Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 2, 1891.djvu/168

160 tha reet pad, 'at a cle'an furgot 'at a needed he'p 'asel', an' 'at a wor held fast by the Black Snag.

So off a went; spent an' gaspin' an' stumblin', an' sobbin' wi' joy, fleein' fur's life oot o' tha tur'ble Bogs. Than it coom ower the Moon, 'at 'ad loike main to gaw wi' un; an' a gra'at fear coom to 'a; an' a pulled an' fowt 'sif a wor mad, till a fell on's knees, spent wi' toogin', at tha fut o' tha snag. An' as a la'ay thur, gaspin' fur bre'ath, tha bla'ack hood fell for'ard ower her he'ad; an' thoff she tried to throw un ba'ack, 'twor catched in her hair, an' wudna gaw. So oot want tha blessed light, an' back coomed tha darkness wi' a' its evil things, wi' a screech an' a howl. They cam croodin' round her, mockin' an' snatchin' an' beatin'; shriekin' wi' rage an' spite, an' swearin' wi' foul tongues, spittin' an' snarlin', fur tha kenned her fur ther au'd enemy, tha' bra'ave bright Moon, as druv 'em ba'ack into tha corners, an' kep'em fro' warkin' their wicked wills. My—what a clapperdatch 'twor—an' tha poor Moon crooched tremblin' an' sick i'tha mid, an' won'erd when tha'd make an en' o't, an' o' she.

"Dom' tha!" yelled tha witch-bodies, "thou'st spiled oor spells this year agone!"

"An' thou keeps us in wer stra'ight coffins o'noights!" mo'aned tha de'id Fo'ak.

"An' us thou sen's to brood i' tha corners!" howled tha Bogles.

An' a' tha Things joined in wi' a gra'at "Ho, ho!" till tha varry tussocks shuk, and tha watter gurgled. An' tha began age'an.

"Us'll poison her—poison her!" shrieked the witches.

An' "Ho, ho!" howled the Things age'an.

"Us'll smother her—smother her!" whispered the crawlin' Horrors, an' twined thersel's roon' her knees.

An' "Ho, ho!" mocked the rest o'un.

"Us'll strangle her—strangle her!" screeched tha De'ad Han's, an' ploocked at 'a throat wi' could fingers.

An' "Ho, ho!" they yelled age'an.