Page:History of Buckhaven, or, The exploits of Wise Willie and Witty Eppie.pdf/7

7 rin round abaut the fire till it be roasted. "No, no, said Wise Willie. we'll no do that indeed, for my Lord wad mak us a' dogs, and gar us rin through the country seeking maukins' for him.

It happened on a dark winter morning, that two of their wives were going to Dysart to sell their fish; and on the road side there happened to be some tinkers' ass tethered. The poor ass seeing the twa wives coming with their creels, though it was the tinkers coming to flit or relieve him, fell a crying ; so the twa wives threw their fish away, and ran home like the very devil, and said that he spoke to them but they didna ken what he said, for it was words like a Highlandman's; the whole town was in an uproar; some would go with picks and spades, and hag him to pieces, others would go and catch him in a strong net, and then they could either hang or drown him. Na, na, quo' Willie, that'll no do, we maun cast out wi' him at first as he has gotten the twa burdens o' fish, he'll e'en gang his wa' and no fash us nae mair, hes o'er suple to be catch'd in a net : a' your pith will neither hang nor crown him, and the kintry he cames frae is a' het coals, so he'll never burn; we'll gae to him in a civil manner, and see what he wants. Get out Eppie, the ale wife, and Lingle tailed Nancy wi' the Bible and Psalm book. So off they went in a crowd, either to kill the de'il, or catch him