Page:Comical history of Simple John and his twelve misfortunes (8).pdf/11

 11

cann, and finding an empty pitcher, puts in his hand to find if their was any water in it, but finding none, 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 happened 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 she being in a louting posture, he took her for the knocking stane, and comes over her handies with the pitcher, till it flew in pieces then off she runs with fright, round a turf stack, and into the house before him. John came in trembling to the bed again wi' the fright, praying to preserve him, for sic a knocking-stane he never yet saw for it ran clean awa when he brake the pig apen't. Now John was furnished in a house by his father-in-law, the bed, the loom, heddles, treadles, thrumbs reeds, and pirn-wheel, was a' brought and set up before the marriage,