Page:Comical history of Simple John and his twelve misfortunes (10).pdf/11

              and His Twelve Misfortunes. 11

pen, to let the cats get the blame of sapping the haggles, and awa’ they goes to bed, but poor John could get nae sleep for drouth. up he gets in search of the water can, and finding an empty pitcher, puts in his hand to find if there was any water in it, but finding nane, he closed his hand when it was within the pitcher, and then could not get it out, goes to the bed, and tells Sleeky Willie what had hap- pened him, who advised him to open the door, and go out to a knocking-, stane that stood before the door, and break it there, to get out his hand, and not to make a noise in the house ; so out he goes, and the bride’s sister who had gotten the great spoonful of the haggies laid to her backside, was out before him, rubbing the nastiness (as she took it to be) off the tail of her sark, and Ihe being in a louting pos- ture, he took her for the knocking- stane, and comes o’er her hurdies with the pitcher, till it flew in pieces about her, then off the runs with the fright, round a turf-stack, and into the house befo: e him; John comes in trembling to