Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 2, 1891.djvu/166

158 her; an' 'twor a mortal quare soight as 'a looked on, Tha witches girned as tha rode past on ther gra'at black cats; an' tha evil Eye glowered fro' tha da'arkest corners—an' tha will-o'-tha-wykes danced a' aboot wi'ther lanterns swingin' o' ther backs. Than tha de'ad fo'ak rose i' tha watter, an' lookit roon' 'em in white twisted fa'aces an' hell fire i' ther empty een-holes; an' tha slimy drippin' De'ad Han's slithered aboot, beckonin' an' p'intin', and makin' yer skin crawd wi' ther cowld wet feel.

Tha moon drew 's clo'ak faster aboot her, an' tremmelt; but a wouldna gaw back, wi'oot seein' a' ther wor to be seen, so on she went, steppin' light as tha win' in summer fro' tuft to tuft, atween tha greedy gurglin' watter ho'als; an' jest as she corned nigh a big black pool, 's fut slipt, and a wor nigh toomlin' in—an' a grabbed wi' bo'oth han's at a snag near by, to steady 'asel' wi'; but so cum as she touched it, a twined itsel' round her wrists loike a pa'ir o' han'cuffs, an' gript her so 's she culdna move. She pulled, an' twisted, an' fowt, but twor no'on good: a wor fast, an' a mo'ost sta'ay fast; so a' lookit aboot, an' wunnerd if help 'd coom by; but a saw nowt but shiftin' flurryin' evil Things, comin' an' goin' here an' there busy wi' ther ain ill wark.

But presently, as a stood trem'lin' i' tha da'ark a heerd summat ca'allin' i' tha distance—a voice 'at ca'alled an' ca'all'd, an' than de'ed away wi' a sob; an' then began agean wi' a screech o' pain or fear, an' ca'd an' ca'd, till tha ma-ashes weer full on tha pitiful cryin' voice; an' than a heerd steps floonderin' along, squishin' i' tha muck, an' slippin' on' tha tufts; an' throff tha darkness, a saw ban's catchin' at the snags an' tha tussocks, an' a white face wi' gre'at feared eyen.

'Twor a man strayed i' tha bogs; an' a' roon' about un tha girnin' bogles, an' tha de'ad fo'ak, an' tha creepin' Horrors crawled an' crooded; tha voices mocked un, an' the De'ad Han's ploocked at un, an' ahead, tha will o' tha wykes dangelt ther lanterns, an' shuk wi' evil glee as a led un furdcr 'n furder fro' tha rect track. Ma-azed wi' fear