Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 16, 1905.djvu/503

 Collectanea. 445

as before, and was able to demonstrate that there were eleven shillings in each angle and so satisfy his master, though he had retained a shilling for himself.

We may give here the story of " How the Miller Tricked the Suspicious Farmer."

In a country-side, suspicion having fallen on the miller that he kept more than the regulated multure, a farmer declared that the miller would keep none of his next grinding. When the time came, the agriculturist took his own corn to the mill and kept a sharp look-out on the miller. Meanwhile, the miller had heard what was in the farmer's mind. When he arrived and indicated that he would wait till his stuff was ground, the miller said he would be very pleased to have his company as long as it was necessary for him to remain. As rapidly as possible the corn was got ready for the mill, and then the miller slipped into his house and put on a special shirt his wife had prepared for him, somewhat wide-sleeved with a peculiar wristband. The grinding com- menced ; every now and then the miller would put up his hand as if to free the discharge of the flour, but in reality to allow so much of the meal to fall into his shirt sleeve. While moving about he managed to empty this sleeve into a barrel without raising the suspicion of the farmer. The miller then got his wife to bake some of the meal, and when all the corn was ground, offered the farmer refreshment before starting for home. During the meal he inquired what his customer thought of the bread. The answer was satisfactory, the bread was good. " Well," said the miller, "that bread was made from your meal, I doubt if it is much use your again trying to watch a miller."

(Page 240, after line 20.)

This game was also called "Pussy Cat" and the "Buckle." The diagram used being as described, but the ends of the parallel lines were joined by a semi-circle to the ends of the two perpen- dicular lines.

(Page 188, after line 21.)

Another cryptogram common in Argyleshire is —

XXURXXUB,ICURXX4me

Too cross you are too cross you be, I see you are too cross for me.