Page:Fun upon fun, or, Leper the tailor (1).pdf/6

 hanging at the rope, I trow it set the minister and all the people to their prayers: but Leper fearing he would be detected by his garter, came to the minister's side, and asked the reverend gentleman what was the matter; 'indeed, my bairn,' said he, 'tis the deil ringing the kirk bell;' says Leper 'I'll go and see him, for I never saw the devil;' the minister cried stop the mad laddie, but Leper ran and loosed the dog, crying 'it's such a man's dog which had the rope in its teeth; they all cried out, 'the deil's i' the cur, the deil's i' the dog,' then took up stones and felled poor collie, and the devil got the blame of making the dog ring the bell. This spread Leper's fame, for being one of the wisest and most courageous tailors that was in all the kingdom; and many shaking their heads, said it was a pity he was a tailor, but a captain or a general of an army, as the devil could not fear him.'

After this, a farmer in the neighbourhood hearing the fame of Leper, how he had frighted the deil frae being a bellman, sent for him to an alehouse, and drank with him very heartily, and told him he was sadly borne down by a spirit jealousy against his wife; and a suspicion of her being too free with a servant lad he had before; and