Page:Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, Etc., with an Appendix Containing a Rare Tract.djvu/285



The people at length in assembly met, And appointed the schoolmaster the devil to get; To try his skill if he could not master, And with his power the devil bind faster; So proud of his station, and confidence placed in him, He determined to seek and try to chasten him. One day in the school, in the corner of churchyard, The windows all fastened, the doors all barred, With the gypsies' blarney, and the witches' cant, He drew him forth with his horrible rant.

Amazed stood the pedagogue, frightened to see, A spirit in harness from head to the knee; With eyes large as saucers, and horns on his head, His tail out behind, a dread shadow he shed.

All silent he stood, the master quaked more, And tried to move, as if for the door; The spirit his tail gave a wag from behind, Now for his doom! the master made up his mind. 'Ay,' thought he, 'I'm now in a pickle, But wouldn't I mangle him, if now I'd my sickle!' So to put on a bold face, he straightway began— 'Who art thou? answer, fiend or man?' 'Know I'm the devil, hear and tremble, And unless thou attendest me, thou'lt soon me resemble; And unless by thy lore thou anon entanglest me, By the shivers and brimstone, mangled thou'lt be.'

'Twas said in a voice deep as thunder outpoured, 'Twas a terrible sound, as a lion had roared. Aghast stood the master, his limbs oscillating, Too frightened to speak, or to think, contemplating! 'Quick,' said the devil, 'three questions thou must put, Or otherwise off with me thou must to my hut.'

This put the chap more in a terrible flutter, His voice now had gone, he could only mutter; At length, after thrice essaying, he thus began— 'Tell me, kind sir,' (O Moses! how wan Was the fellow's countenance as he began)— 'How many drops of dew on yon hedges are hinging?' The devil and imps flew past it swinging;