Page:Fun upon fun, or, The comical and merry tricks of Leper the tailor (2).pdf/15

15 which knocked out the bottom of it: presently in comes the wife with the water, and pours it into the pot, which set the fireside all in a dam, for still as she poured in, it ran out, the wife being short-sighted, or what they call sand blind, looks into the pot, holds up both her hands, and cries, "Losh preserve me, sirs, for the grip atween the twa holes is broken." Says Leper, the pot was old enough; but do you not ken that tailor's pottage is heavier than other men's. Indeed lad I believe it, but they say ye're a warlock; it's Wednesday all the world o'er, and a waefu' Wednesday to me indeed, my pot might hae served me this fifty year, a sae wad it e'en.

This sport diverted Leper and his lads through the day; and after supper, knowing he was to get some dirty bed, as the cows and the people lived all in one apartment, he chose rather to go home; and knowing the moon was to rise a little after midnight, he sat by the fire; told them many a fine story to drive away the time, and had the wife make the bed to see how it might be: to save candle, she made it in the dark, directly on the floor behind where they sat, shaking down two bottles of straw; a calf which chanced to be lying on that place, and which the wife did not notice was covered with the straw, and