Page:History of Buckhaven, or, The exploits of Wise Willie and Witty Eppie.pdf/24

24 for fear of being seen, and be made to carry skate fish and dulce. They think witches are the warst kind of devils, and make use of cats to riden upon, or kale kebbers and besom shafts, and that they sail over the sea in cockle shells, and be- witches lads and lasses and disables bridegrooms. They think Willie and the Wisp is a fiery devil, and leads people off their road to drown them in the sea. They thick Kelpy is a sly devil, and roars before a loss at sea. And they believe that the Fairies lift new born bairns from their mothers, and that none of them are safe to lie with their mothers for a night or two alter they are born, unless the mother gets a pair of men's breeches under their head, which sets the fairies adrift; but if they neglect to do this, they say the fairies will carry off the child, and leave a block of wood with the mother.