Page:Fun upon fun, or, The comical and merry tricks of Leper the tailor (1).pdf/7

7 hanging at the rope, I true 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 deil;’ the minister cried, 'Stop that 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 dog, the deil’s i’ the dog;’ then took up stones and felled poor colley, 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 general of an army, as the devil could not fear him.'

After this, a farmer in the neighbourhood hearing the fame of Leper,