Page:Merry tricks of Leper the taylor.pdf/7

(7) Leper resolved to be revenged on the dog, and so one night he catches the dog and carries him to the kirk where the rope of the bell hung on the outside, so with his garter he tied the dog's forefoot to the rope and left him hanging ; the dog struggling to get free set the bell ringing, which alarmed the whole village, every one cried out, wonderful sirs! wonderful sirs ! the devil is ringing the bell!" When they saw the black colley hanging at the rope, I true it set the minister and all the people to their prayers : but Leper fearing he would be detected by his garter, came to the minister's side and asked the reverend gentleman what was the matter; indeed my bairn, said he, 'tis the deil ringing the kirk bell; says Leper, I'll go and see him, for I never saw the devil; the minister cried, stop the mad laddie, but Leper ran and loosed the dog, crying, its such a man's dog, which had the rope in his teeth ; they all cried out, the deil's i' the cur, the deil's i' the dog ;" then took up stones and felled poor colley, and the devil got the blame of making the dog ring the bell; this spread Leper's fame, for being one of the wildest and mot