Page:Exploits of wise Willy, and witty Eppie of Buckhaven.pdf/8

8 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' Willie, that's nae the de'ils words at a', its my Lords trumpeter touting on his brass whistle. Willie ventured till he saw the ass's twa lugs, now cried Willie back to the rest, come forward an' had him fast. I see his twa horns, hech sirs, he has a white beard like an auld beggar man; so they inclosed the poor ass on all sides, thinking it was the de'il, but when Wise Willie saw he had nae cloven feet, he cried out, Searna lads, this is not the de'il, its some living beast; its neither cow nor horse. An what is t then, Willie? Indeed, co' Willie, its the father o' the maukins, I ken by its lang lugs.

Now some say this history is too satirical, but it is according to the knowledge of those times, not to say any place by. The old wives will tell you yet of many such stories, of the devil appearing to their grandfathers and grandmothers, and dead wives coming back again to visit their families long after being dead. So this Buckhaven was once noted for droll exploits: but it is now become more known, and a place said to produce as hardy 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 ancient and uncultivated speech such as Be go laddie, they are also of a fiery nature, for if you ask any of their wives where