Page:History of Buckhaven.pdf/8

8 alive; and as they came near the place, the ass fell a crying, which caused many of them to ſaint and run back. Na, na, co' Willie, that's no the de'il's words at a', its my Lord's trumpeter, touting on his brass whistle. Willie, ventured till he saw the ass'es twa lugs, now, cried Willie, back to the rest, come forward and haud him fast I see his twa horns, hech sirs, he has a white heard like an auld begger man; so they enclosed the poor ass on all sides, thinking it was the de'il but when Wise Willie saw be had nae cloven feet he cried out: I carena lads, this is no the de'il, its some living beast, its neither cow nor hose. And what is't then' Willie? Indeed, co Willie, its the father of the maukins, I ken by its lang lugs.

Now, some say this history is too siririca but it is according to the knowledge of those times, not to say anything by another. The old wives will tell you yet of many such stories, of the devil appearing to their grandfathers and grandmothers, and dead wives coming back again to visit their families long after being dead. So this Buckhaven was once noted for droll exploits; but it was now become more known, and a place said to produce as hardy watermen or sailors, of any town on the Scots coast. Yet many of the old people in it still retain the old rincrute of their ancient and uncultivated speech, such as Be go laddie ; they are also of a fiery nature, for if you ask any of their wives where