Page:Jockey & Maggy's courtship, and unlucky marriage.pdf/13

 like as he had been a tod-lowrie come frae worrying the lambs wi’ his bloody mouth. With that he gets an auld flail, and rives awa’ the supple, then drives them a’ to the back o’ the door, but yet nane wan out; then wi’ chirten and chappen, down comes the clay hallen and the hen bawk wi’ Rab Reid the fidler, who had crept up aside the hens for the preservation of his fiddle.

Ben comes the bride, when she got on her coat, clappet Rabby’s shoulder, and bade him spare their lives, for there is blood enough shed in ae night, quoth she; and that my beard can witness, quoth he. So they all came in obedience to uncle Rabby, for his souple made their pows baith saft and sair that night; but daft Maggy Simpson sat by the fire and picket banes a’ thǝthe [sic] time o’ the battle: indeed, quoth she, I think you’re a’ fools but mysel; for I came here to get a guid supper, and ither fouk has gotten their skin well pait.

By this time up got John, the bridegroom, that was Jockey before he was married, but coudna get his breeks; yet wi’ at horsenail he tacket his sark tail between his legs, that nane might see what every body should hide; and rampingly he cries, Settle ye, or I’ll gar my uncle settle ye, and fasten your heads wi’ my auld supple.

Poor Rab Reid, the fidler, took a sudden blast; some said he was maw-turn’d wi’