Page:Monk and the miller's wife (4).pdf/8

 Bessy by this began to smell

A rat, but kept her mind to’r sell;

She pray’d like howdy in her drink,

But meantime tipp’d young James a wink.

James frae his ee an answer sent,

Which made the wife right wiel content:

Then turn’d to Hab and thus advis’d:

“Whate’er you see be nane surpris’d,

But for your saul move not your tongue;

And ready stand wi’ a big rung,

Syne as the sp’rit gangs marching out,

Be sure to lend him a sound rout:

I bidna this by way of mocking,

For nought delights him mair than knocking."

Hab got a kent—stood by the hallan,

And straight the wild nuischievons callan

Cries, “Rhadamanthus Husky Mingo,

Monk, Horner, Hippocky Jinko; Jingo,

Appear in likeness o’ a priest;

No like a deel; in shape o’ beast,

Withi gaping chafts to fieg us a’:

Wauk forth, the doorstunds to the wa’. ”

Then frae the hole where he was pent,

The priest approach’d right wiel content;

Wi’ silent pace strade o’er the floor,

Till he was drawing near the door,

Then to eschpe the cudgel ran,

But was not miss’d by the gudeman,

Wha lent him on the neck a louder,

That gart him o’er the threshold founder

Darkness soon hid him frae their sight:

Ben flew the Miller in a fright;

“I trow," quoth he,"I laid wiel on;

But vow he's like our ain Mess John!”