Page:Merry tricks of Leper the taylor.pdf/18

(18) enough, but do you ken taylors pottage is heavier than other men's. Indeed lad I believe it, but they say ye're a warlock; it's Wednesday all the world o'er, and a waefu' Wednesday to me indeed, my pot might ha'e lasted me this fifty year, a sae wad it e'en.

This sport diverted Leper and his lads thro' the day; and after supper, knowing he was to get some dirty bed, as the cows and the people lived all in one apartment, he chose rather to go home; and knowing the moon was to rise a little after midnight, he sat along by the fire, told them many a fine story to drive away the time, and bade the wife make the bed to see how it might be; to save candle she made it in the dark, directly on the floor, behind where they sat, shaking down two bottles of straw; a calf, which chanced to be lying on that place and which the wife did not notice, was covered with the straw, and the bed clothes spread over us. The most of the family being in bed, the wife told them to go to bed also; but Leper knowing of the calf, said I'll make my bed come to me, on which the wife began to pray for herself, and all that was in the house; so