Page:Exploits of wise Willy, and witty Eppie of Buckhaven.pdf/16

16 The next exploit was an action at law, against the good-man of Muiredge, a farmer who lived near by, that kept sheep and swine. His sheep came down and broke their yards, and ate up their kail; the wild hares they thought belonged to the same man, as they ran to his house when they were hunted. The swine came very ofen in about their houses, seeking fish guts and any thing they could get; so it happened, when one of the children was sitting easing itself, that one of the swine tumbled it over, and bit a piece out of its backsideǃ The whole town rose in an uproar against grunkie, as they called her, caught her, and took her before Wise Willie. He took an axe and cut two or three inches off her long nose. Now says he, I trow hae made thee something like another beast thou has sic a lang mouth before, it was a frighted a very de'il to look at ye, but now ye're faced like a little horse or cow. The poor sow ran home roaring, all blood, and wanting the nose; which caused Muiredge to warn them in before my Lord. So the wives that had their kail eaten appeared first in the court, complaining against Muiredge. Indeed my Lord said they, Muiredge is no good man, when he is sic an ill neighbour; he keeps black hares and white bare; little wee brown backed hares wi' white arses, and loose wagging hurns; they creep in at our water gush holes, and does the like. When we cry, Pussie, pussie, they rin hame to Muiredge