Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/302

294 farm of Braco. On approaching a dyke he had to pass over, he heard, as he thought, some one speaking. He walked quietly towards the spot from which the sound of words came, and peeped over the dyke. He saw an old man mending his trowsers, and, as he was mending, he kept saying, "That clout 'ill dee here; and this ane 'ill dee there." The man looked, and listened for a little. At last he inflicted a blow on the old man's head, saying, "An this clout 'ill dee there." In a moment the kelpie was in his true form, and off with loud neighing to his deep pool.

A young woman was on a journey. Night came down, and she lost her way. After wandering a little, she came to a place which seemed likely to give her shelter for the night. She entered, and composed herself to such rest as she could draw out of her resting-place. By-and-bye a little dog came, and lay down by her side. Shortly after kelpie made his appearance, and said to her, "Mack bed, bonnie lass, a'll lie wi' you the nicht." She was at a loss what to say or do to keep kelpie away. The doggie came to her help, and told her to say she had no blankets wherewith to make a bed. She said, "I hive nithing t' mack a bed wi'." Kelpie disappeared, but returned after a little, and threw into the place, where the woman and the dog were, a quantity of bedding, and repeated his former words: "Mack bed, bonnie lass, for a'll lie wi' you the nicht." What was now to be done? The doggie again came to the rescue. "Tell him y're thirsty, an bid him fess a drink in sieve an rivven dish," said the cunning animal. She did so, and kelpie set off to fetch the water. He soon came back with the complaint: "They winna baud in." "Then stop them wi' fog." Away went kelpie to gather fog (mosses), and to stop up the meshes of the riddle, and the crack in "te rivven dish." Hard did kelpie toil, but still the water escaped. By the time he came back, day had dawned, and the maiden was free.