Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 2, 1891.djvu/176

168 doubt thou's a bigger fool nor a thought!" an' shut the door in 's face.

"See there!" says he, an' sets doun by tha road side an' greets.

"A've lost tha on'y twae things as a cared for, an' what else can a fin' to buy a pottle o' brains wi'!" an' he fair howled, till tha tears ran doun into 's mooth. An' oop came a lass as lived gainhand, an' looked at un.

"What's oop wi' thee, fool?" says she.

"Oo a's killed ma pig, 'n lost my mother, an' a'm nobbut a fool mysel'," says he, sobbin'.

"That's bad," says she; "an'hevna thee anybody to look arter thee?"

"Naw," says he, "an' a canna buy my pottle o' brains fur thurs nuthin' a like best lef! "

"What art ta'alkin' aboot"! says she.

An' doun she sets by him, an' he tellt her all aboot the wise woman an' the pig, an' 's mother an' the riddles, an' 'at he was alo'an i' the warld.

"Weel," says she, "a wouldn't min' lookin' arter thee mysel'."

"Could thee do 't?" says he,

"Ou, ay!" says she, " fo'ak says as fools mak' good husban's, an' a reckon a'll hev thee, ef thou'st willin'."

"Can'st cook?" says he.

"Ay, a can," says she.

"An' scrub?" says he.

"Surely," says she.

"An' men' ma clouts?" says he.

"A can that," says she.

"A reckon thou'lt do then 's weel 's anybody," says he; "but what 'l a do 'bout this wise woman?"

"Oh, wait a bit," says she, "suthin' mowt turn up, an' it 'll no matter ef thou 'rt a fool, s' long 's thou'st got me to look arter thee."

"That's true," says he, an' off tha went and got married.