Page:Christ's kirk on the green (1).pdf/15

 Canto II. ON THE GREEN. 15

Held up frae cowping o' the creels; The liquid logic ſcholar : 132 When he came hame his wife did reel And rampage in her choler, Wi' that he brake the ſpinning wheel, That coſt a good rix-dollar, 136 And mair ſome ſay.

Near bed-time now ilk weary wight Was gaunting for his reſt: For ſome were like to tice their fight, Wi' ſleep and drinking ſtreſt, 140 But others that were ſtomach tight, Cry'd out, it was nae beſt To leave 'a ſupper that was dight, To brownies, or a ghaſt, 144 To eat that day.

On whomelt tubs lay twa lang dales, On them ſtood mony a goan, Some fill'd wi' brochan, ſome wi' kail, And milk het frae the loan. 148 Of dainties they had routh and wale Of which they were right ſon : But naething wad gae down but ale Wi' drunken Donald Don 152 The ſmith that day.

Two times aught bannocks in a heap, And twa good junts of beef, Wi' hind and fore ſpauls of a ſheep, Drew whittles frae ilk ſeath : 156

131. Frae couping o' the creels.) From turning topſy turvey. 144. To Brownies.) Many whimſical ſtories are handed down to us by old women, of theſe brownies; they tell us, they were la kind of good drudging ſpirits, who appeared in ſhape of rough men, would have lyen familiarly by the fire all night, threſhen un the barn, brought a midwife at a time, and done many ſuch kind offices. But none of them have been ſeen in Scotland Since the Reformation, as faith the wife John Brown.