horse—— And what is it then, Willy? Indeed, co' Willy, 'tis the father o'the maukens, I ken be its lugs. Some may say, this is too satirical a history, but it is according to the knowledge of those times. But this Buckhaven, which was once noted for droll exploits, is now become more knowing, and is a place said to produce the best and hardiest watermen or sailors of any town on the Scots coast, yet many of the old people in it, still retain the old tincture of their old and uncultivated speech, as be-go laddie, also a fiery nature, if you ask any of the wives where their College stands, they'll tell you, if your nose were in their a–, your mouth would be at the door of it. Now it happened, when Wise Willy turned old, he took a great swelling in his wame, and