Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 2, 1891.djvu/177

Rh An' she kept 's house so clean an' neat, an' cooked 's dinner so fine, 'at one night a says to her:

"Lass, a 'm thinkin' a like thee best o' iverything, arter all."

"That's good hearin'," says she, "an' what then?"

"Hev 'a got to kill thee, dost think, an' take thy heart oop to the wise woman for that pottle o' brains?"

"Laws, no!" says she, lookin' skeered, "a winna hev' that. But see here; thou didn't cut oot thy mother's heart, did tha?"

"Naw; but if a had, mebbe a'd a got my pottle o' brains," says he.

"Not a bit o't," says she; "jist thou take me 's a be, heart 'n all, 'n a wager a '11 help thee read the riddles."

"Can thee so?" says he, doubtful like; "a reckon thon 's too hard for wimmen fo'ak."

"Weel," says she, " let 's see noo. Tell 's the first 'un."

"What rins wi' oot feet?" says he.

"Why, watter!" says she.

"It do," says he, an' scratched 's head.

"An' what 's yaller an' shinin', but isna goold?"

"Why, the sun!" says she.

"Faix, it be!" says he. "Coom, us 'll go oop to the wise woman towanst," and off they went. An' as they comed oop the pad, she wor sittin' at the door, twinin' straws.

"Gode'en, missis," says he.

"Gode'en, fool," says she.

"A reckon a 's fo't 'e the reet thing to last," says he, "thoff a hevn't azac'ly cut th' heart oot, it be so moocky wark."

The wise woman looked at 'em both, an' wiped her spec'itals.

"Canst tell me what that be, as has first nae legs, an' then twae legs, an' en's wi' fower legs?" An' the fool scratched 's head, an' thowt, an' thowt; but a couldna tell.