Page:History of Buckhaven, or, The exploits of Wise Willie and Witty Eppie.pdf/6

6 It happened on a day, that two of their wives near the town found a horse shoe, and brought it home and sent for Wise Willie to see what it was. Willie comes and looks at it; indeed co Willie its a thing and holes in it. I ken'd co' they, he would get a name till't. A ho, co Willie, whare did you find it? Aneath my Lord's ain house Willie. Adeed, said Willie, it's the auld moon, I ken by the holes in't for nailing it to the lift; but I wonder if she fell in Fife, for the last time I saw her, she was hanging on her back aboon Edinburgh. A hech, co' Willie, we'll set her upon the highest house in the town, and we'll ha'e moon light o' our ain a' the days o' the year: The whole town ran to see the moon, hout toot' said Witty Eppie, ye're but a' fools thegither; its but ane o' the things it my Lord's mare wears upon her lufe.

At another time one of their wives found a hare with its legs broken, lying among her kail in the yard. She not knowing what it was, called out to her neighbours to see it. Some said it was a gentleman's cat, or my lady's lap-dog, or a sheep's young kitten, because it had saft horns. Na, na, cried Wise Willie, it's ane o' the maukins that gentlemen's dogs worries, What will we do wit. Hech. co they all, we'll sing the woo, and make fish and sauce o't to my Tammies parritch. Na, na, said Witty Eppie, better gie't to my Lord, and he'll stap an iron stick through the guts o't and gar't